Cardiff Blues stayed firmly on course for the Heineken Cup quarter-finals after beating Harlequins 23-12 at a windswept Arms Park.

The Blues will win Pool Three if they topple Memorial Stadium hosts Bristol on Sunday week.

Defeat in the west country, though, could let French champions Stade Francais through the back door. Stade's last game is away to already-eliminated Quins.

But Cardiff have control of their own destiny, after centres Dafydd Hewitt and Tom Shanklin scored tries in each half, while full-back Ben Blair's accurate goalkicking netted him 13 points from five shots at goal.

Bristol's hopes of progress were dealt a blow as Stade Francais picked a hard-fought 19-11 victory in the other Pool 3 match in Paris.

Richard Hill's men slipped to third in the group, and must now defeat leaders Cardiff next Sunday to have any hope of qualifying, as Stade found a greater cutting edge in the second half to emerge victorious.

Bristol, who failed to earn an all-important bonus point, were never completely out of the running and were just 9-6 behind with 30 minutes left.

However, tries by Ignacio Corleto and Julien Arias in the right corner in the space of 13 minutes did for the visitors.

Jason Strange booted two penalties and Tom Arscott went over for Bristol's only try, in the 57th minute, but Stade - for whom David Skrela kicked three penalties - were deserved winners.

A late Andrew Trimble try earned Ulster an unlikely 25-24 success against French side Bourgoin at Ravenhill.

Bourgoin dominated the first period and ran in tries from Mathieu Nicolas, Florian Denos and Remi Vigmeaux.

Tommy Bowe managed a reply for the province early in the second half and scrum-half Paul Marshall gave Ulster a fighting chance before Trimble's late heroics, though they remain bottom of Pool Two.

Sporting Life / Eurosport