Fair Mix wins Prix Ganay

Fair Mix, a 5-year-old ex-handicapper, became Europe's first Group 1 winner of the year with a sharp victory in the Prix Ganay at Longchamp on Sunday.

A gray son of Linamix, Fair Mix (4-1) had eight rivals at his mercy at the quarter pole, where he assumed the lead under Olivier Peslier, running on to defeat Execute by 2 1/2 lengths, with the favorite, Falbrav, a short head farther away in third. The winner of two Longchamp handicaps last spring, Fair Mix had since won the listed Prix de Reux and the Group 3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte. Last time out, he was a neck loser in the Group 2 Prix d'Harcourt to Ana Marie, a filly who could not quicken on Sunday's very soft ground, finishing in a dead heat for fifth with Valentino. Black Sam Bellamy showed nothing at all, coming home last, 12 1/4 lengths behind the winner. Afterward, jockey Michael Kinane said that something was amiss with the horse.

Trained by Marcel Rolland, Fair Mix covered the 1 5/16 miles in 2:13.00.

Earlier, Campsie Fells became the first horse bred in the United Arab Emirates to win a group race when she took the Group 3 Prix Vanteaux. By Indian Ridge, Campsie Fells was bred by Darley Stud Management and is owned by Sheikh Mohammed.

* Le Vie dei Colori's impressive 2 1/2-length triumph over Prince Kirk at 4-5 in the Group 2 Premio Parioli (Italian 2000 Guineas) at the Capannelle in Roma on Sunday has earned him a place in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) at Longchamp on May 11. Unruly before the start, he covered the mile in 1:40.20 on good ground. Le Vie dei Colori is now 8 for 9 lifetime, his only loss coming when he went down by a half-length in the Grand Criterium to next Saturday's 2000 Guineas favorite Hold That Tiger.