Racing: Diamond White glitters for Bravery

DIAMOND White, despised in the betting, put her better-fancied rivals in the shade in the Sweet Solera Stakes on a sweltering afternoon here yesterday. David McCabe, as cool as the day was hot, brought the two-year-old filly, a 25-1 shot, bursting through well inside the final furlong for a three-quarter length victory from Stop Out, who inched out Silent Tribute and the favourite Parisian Lady.

The winner's trainer Giles Bravery was as surprised as any. Normally the most optimistic of individuals, he said: "The only bet I had was pounds 1 with Stop Out's trainer Hugh Morrison that I'd beat him. But I thought we'd be seventh and eighth, not first and second."

The result was especially sweet for Diamond White's owner Peter Scott, formerly a work-rider in Newmarket but now severely disabled and confined to a wheelchair after a fall. He bought the humbly bred daughter of Robellino from her breeder for just pounds 3,000 as a yearling last autumn after she had been turned down as a sales candidate by the local auctioneers Tattersalls, and saw his judgement splendidly vindicated.

"He's had many offers for her, and I expect there will be more now," said Bravery, "But he refuses to sell at any price." Diamond White, who had shown glimmerings of form earlier in the season without winning, was only the third success of the season for the Newmarket trainer, whose horses have hit form with a vengeance recently. He said: "We had a virus in the yard, and had to shut down. There's nothing you can do except be patient and wait for them to come right."

The Sweet Solera Stakes sometimes produces a decent performer - Life At The Top, Moon Cactus and Bint Salsabil have won in the past decade - and Diamond White will now be given a break before her sights are raised in the autumn.

And if she has proved better than her bloodlines might have indicated, the reverse is true in the case of Windy Treat, winner of the Equity Financial Collections Claiming Stakes. A son of top miler Shadeed and Queen Mary Stakes winner Widaad bred by Maktoum Al Maktoum's Gainsborough Stud, he showed real talent on the gallops last year but disappointed in his attitude.

Pat Eddery, placed in the first two races at Newmarket, was forced to give up his remaining rides after suffering from heat exhaustion and dehydration. The Irishman, second in the jockeys' table, expects to be fit for Yarmouth today.

At Haydock, Romanov survived a stewards' inquiry after the Rose Of Lancaster Stakes to notch only the second victory by a Derby runner since the big race. The Nureyev colt, third to Benny the Dip at Epsom, looked set to win comfortably as he ranged upsides Fahris in the straight, but in the end had to work hard to firstly get past the leader and then repel Germano's determined challenge.

Frankie Dettori notched his century when steering the well-backed Moon Strike to victory in the highly competitive Coral Handicap. This is the seventh time the Italian has reached his ton in his 11 seasons in this country.