Monsieur Bond gave local trainer Bryan Smart a day to remember when recording a famous victory in the Duke Of York Hearthstead Homes Stakes at York yesterday.

Smart, who trains just a few miles up the A19 at Hambleton House, near Thirsk, was saddling his biggest winner in this Group Two contest since Sil Sila took the French Oaks in 1996.

Monsieur Bond, sent off the well-backed 4-1 favourite, was always handy under Fergal Lynch as Welsh Emperor set a good pace considering the ground, which was described as good to soft, good in places.

Lynch asked his mount for an effort approaching the final furlong and the response was immediate. The flashy chestnut produced a powerful finishing kick to clinch the £58,000 first prize by a length and a half from Steenberg.

Monsieur Bond was the runaway winner of a Group Three contest over seven furlongs in Ireland last time, where he beat Steenberg by seven lengths.

Smart said: ''He was unlucky everywhere he went last year but he's got speed to burn this year and he's just getting better and better. He's just never stopped improving. He was awesome the way he quickened up.

''If it had been seven I'd have been more confident because of what he did in Ireland.

''To see him do that over six furlongs means he's probably better than I thought, so let's hope we go forward. He's a serious horse.''

There are no immediate plans for the winner but Smart is leaning towards a possible tilt at the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Meanwhile, Godolphin's hand in the Vodafone Oaks strengthened notably yesterday as Punctilious made all to win the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes.

Frankie Dettori, always at his best when able to dictate matters, gradually increased the tempo aboard the 4-5 favourite.

And, despite a swish of the tail two furlongs out, the filly answered all her rider's questions to outpoint Glen Innes by six lengths in the Group Three contest.

A promising juvenile last season, Punctilious was bought privately from Michael Jarvis's stable after finishing third in the Fillies' Mile at Ascot.

Elsewhere, State Dilemma landed the williamhillpoker.com Stakes in good style for the in-form Barry Hills yard at 9-2.

Bookmakers got their 2004 York season off to a good start when 33-1 chance Frank Sonata finished with a flourish to take the opening Newton Investment Management Rated Stakes.

Irish apprentice Tom Queally made his mark on his first visit to the Knavesmire with a 32-1 double on Balkan Knight (5-1) in the Arriva Trains Stakes and Justaquestion (9-2) in the Garbutt & Elliott Colin Foster EBF Novice Fillies' Stakes.

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