THERE can be few, if any, finer racecourses in the world than Chantilly, especially when the sun shines as was the case for ‘French Oaks’ day last Sunday.

It was not a great bunch of classic fillies, all told, and less than four lengths separated the first 12 home in the race.

The winner, Channel, gets a 110 time and sectional rating, but owed some of her victory to a canny ride close up. Commes (112), Grand Glory (113) and Etoile (112, and the fastest finishing speed of all at 107.3%) might all have beaten her narrowly another day.

Siyarafina (110) was all the rage in this but found little after going well again and may prove best at slightly shorter than an extended 10 furlongs.

There were good wins elsewhere on the Chantilly card from Azano (Prix Paul de Moussac) and Al Hilalee (a notably weak Prix Hocquart), who both ran 107 times, and from Vintager (116) in a tactical Prix Bertrand du Breuil.