Maxime Guyon

Demonstrating a precocity that belies his title, the Wertheimers' Atlast (Fr) (Farhh {GB}--Pitamore, by More Than Ready) mastered more experienced rivals in Sunday's G3 Prix la Force at ParisLongchamp to exit to the sound of Classic talk. Coming into the nine-furlong test with two juvenile runs at Chantilly to his name and one win over 7 1/2 furlongs on the Polytrack in October, the 11-2 shot was content to track the leaders under Maxime Guyon throughout the early stages. Sweeping to the front with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining, the Christophe...

After knocking on the door so many times--finishing second or third in four Group 1 events in his four most recent starts--Team Valor and Gary Barber's Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}--Jawlaat {Ire}, by Shamardal) got one of his own in an ultra-competitive renewal of the $5-million G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday. Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), winner of the Dubai Turf the last three years and seeking an historic four-peat, broke a bit awkwardly, but despite recovering quickly, finished off the board. The U.S. hope Catnip (Kitten's...

Officials at the Hong Kong Jockey Club could offer their devoted fans only limited access to the Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting from 2020 to 2022, a necessity attributable to the Coronavirus outbreak in March 2020, and while the attendance restrictions were gradually eased over the next few years, there were certain parameters and restrictions in place to ensure the show would go on. With things more or less back to normal in the SAR, the patrons--a reported 65,252 of them--poured through the Sha Tin turnstiles Sunday afternoon to...

There was a chance beforehand that the Wertheimers' 3-year-old Double Major (Ire) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}--Dancequest {Ire}, by Dansili {GB}) had an edge over his elders in Sunday's G1 Prix Royal-Oak at ParisLongchamp, but few would have imagined how great his advantage was as he outclassed them with a vintage display. Always happy at the head of affairs under Maxime Guyon, the Christophe Ferland-trained homebred started to draw clear from the top of the straight and despite wandering around in the clear was so far in front inside the last 100...

A successful ParisLongchamp au revoir for Frankie was denied in Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret, with his beloved Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) losing out by half a length to the Wertheimers' fellow TDN Rising Star Kelina (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Incahoots {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) who put the cherry on the cake for her sire who both directly and indirectly dominated the Arc. Unplaced twice since beating the G1 Prix du Moulin heroine Sauterne (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) decisively in the G2 Prix de Sandringham at Chantilly in June, the...

Shortly after Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) stormed to G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S. success at Newmarket on Saturday, it was another group victory for the training duo of Simon and Ed Crisford, as Poker Face (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) pounced in the G2 Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein over 1600 metres at ParisLongchamp. In midpack from the jump as G3 Sovereign S. winner Embesto (GB) (Roaring Lion) chaired the vanguard up front with Colombier (GB) (Kingman {GB}), the 4-year-old gelding waited patiently for his call up, and, with 1 1/2...

Christophe Ferland's stable had not been firing on all cylinders during the summer months, but gave notice of a return to form with Shalromy's Listed Prix Matchem victory at Saint-Cloud on Friday, and the trainer's upturn in fortunes continued after Double Major (Ire) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}--Dancequest {Ire}, by Dansili {GB}) annexed Saturday's G2 Qatar Prix Chaudenay at ParisLongchamp. Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's homebred 3-year-old went untested as a juvenile and had run second in all three prior black-type starts, including a second to the reopposing Gallerist (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}) in...

Yann Barberot trainee Beauvatier (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Enchanting Skies {Ire}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}), who went three-for-three in July's Listed Prix Roland de Chambure at Deauville when last seen, continued his impressive rise through the grades with a comfortable victory in Sunday's G3 Prix La Rochette at ParisLongchamp. The 3-10 favourite, who attained 'TDN Rising Star' status at Chantilly in May, was under a firm hold off the pace in fourth through the initial fractions of this pattern-race bow. Making smooth headway into contention in the straight, he...

Yann Barberot trainee Beauvatier (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Enchanting Skies {Ire}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}) was two-for-two heading into Deauville's Listed Prix Roland de Chambure and remained on a roll after notching a 1 1/4-length success in the seven-furlong test. He became the 12th 'TDN Rising Star' for his sire (by Shamardal) in a May 9 five-furlong newcomers' test at Chantilly and doubled his haul later that month, upped to six furlongs at Saint-Cloud, with a defeat of 'TDN Rising Star' and subsequent G3 Prix du Bois victrix Ramatuelle...

Finally getting his ideal conditions and ride, TDN Rising Star Breizh Sky (Fr) (Pedro The Great) had his head back in front in Sunday's G3 Prix Paul de Moussac at ParisLongchamp. Dogged mainly by ill fortune since his success in Deauville's Listed Prix Roland de Chambure in July, the Alain Jathiere colour-bearer was reverting to seven furlongs following his creditable third in this venue's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains last month. Allowed to stride to the front from his disadvantageous wide draw by Maxime Guyon, the Alessandro and Giuseppe Botti-trained...

Last term's G1 Prix Saint-Alary and G2 Blandford S. heroine Above The Curve (American Pharoah--Fabulous {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) encountered stellar opposition in Sunday's G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud and halted a three-race losing streak with a pillar-to-post victory in the 10 1/2-furlong contest. Coolmore and Westerberg's 'TDN Rising Star' was undone by Saint-Alary runner-up Place Du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and the reopposing Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}) when third in October's G1 Prix de l'Opera before running seventh in both November's GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare...

Favoured at 9-10 for Tuesday's informative Prix Kizil Kourgan at Saint-Cloud, the Wertheimers' TDN Rising Star Algolia (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) read the script perfectly to double her career tally and add another string to Andre Fabre's Classic bow. Despite being only a conditions event, the mile contest featured another TDN Rising Star in Ecurie des Monceaux's Snowpark (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), the half-sister to the Arc and Prix du Jockey Club-winning luminary Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and the champion Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) from the Jean-Claude Rouget stable, and all eyes...