Avenir Certain wins French Oaks Avenir Certain completed a French Classic double when swooping wide and late in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly. In what looked an open but high-class renewal of the race known as the French Oaks, Jean-Claude Rouget's unbeaten filly was considered a leading player after her impressive victory in the Guineas at Longchamp five weeks earlier. With the Newmarket 1000 Guineas winner Miss France failing to find room and the highly touted Shamkala not picking up as anticipated, Gregory Benoist flew past the field in the closing stages to finish a length ahead of surprise package grey Amour A Papa. It is not infrequent for horses to win both races and Avenir Certain joins some illustrious names like Golden Lilac, Divine Proportions and the great Zarkava. Miss France's expected pacesetter Local Hero led them along, but when Maxime Guyon wanted to begin his challenge on the Newmarket heroine he could not get out from behind her, and was quickly swamped by the pack. Shamkala, who had looked a star in the making when landing her first three starts, did not dazzle in the same way this time and crossed the line alongside Xcellence in a photo for third, which she lost. Miss France eventually dead-heated with Ball Dancing for fifth spot.
