Jerome Reynier’s Lazzat maintained his unbeaten record with a taking Group success at Deauville in the Prix Djebel.

The three-year-old came into the race with a record of three wins from three runs, all of which were at Cagnes-Sur-Mer earlier this year.

No horse had ever got within three and a half lengths of him ahead of the Deauville Group Three and he had a Listed victory to his name having taken the Prix de la Californie last time out.

In a field of seven he was the 4-6 favourite and justified that price when impressing with a straightforward two-and-a-half-length victory over the Aga Khan’s Keran, with the David Menuisier-trained Devil’s Point another five lengths away in third.

“It was a change of scenery with a seven-furlong straight course and he didn’t mind it at all,” said Reynier.

“He doesn’t need anyone, today he went in front and off he goes. He won in good style and the time was much faster than the fillies (in the Prix Impudence).

“He came back and he was not even blowing at all, he’s got plenty left in the tank. He’s a very exciting prospect for this year.”

On next targets for the Territories gelding Reynier added: “There are two Group Threes, either the Prix Paul de Moussac at Longchamp in early June or Royal Ascot for the Jersey Stakes.

“We will see depending on the opposition for the Group race in Paris, because he’s got the French premiums it could be easier to keep him in France and try the easiest option with him.

“He is a gelding and we will see afterwards what we can do, we would be very excited to send him to Goodwood for the Sussex.

“We have Facteur Cheval aiming for the race as well, so we’re going to be like a French invasion coming across the Channel!”

Charlie Appleby’s Romantic Style cemented her French Classic credentials with victory in the Prix Imprudence.

The Night Of Thunder filly won twice as a juvenile, taking a Yarmouth novice and then finishing her season with success in the Listed Bosra Sham Stakes at Newmarket.

She was stepping up to seven furlongs in heavy ground in France, where she also faced a step up in grade when running at Group Three level for the first time.

Neither factor could hinder her, however, and under William Buick she prevailed by half a length from Christopher Head’s well-regarded filly Ramatuelle.

“I’m delighted, she’s a filly that we’d spoken about for this race for a while,” Appleby told Sky Sports Racing.

“Stepping up to a mile will be her maximum trip and we felt that if we had stayed at home and gone to Newbury for an English trial it would have been closer to an English Guineas, but I don’t think she’ll stay a mile over the English trip at Newmarket.

“We thought we’d be better coming here and it gives her more time between now and the French Guineas.

“William was delighted, said she was fresh but travelled sweetly in his hands.

“She did it all the right way round, she did travel but she travelled sensibly in behind a horse there and when she picked up I always felt they were going to be doing enough to stay in front.

“She’s a filly that’s got a natural pace in her pedigree, but she does give herself a chance to stay a mile. Coming back for the French Guineas will be our aim and that will probably be her maximum trip.”

A tilt at Qipco British Champions Day could be on the cards for Mill Stream having continued his Deauville love affair in the Prix de Meautry.

Having won the Prix Moonlight Cloud over track and trip earlier this month, Jane Chapple-Hyam’s colt thrived on his quick return to the Normandy coast, continuing his rise up the sprinting ranks by delivering a decisive blow over Garrus in the hands of Marco Ghiani.

Charlie Hills’ runner was a length and three-quarters behind Mill Stream in second and Chapple-Hyam is delighted by how the son of Gleneagles, who showed plenty of ability as a juvenile, has progressed throughout his three-year-old campaign.

She said: “He was very good and very competitive and has come out of the race in great order.

“He’s got the hang of it now. It takes three-year-olds a bit of time to get the hang of it and the Listed race the first time in Deauville was three-year-olds only.

“On Sunday he stepped up and met the older boys, who are more conditioned and professional at sprinting and it just showed how quickly he learnt from the Listed race when being in with the older horses. You can only take positives from the race going forward.

“He’s lightly raced and we used the first one (this season) at Haydock where he was kicked off the park. But we needed that as he had been off a long time and he was heavy and stuffy, so we had to start somewhere.

“He’s easy to manage and he’s that type of sprinter, in the sense he doesn’t boil over or anything and is good to manage.”

Owned by leisure tycoon Peter Harris, Mill Stream holds an entry for the British Champions Sprint Stakes on October 21 and could now be handed the opportunity to test his talent at Group One level.

“We don’t really have a plan as such, he’s in the Ascot Sprint but I don’t really have a plan beyond that,” added Chapple-Hyam.

“It’s the last sprint Group One in Europe. He’s not in the Abbaye and that would probably be a bit speedy for him over five at this stage.

“Now he’s got the hang of it, you would look forward to seeing him run against the English older horses.

