Weekend Racing News: Fair Mix shrugged off his humble beginnings to play a starring role in the Prix Ganay at Longchamp yesterday.
Ridden by Olivier Peslier and trained by Marcel Rolland, the late-maturing five-year-old stormed clear halfway down the straight to come home two and a half lengths in front of John Hammond's fast-finishing Execute.
Japan Cup winner Falbrav, having his first run since being switched to Luca Cumani, finished a short-head away in third.
Barry Hills' Chancellor finished fourth after being prominent throughout, with Brian Meehan's Kaeiteur eighth and Aidan O'Brien's Black Sam Bellamy, who made much of the running, a disappointing last of the field of nine, which had been reduced by one with the late defection of Tau Ceti.
Fair Mix is owned by the French tipping paper Weekend and Peslier, who was winning his third Ganay, smiled: "What a fantastic weekend!" A spokesman for the grey's owners said: "That's not bad for a horse bought out of a claimer and a winner of a handicap last year.
"Since he finished eighth in the Arc we'd always set our sights on winning a Group One with Fair Mix and here it is. Hats off to Marcel, he's done a great job."
Cumani was delighted with the effort of Falbrav. "He doesn't like soft ground and it was soft out there today. He picked up but got stuck in the ground. I anticipate a big improvement to come from him." Peslier's mount paid 5.1 on the Pari Mutuel.
Mark Johnston's Darasim took fourth in the Group Three Prix de Barbeville won by Andre Fabre's Morozov, one of the characters in last year's infamous Longchamp farce, the Prix Niel, which featured Sulamani and was run at a ridiculously slow pace.
The Group Three Prix Vanteaux went to Campsie Fells from Henri Pantall's top provincial yard.
In Rome, La Vie Dei Colori played the starring role in the Premio Parioli, the Italian 2,000 Guineas, yesterday. The top-class local three-year-old, beaten only by Sagitta 2,000 Guineas favourite Hold That Tiger in his career so far, put daylight between himself and Prince Kirk in the final furlong to record an impressive success. David Loder's Royal Dignitary was third under Frankie Dettori.
British raiders were out of luck in the Premio Regina Elena, the Italian 1000 Guineas, with the race going to Golden Nepi.
