Present during the annual press conference ahead of Sunday’s Prix de Diane, trainer Christophe Ferland spoke on the subject of Lindy, runner-up in the French 1,000 Guineas and one of the favoured fillies for the weekend’s prestigious classic.

Also questioned about the decision to transfer his yard from La Teste-de-Buch, in the southwest of France, to Chantilly, he said, “We left the southwest for Chantilly where I have a very nice stable. We will gradually move our horses in order to take advantage of the proximity to the Parisian racecourses and the training centres at my disposal. As for Lindy, she arrived at the beginning of our move, just after the Prix de la Grotte in mid-April. She likes it here and has acclimatised well to her new surroundings.

The objective for Lindy was to make a good comeback in the Prix de la Grotte. She didn’t win the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches either but it was the same horse (Blue Rose Cen) that beat her on both occasions. Now, a number of parameters, like the distance for example, will change in Lindy’s favour. As for the way to ride her, there are no fixed rules. Over 2100m, she will be able to stay close to the leaders. She can change speed quickly and has the added benefit of being indifferent to the state of the ground. Last Tuesday morning, she did a good piece of work on the track. She was well-balanced and seemed well in herself.

Maxime Guyon has been stood down for a fortnight, so it will be Cristian Demuro who will take the ride. I just have to deal with the situation.”