“Garrus is a good line and Batwan (third) did a lot of racing in Dubai and then back in France so he’s not a poor horse either, he’s well campaigned.”

Via Sistina will seek to add to her growing trophy cabinet when she returns to 10 furlongs in the Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville.

The four-year-old has developed into a star performer since joining Newmarket handler George Boughey from Joseph Tuite and is yet to finish out of the money in three starts this term.

A Rowley Mile romp on her seasonal bow in the Dahlia Stakes signalled a move to the highest level for the Pretty Polly Stakes and she passed that Curragh test with flying colours to secure a first Group One triumph.

Her progress was halted slightly when only third to an on-song Nashwa over a mile in the Falmouth Stakes, but Via Sistina’s handler is confident she can regain the winning thread on Sunday, as she moves back up in distance on the Normandy coast.

Boughey said: “It’s the last four-year-old and above fillies’ only race this year and it has kind of been the race for her for some time really. She goes there in good shape.

“She had a little break after the Falmouth and I slightly regret running her back over a mile in hindsight. She’s a filly who hit the line really well in the Pretty Polly and arguably might get further, but she was an even-money shot and it was definitely worth a go.

“She added another bit of Group One black type to her pedigree and I think you will see the real Via Sistina back up at 10 furlongs.”

British raiders have a good record in the contest and Via Sistina is joined in the line-up by Hughie Morrison’s One For Bobby, who tasted victory on French Soil at Vichy most recently.

Having secured Group Three honours with that Grand Prix de Vichy triumph, the Summerdown trainer believes she has earned a shot at this valuable prize.

“We’re just going to the next stage and we thought she deserved a crack at this,” said Morrison.

“It was a toss-up whether we would run Stay Alert as well, but it poured with rain (on Friday morning) so that put paid to that and we pulled out at the last moment.

“One For Bobby enjoys the softer ground, but I don’t think it was soft when she won at Vichy. She enjoyed it at Nottingham definitely, but she’s been on the go a fair while and with these fillies you just hope they are still firing.”

Joseph O’Brien’s Above The Curve will bid for her third win on French soil and the consistent filly arrives having chased home Al Husn in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood, while Jessica Harrington’s Trevaunance will also make the trip from Ireland.

The home challenge is led by Andre Fabre’s Mqse De Sevigne, who brings Group One course form to the table after making a successful drop back to a mile in the Prix Rothschild last month.

Francis-Henri Graffard’s Darkaniya accounted for the Fabre contender when they clashed in the Prix de la Pepiniere earlier in the campaign and now returns from a summer break looking to secure her third-straight victory.

Fabrice Chappet’s Plesant Jane and Henk Grewe’s German challenger Valpolicella are also engaged.

Big Rock will bid for Group One glory in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville on Sunday.

The Christopher Head-trained Rock Of Gibraltar colt has had a superb season so far, starting off with a wide-margin handicap success before progressing up the levels in a three-race winning streak.

The first leg of the hat-trick was the Listed Prix Maurice Caillault, which he won by four and a half lengths, after which he took in the Group Three Prix la Force and was a comfortable winner again.

At the same level he landed the Prix de Guiche by an unchallenged three lengths and the following month he stepped up to an extended 10 furlongs for the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, running a huge race from the front before Arc favourite Ace Impact ran him down.

Another big-race tilt now awaits for the three-year-old, back to a mile against the likes of Kevin Ryan’s Queen Anne winner Triple Time.

“He’s going to run on Sunday at Deauville, everything is all right with him,” said Head.

“He is in good form and we are pretty optimistic about his run in the Jacques le Marois.

“He has been working well and we are looking forward to having another Group One run with him.

“He takes his racing very well and is a very nice horse.”

Little Big Bear has been supplemented for Sunday’s Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.

Last year’s champion juvenile has not quite had things go his own way this season, coming home lame when last in the 2000 Guineas on his return to action.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien once again demonstrated his skill by getting him back on track at Haydock to win the Sandy Lane subsequently.

That set him up for a trip to Royal Ascot and the Commonwealth Cup and everything appeared to be going to plan until the remarkable Shaquille, who had been left at the stalls, flashed by him late on.

More recently his participation in the July Cup had been in some doubt due to a minor setback and while he did make the race, he was eased home in last place after being short of room two furlongs out.

Now he will travel to France for a race in which there are 13 still in contention, including the likes of Khaadem, Art Power, Rohaan and Cold Case.

O’Brien said: “We’ve supplemented him and he seems in good form.

“We’ll decide finally a little bit closer to the weekend, but the plan at the moment is to run.

“The ground is testing over there at the moment, but it can dry up.

“He’d had the problem before Newmarket but since then he has been fine, no problems.”