Whirl trails in last in Prix Vermeille as Arc runner-up Aventure made new favourite for Longchamp showpiece after smooth success

Christophe Ferland says he can approach the Arc "with serenity" with Aventure after last year's runner-up secured a first Group 1 success but, deep down, he will know he may never have a better chance of lifting the ultimate prize for a French trainer.

Behind a pace setup which changed mid-race when Christophe Soumillon and Whirl circled the field to take the initiative, Aventure was ridden with supreme confidence by Maxime Guyon and, as the Ballydoyle favourite faded on the rail, the pair powered clear to score with authority, with Prix de Diane winner Gezora coming from last to run a promising trial in second.

Aventure was cut to 4-1 across the board for the Arc, either sharing favouritism with Minnie Hauk or in some cases being established as the outright market leader.

Ferland said: "I had objectives and I've fulfilled them now for these magnificent silks, namely to win a Group 1 race with Aventure.

"Now we can head to the Arc calmly. That will be a really big day for me, for the stable, the filly and [owners] the Wertheimer brothers, but to win a Group 1 race with this filly was extremely important.

"I made the choice to skip the Romanet and wait for the Vermeille and she was in exceptional form, so I've been very tense, hoping everything went well.

"She's the Queen of Longchamp and she will definitely be back here in four weeks."

Ferland's relief at Aventure breaking a run of seconds at Group 1 level was shared by Guyon and the Wertheimers' racing manager, Pierre-Yves Bureau.

"It's true that she's a filly who really deserved to win one; always finishing second as she was in the Arc, and always beaten by a crack," said Guyon. "As a team we decided to miss Deauville and concentrate on this race and she was absolutely on her game."

Bureau was satisfied to see Sosie run such a promising race when second in the Foy earlier on the card but the whole point of keeping Aventure in training at four was to win a Group 1 race and, after twice chasing home Bluestocking before finding Calandagan in her way in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, cheeks were being puffed out all round as the daughter of Sea The Stars returned to the Longchamp winner's circle.

"It's been some little time that she's deserved to win a Group 1 but these races are so hard to win," said Bureau. "Today it wasn't a big field but it was high-quality.

"It's a huge relief and in the end she did it quite easily. We all know that Aventure handles softer ground and that could count in her favour in four weeks' time."

Happy connections with Aventure after her Group 1 breakthrough in the

Smiles all round after Aventure's Prix Vermeille winCredit: Racing Post/Burton

In contrast to the delight in the Aventure camp, there was confusion and disappointment among those connected to Whirl.

Soumillon found himself widest of all in a four-way fight for the lead early on and, having briefly taken back, chose to force the issue as the field turned downhill.

The dual Group 1 winner was still there with every chance two out but found little for pressure, and something may emerge to explain her sixth-placed finish given she was well beaten by Survie, who had finished third to her in the Pretty Polly.

Yet with Curragh second Kalpana also beaten this weekend, the Pretty Polly form might not be as strong as first appeared, and it would be a brave call to supplement Whirl for the Arc off the back of such a performance when she is already entered in the Opera back at a mile and a quarter.

Gezora did nothing but enhance her reputation on an excellent day for Francis Graffard and while she will need to take a step forward again to reverse the form with Aventure, second in this race was good enough for the same in the Arc 12 months ago.

Graffard said he would wait to talk with owner Peter Brant before deciding between the Arc and the Opera, but given she has now established her credentials over a mile and a half and Brant's love affair with Longchamp – one which stretches back to witnessing Mill Reef triumph in 1971 – the big one looks the likely call.

Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Longchamp, October 5)
Paddy Power: 4 Aventure, Minnie Hauk, 10 Byzantine Dream, 11 Croix Du Nord, 12 Kalpana, Sosie, 14 Cualificar, 20 bar.

Ed Walker inclined to roll the dice with Prix Foy third Almaqam in Arc

This trial winner looks the Arc bet - but don't discount these outsiders at 20-1 and 33-1