Aventure went one better than 12 months ago to seal top honours for the first time in the Qatar Prix Vermeille at ParisLongchamp in which Whirl was a bitter disappointment.

Aventure finished second to Ralph Beckett’s Bluestocking in the 2024 renewal of this race, which proved to be an exceptional trial for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, with the duo filling the same positions in the French capital a month later.

It was Aidan O’Brien’s Oaks runner-up and dual Group 1-scorer Whirl who was expected to lay down her Arc claims on Sunday but, having been kept wide initially by Christophe Soumillon before tacking over to lead the field into the home straight, she checked out tamely in the closing stages to finish last.

Whirl’s poor performance enabled Christophe Ferland’s four-year-old to take full advantage with Maxime Guyon always having the daughter of Sea The Stars in the perfect position close to the pace.

She quickened smartly when asked to win her race to come home comfortably clear of Francis-Henri Graffard’s French Oaks heroine Gezora in second and inspire dreams of going one better in Paris next month.

Bookmakers make Aventure their 4/1 joint-favourite for the Arc alongside O’Brien’s Minnie Hauk.

Ferland told Sky Sports Racing: “She won very well, we did not know about the Irish fillies but she did very well today. Maxime was very confident on her and when she came out in the straight she accelerated well so I’m very pleased.

“My mission was to win a Group 1 with her and that is done and now we have to go for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. She will be better in four weeks' time I think and she’s coming along now.

“I don’t think she really enjoys herself before June or July and she’s better at this time of year. It was good ground today so if it’s good ground in the Arc that is fine and if it is heavy she will still go as fast as she did today, even better probably.

“She’s got a big heart, she’s calm with a good mind, she’s the perfect filly to train. We have four weeks to go and it’s going to be a long four weeks. The Arc would be a big bonus, but something hopefully achievable too.”

Aventure is a four-year-old filly by Sea The Stars, bred by her owners, the Wertheimer brothers. She is from the family of Group 1 winner Plumania.

"Good performance"

Graffard said of Gezora: “That was a very good performance from her on her return. She was beaten by a very good filly.

“Mickaël Barzalona said he couldn’t go past Aventure, but she finished strongly. The pace slowed down significantly at one stage, but Gezora is very straightforward and clearly stays the mile and a half.

“We’ll see with the owners, but she’ll be out again in four weeks, either in the Prix de l’Opéra or in the Arc. Personally, I would prefer the Arc. It will be quite an open race, and she’s the Prix de Diane winner… we have nothing to lose!”

Cualificar overcomes trouble to win Prix Niel

Cualificar snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with a thrilling finishing flourish in the Qatar Prix Niel to deny George Scot’s Bay City Roller.

Andre Fabre’s French Derby runner-up slightly disappointed last time when only third in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano and looked like having to settle for a minor role once again at ParisLongchamp as William Buick saw his passage halted by significant travel problems as the race began to unfold.

However, Buick held his nerve and once finding a gap and meeting clean air, flew home to deny Bay City Roller in the shadow of the winning post.

Bookmakers make the winner a 14/1 shot from 66s for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, with the master trainer confirming the October 5th showpiece as the target.

Fabre told Sky Sports Racing: “It’s an impressive win for sure, but this is just a prep race for the Arc and it was what I was hoping and expecting with the extra two furlongs and softer ground.

“I took this route with Trempolino a long time ago and he became quite heavy this summer so I thought he would need the extra race (at Deauville last month).”

On his Arc hand, which includes Prix Foy runner-up Sosie, Fabre added: “They are two serious horses.”

Buick was impressed with his mount and concurs with Fabre that he has improved for moving up in distance.

He added: “I was in that position from pretty much the get-go and I knew all the way through the race I was going to have to try and find an out at some stage.

“In these races the horses are often closely matched and you don’t often get the gap. I didn’t get any room down the inside so had to come back to come out and he still finished the way he did to win the race.

“It always takes a bit of doing and he’s a horse who is improving. I was impressed with him when I rode him in the Prix du Jockey Club and I think he’s only getting better. It was his first time going a mile and a half and he was very happy going the distance so you would have to be happy with what he did.”

Cualificar is a three-year-old colt by Lope De Vega out of Oaks winner Qualify (by Fastnet Rock). Godolphin bought Qualify for 1.6 million guineas in 2015 but sold her last November for €650,000 to Ballylinch Stud.