Smart takes big step up from Fibresand

Bryan Smart probably thought his weekend had reached its high point when his Mr Teigh won a pounds 3,915 handicap at Wolverhampton on Saturday night. But yesterday the Lambourn trainer's Sil Sila emerged victorious in the pounds 184,453 Prix de Diane at Chantilly to give Smart not only his first Group-race success but his first winner on turf this Flat season.

Ridden by Cash Asmussen, deputising for the injured Ray Cochrane, Sil Sila came with a strong run down the outside to lead half a furlong from home and beat Miss Tahiti by a length at odds of 29.6-1.

The Ben Hanbury-trained Matiya, ridden by Willie Carson, could not add to her Irish 1,000 Guineas success and faded into third place, beaten another two and a half lengths. The Henry Cecil-trained Solar Crystal, ridden by Willie Ryan, was eighth.

Smart, 39, who took out a licence in 1985 and trains a dual-purpose string of 32, was saddling his first runner in France. "Cash gave her a super ride but fair play to Ray, who should have ridden her and said that a mile and a quarter was her trip," Smart said. "I get very emotional about my horses and I ride her out every morning."