West Wind Blows cut to 16-1 from 33 for Ascot target after Group 3 success

Christophe Soumillon described West Wind Blows as "on his way to becoming a top-class horse" and it was hard to disagree with his assessment after the four-year-old son of Teofilo scored a comfortable success in the La Coupe.

One of those horses diverted from an overflowing Arc last October, West Wind Blows was gelded over the winter and took his record at Longchamp to 131, coming home a length and three-quarters clear of Hooking, with daylight back to the rest. 

Joint-trainer Ed Crisford said: "Just to see him settle there and take it all really well was very pleasing. He is one potentially down the line we could travel, hopefully after a nice campaign in Europe this summer. There’s plenty of races for him all round the world."

Paddy Power cut West Wind Blows for the Hardwicke Stakes to 16-1 (from 33), while he also holds entries in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and Coral-Eclipse.

"He’s in the Hardwicke and whether we go there or stick to a mile and a quarter, we'll have to sit down and discuss with everyone," said Crisford. "I can see him running in some big races at the end of the year and whether we need to be building him up now, we’ll see. 

"If we’re going to go to Ascot, the Hardwicke gives you an extra few days and I’m sure he’ll stay a mile and a half, especially now he settles."

American Sonja and Christophe Soumillon following victory at Longchamp

O'Brien strikes

Joseph O'Brien continues to be one of the most astute trainers at picking his way through the French Pattern book and American Sonja was an all-the-way winner of the Listed Prix Volterra over a mile. 

She was last seen when just denied third place in the Group 3 Cornelscourt Stakes at Leopardstown, a race from which the runner-up, Tarawa, went on to finish fourth in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas. 

"It was all very straightforward and I just let her bowl along," said winning rider Soumillon. "She was very professional and relaxed beautifully in front. She drifted a little to her left in the straight but I think she had plenty in hand and is very good-moving with a nice attitude. She's a joy to ride."

Left Sea and Maxime Guyon after winning the Prix Melisande

Showing class

By Frankel and out of Prix Vermeille winner Left Hand, Left Sea was bred to be a champion and she certainly showed little mercy to her Listed rivals when running away with the Prix Melisande over a mile and a quarter.

"In the Prix Saint-Alary I was very disappointed but, in truth, the distance she was beaten was partly down to the fact that Maxime [Guyon] didn't persevere late on," said trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias. 

"She worked very well last Tuesday and, while we've come down in class from a Group 1, she showed herself worthy of better than this.

"There's not much for a filly like her in July so we'll leave her for Deauville, where there are plenty of races for her over this distance. Physically she may look like a miler but the pedigree tells you she should stay 2,400 metres [mile and a half] in time."

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