Stephane Pasquier

Following his emphatic success in Friday's G2 King Edward VII Stakes, The Aga Khan's Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}--Calayana {Fr}, by Sinndar {Ire}) can arguably lay claim to being France's leading middle-distance performer. While the G1 Prix du Jockey Club passed him by due to his gelding operation and the Arc is not for him for the same reason, the future looks bright for the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained homebred after his six-length success in this mile-and-a-half "Ascot Derby". Rewarding a numerically-strong French Royal Ascot challenge this year by becoming the first from...

Francis-Henri Graffard trainee Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}--Calayana {Fr}, by Sinndar {Ire}) finished 3-4-of-a-length behind Bright Picture (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix Francois Mathet last month and exacted revenge on that rival in Sunday's G3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp. The Aga Khan's homebred gelding was out twice as a 2-year-old, following up an Aug. 12 debut third at Deauville with a facile 10-length tally at Chantilly in October. Calandagan tucked in at the tail of the field after breaking from the outside stall and was urged closer once into...

Chantilly's Prix de Toutevoie for unraced 2-year-old fillies on Wednesday had an intriguing look to it beforehand and it did not disappoint as the Wertheimers' Aventure (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Balladeuse {Fr}, by Singspiel {Ire}) won impressively to earn TDN Rising Star status. Placed handy behind the early leaders by Stephane Pasquier, the Christophe Ferland-trained half-sister to the G1 Prix Vermeille winner Left Hand (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was committed passing the 300-metre marker and responded generously to put the contest to bed. Strong to the line, the 41-5 shot had...

Nicolas Caullery trainee King Gold (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}--Miss Gandelia {Fr}, by Kingsalsa) made a breakthrough at black-type level with a first such victory in June's G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot at ParisLongchamp when last seen and made the leap forward to prevail in a thrilling renewal of Sunday's G1 Arc Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville. The 39-5 chance was alert from the gates before settling under cover off the pace with just one rival behind through halfway. Inching closer when nudged along passing the quarter-mile marker, he was...

Reprising his winning performance in Deauville's G3 Prix Djebel in April, Hisaaki Saito's Good Guess (GB) (Kodiac {GB}--Zykina {GB}, by Pivotal {GB}) upset some big names with no hint of fluke as he powered to success over the same seven-furlong trip in Sunday's G1 Haras d'Etreham Prix Jean Prat. Sent off at 24-1 having failed to further his claims as an elite runner when sixth in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and second in the G3 Prix Paul de Moussac, the Fabrice Chappet-trained grandson of Cheveley Park's champion Russian...

Helped by the stands rail which is always a boon on the straight track at Deauville, Hisaaki Saito's Good Guess (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) sprang a minor upset in Thursday's G3 Prix Djebel. Trying seven furlongs for the first time, having last been seen finishing third in the Listed Prix Zeddaan here in October, the Fabrice Chappet-trained bay followed the early leader Belbek (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) with Stephane Pasquier holding back for the inevitable sprint. Finding an ideal seam up the fence as TDN Rising Star Breizh Sky (Fr) (Pedro The...

It was tight at the end of Sunday's G3 Prix Miesque at Chantilly, but R.T. Racing Stable's Moon Ray (Fr) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}--Demeanour, by Giant's Causeway) had her nose in front where it mattered to provide her owners with a landmark pattern success in Europe. Having split Eternal Dance (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Lady Mia (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) when second in the Listed Prix Saraca over this seven-furlong trip and track Oct. 8, the Nicolas Clement-trained chestnut was able to turn that form around with Stephane Pasquier judging the pace...

Unleashing his deadly acceleration to maximum effect at a ParisLongchamp blessed by evening sun, TDN Rising Star Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) stormed into the big time in Thursday's G1 Grand Prix de Paris. This type of performance had looked on the cards after his scintillating win in the 10 1/2-furlong G2 Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud May 8 and highly commendable effort from a horror draw when dead-heating for fifth in the Prix du Jockey-Club and the Fabrice Chappet-trained chestnut was duly made the 10-3 favourite. Anchored last early by Stephane...

Fabrice Chappet trainee and 185,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling and $535,000 Ocala April breeze-up graduate Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}--Onshore {GB}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}) attained 'TDN Rising Star' status with a dominant performance going one mile at Chantilly in September, but had floundered in two subsequent outings before lining up as a 12-1 chance for Sunday's G2 Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud. Second contesting an Oct. 21 Deauville conditions heat in his only other juvenile start, he opened his sophomore campaign with a close-up eighth in ParisLongchamp's Apr. 18...

Hisaaki Saito's hitherto unbeaten 2-year-old colt Topgear (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) continued on a roll and took his tally to a perfect three from three with a hard-fought victory in Friday's G3 Prix Eclipse at Chantilly. The April-foaled dark bay went postward as the crowd's 8-5 choice returning off wins in competitive heats at Deauville last month and was under a firm hold behind the leaders in fourth through the early fractions of this six-furlong dash. Powering forward to join German raider Best Flying (Fr) (Pedro the Great) soon after...

So dominant in the G3 Prix du Bois over six furlongs at Chantilly June 20, Siu Pak Kwan's Atomic Force (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) returned to the same course and distance on Sunday to repeat the dose in the G2 Darley Prix Robert Papin. Sent straight to the front by Stephane Pasquier as he had been last time, the 1-2 favourite never looked like relinquishing his advantage en route to a 2 1/4-length success from Baghed (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}). "He's just that type of horse, he's very simple to...

Hambleton Racing's Atomic Force (Ire) (Cotai Glory {GB}) registered a breakthrough score going five furlongs at Hamilton in his second start last month and was in dominant mood for Sunday's G3 Prix du Bois Longines upped in trip to six furlongs at Chantilly, leading from pillar to post and providing his Tally-Ho Stud-based freshman sire (by Exceed and Excel {Aus}) with a first black-type success. The March-foaled gelded bay, who posted an Apr. 3 debut second over five furlongs at Musselburgh, was away sharply for this first start outside Scotland...