Mediterranean foils Ebor gamble

Aidan O`Brien came to the bookmakers rescue for once today as he floored a gamble in the Tote Ebor at York.

The Ballydoyle maestro who has made his name plundering Group One prizes with well-backed runners like Galileo and Mozart smashed through the Stg#2million mark in prize money for this year and inched closer to the British trainers` championship by landing Europe`s richest handicap with outsider Mediterranean.

And he took a further stride clear at the top of the table by completing a memorable 64-1 double with Rock Of Gibraltar in the Scottish Equitable Gimcrack Stakes 35 minutes later.

Bookmakers on the Knavesmire had looked set for another pasting when Sir Mark Prescott`s Foreign Affairs cruised into the lead three furlongs out in the Ebor, on a course where he had emptied the satchels with a well-backed triumph in the John Smith`s Cup last month.

But the 6-1 favourite was tackling a half-mile longer trip this time and started to tread water in the final 300 yards, while the stoutly-bred Mediterranean was finding his stride.

Michael Kinane hit the front inside the final furlong on the 16-1 chance, who went on to land Ireland`s first Ebor victory since 1973 by half a length, with 14-1 shot Brother Joe finishing fast to take third another three-quarters of a length back.

'That was a good result!' beamed the Tote`s public relations director Matt Chapman. 'A Foreign Affairs win would have been a bad result, particularly in the betting shops.'

And on congratulating O`Brien, Prescott quipped: 'Master trainer - you are a nuisance!'

Mediterranean could be back in Yorkshire for next month`s Rothmans Royals St Leger. He is quoted at just 10-1 by Ladbrokes for the Doncaster Classic, which his half-brother Classic Cliche won in 1995.

'He is in the Leger and we would consider that,' said O`Brien. 'We have yesterday`s winner Milan and there are the English and Irish St Legers so I am not sure which horse will run in which.

'But Michael said he could not believe how well he was going today.

'Mediterranean is an exciting horse, with so many options open to him. And hopefully he will go on next year.

'Michael said he would take his time and hopefully come through strongly in the straight and that is what happened. This was a big performance for a three-year-old to win over tough older horses.'

Michael Hills was banned for three days for careless riding on Solo Flight.

Rock Of Gibraltar leapt to prominence in the betting - a general 14-1 chance - for the Sagitta 2000 Guineas after he romped to a three-length win from Ho Choi in the Gimcrack.

The colt was landing his third win in four starts but O`Brien said: 'There is no doubt he should be unbeaten. He got stuck in in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and he couldn`t get out - Michael didn`t even shake the reins at him.

'We have always thought he was a very smart colt - he has always worked like a very good colt. We would have to be thinking of the Guineas but that is a long time away and let`s get this year over first.'

Asked how he ranked amongst the stable`s two-year-olds Kinane said: 'He`s definitely in the top three and he`s getting bigger and better all the time.'

Plans for Rock Of Gibraltar, in whom the absent Sir Alex Ferguson bought a share recently, will in part depend on the route taken by stable-companion Johannesburg - the current Guineas favourite, who tackles Sunday`s Prix Morny at Deauville.