Christophe Ferland

All eyes were on the Wesley Ward raider Wink (Midshipman) in Thursday's G3 Prix d'Arenberg at ParisLongchamp, but it was the Wertheimers' Kalahara (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who ended up on top at the end of the five-furlong test. Racing in rear early under Maxime Guyon as Stonestreet Stables' unbeaten Aug. 2 Colleen S. winner predictably made the running, the homebred was wound up to reel her in passing the furlong pole. Despite hanging down to her left, the 6-1 shot asserted for a length verdict over the visitor and 4-5...

Serving notice that he was above average when winning the Listed Grand Criterium de Bordeaux in October, the Wertheimers' Pao Alto (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) boosted his stock when powering to an authoritative success in Thursday's G3 Prix la Force at ParisLongchamp. Settled fourth early by Maxime Guyon, the 12-5 favourite rushed to the front passing the two-furlong pole en route to a comfortable 1 1/2-length success from TDN Rising Star Ocean Atlantique (American Pharoah), with Chachnak (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) three lengths away in third. "He was ready for this--he had...

Christophe Ferland, who is based at La Teste de Buch near Bordeaux in the South-West of France, was one of a clutch of trainers to hit the ground running before the pandemic-enforced halt to proceedings in March. His 17 victories and 33 places from just 74 runners during the prologue is an impressive strike rate and good enough, as things stand, for fifth position in the French trainers' championship. "It was an excellent start to the year; we had 17 winners and 33 horses placed, which is a great [strike]...