Vahorimix once again favoured by fortune

Success in a Group One always ensures a horse of its place in the record boooks, but Vahorimix is likely to feature in every "Strange But True" sporting anthology of the next 50 years, too, after his victory in the Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville yesterday. Proudwings was first past the post, only to be disqualified and placed last, leaving Vahorimix as surely the only horse in Pattern-race history to win two Group One events without finishing first in either.

It is less than four weeks since Vahorimix was awarded first place in the Poule D'Essai Des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas) after Noverre was disqualified for failing a drugs test after the race in May. There was rather less of a wait for his promotion yesterday, as the stewards decided that Proudwings had impeded Banks Hill, a stable-mate of Vahorimix, inside the final furlong. Banks Hill advanced to second place as a result, with Noverre moving up from fourth to third.

The Marois had been billed as a battle of the sexes between Noverre, the winner of the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, and Banks Hill, who took the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Group Ones are rarely that simple, however, and the decision of Olivier Peslier, Vahorimix's jockey, to launch his challenge wide, down the centre of the course, ensured he avoided the trouble on the rail.

Both Banks Hill and Noverre finished fast, but Proudwings veered sharply left across both, and after a 30-minute discussion, the stewards placed her last. Their decision was understandable, but still an immense disappointment for Ralf Suerland, who last month became the first German trainer for 26 years to win a British Pattern race when Proudwings took the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.

"The Prix du Moulin is next on Vahorimix's agenda and we hope we can win that one without a disqualification," Roland de Longevialle, representing the winner owner, Jean Luc Lagardere, said, while Simon Cris-ford, racing manager for Godolphin, the owner of Noverre, did not feel that the colt would have won even with a clear run. "The late antics of Proudwings probably did his cause less harm than the slow early pace on the soft ground," he said.

But for the intervention of the stewards, Proudwings would have completed an unprecedented weekend of success for German racing, following the victory of Andreas Wohler's Silvano in the 19th running of the Arlington Million in Chicago on Saturday night.

Bienamado, widely thought to be the best turf horse in America and part-owned by Robert Sangster, started favourite for the Million for the second year running, but was a beaten horse before the home turn. Silvano, though, was going well behind the fierce pace set by Reddatore, and surged ahead with two furlongs to run before comfortably resisting Hap's late challenge to win by three lengths. He was the fifth European-trained winner of the Million, but the first since Dear Doctor in 1992. "It's unbelievable because it's such a prestigious race," Wohler said. "Everybody's trying to win it, but we came over and won it."

Even in the international business that is modern racing, Silvano is well-travelled, having raced in Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai and now the United States since last December. The Million is the third leg of the Emirates World Series and Silvano is now the joint-leader with 12 points, alongside Captain Steve, the Dubai World Cup winner, and Galileo.