DAYLAMI proved himself to be out of top drawer by gaining an impressive win in the Poule d'Essai des Poulaias (French 2,000 Guineas) in Paris yesterday. De spite not looking to be going particularly well at one point, the Aga Khan colt showed an impressive turn of foot to mow down Loup Sauvage by two lengths on very soft ground.

Winning trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre said: "He is miler pure and simple. I have always held him in the highest regard, and he now goes for the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot."

The Greeaham Stakes winner, Yalaietanee, held every chance but, the joint favourite with Bahamian Bounty, weakened into fourth to be best of the English trio.

Richard Quinn, partner of the Greenham Stakes winner, said: "Perhaps I should have made this a stiffer test and gone on earlier."

Earlier, Criquette Head claimed her sixth win in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas) thanks to the wholehearted effort of Always Loyal.

The unbeaten half sister to crack sprinter Anabaa showed commendable resolution under Freddie Head to get up close home by a head from Ian Balding's Seebe.

Longtime leader Red Camellia, one of five British fillies in the race, also covered herself in glory in third, as did her compatriot Dances With Dreams in fourth.

Criquette Head said: "She shapes like a filly that will stay longer and she may go for the French Oaks. Alternatively, the Coronation Stakes remains possible."

The favourite, Mousse Glacee, was a big disappointment in sixth. "It is difficult to put a finger on what exactly went wrong," said trainer Jean Lesbordes.

Andre Fabre's odds-on Cloudings was an unimpressive neck winner of the French Derby prep race, the Group One Prix Lupin, from Zenith Rose.

Joe Naughton's Hever Golf Rose, whose last success was in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp in 1995, finally erased that long losing streak with short neck win over Titus Livius in the Group Three Prix de Saint-Georges (5f).