Manu Tuilagi had Sale briefly dreaming of a first Champions Cup semi-final - before French brilliance and outrageous good fortune combined to burst their bubble.
England’s occasional midfield star plundered a try to put Sharks ahead on the stroke of half-time and spark hope of a first English representative in the last four since 2020.
But Racing regrouped and four second half tries sent the wealthy Parisian outfit through to a tie with La Rochelle for the right to play Leinster or Toulouse for the trophy.