Elliott captures big prize with bargain Dirar

Sesenta was trained in Co Carlow by Willie Mullins, an acknowledged expert in training jumpers, and yesterday's Irish hero was Co Meath-based Gordon Elliott, who became the youngest man to train a Grand National winner when his Silver Birch landed the 2007 renewal of Aintree's great race.

Welcome to Yorkshire indeed: Rip Van Winkle had plundered the prize-money in the richest race in York's history – the Juddmonte International – on Tuesday so the Irish raiders will return across the water well content with their visit to the Broad Acres, none more so than Elliott.

"The Grand National was brilliant but I probably didn't appreciate it as I was young at the time. We'll make sure we enjoy this one," said Elliott.

"He was a cheap buy but he has been improving all the way. You just have to keep yourself in the best class and the horses in the right class."

There was a definite touch of class about the way Jamie Spencer engineered Dirar into a position to win his race. He was much nearer the back than the business end of the 20-strong field as they set out on their 14-furlong journey and even when they turned for home he was still nestled in the rear.

Overturn, Centennial and Fortuni had set the early tempo with the warm-order favourite Martyr settled in an ideal position by Richard Hughes and when the pace increased Hughes found Rosika and Desert Sea keen to follow him up the middle of the straight.

Rosika maintained the gallop as most of those about him wilted but Spencer had cleverly worked himself onto the stand-side rail and his nose-banded charge bolted through a gap between Rosika and Bridge of Gold to ease home by a length-and-a-quarter at 14-1.

The first of the day's two Group Two races, the Weatherbys Insurance Lonsdale Cup, fell to Frankie Dettori and the Michael Jarvis-trained Opinion Poll (9-2) who swooped in the final strides to prevent Samuel and Eddie Ahearn from claiming what would have been a remarkable victory.

Richard Hills had attempted to make all on the white-faced Akmal and was still in front as the field entered the final three furlongs of the two-mile marathon but then Samuel, who had finished fourth on his first run of the season for John Gosden having missed the whole of 2009 due to injury, found room on the stand rail to apparently take charge.

Ahern, head down and arms pumping, had the look of a winner but Dettori had stalked the leaders for the final furlong, edging ever closer, and his perfectly-timed run saw him home by half-a-length with the 3-1 favourite King of Wands third.

There was a second Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes success for Yorkshire-born William Haggas when Ahern made up for his earlier disappointment by sweeping to a convincing victory on Approve at 8-1 in the card's second Group Two contest.

Martin Dwyer and Crown Prosecutor were overhauled by Approve, winner of the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, just short of the line after taking up the running in the final furlong with the fast-finishing Sir Reginald, owned by TV racing pundit Jim McGrath and trained at Malton by Richard Fahey, an eye-catching third with Dettori on board.

Newmarket-based Haggas won the 2006 renewal with Conquest, who also ran in the Highclere Thoroughbred Racing silks.

"It's fantastic to win this race again. As a Yorkshireman, to win it once was great but obviously twice is even better," said Haggas. "It's no mean performance to win it with a penalty."

Ahern added: "When I rode him in the July Stakes he was on the rails and he didn't like that. When I saw the draw here I was delighted to be right on the outside. He needed every yard of the six so I committed early."

Kieren Fallon repeated his stand-side rails success of the first day when he kept Sir Michael Stoute's The Fonz (10-1) up to his work to beat 33-1 chance Dazzling Light and win the opening Totesport.com Stakes with the 5-1 favourite Life And Soul – the best backed horse of the day – third.

Malton's John Quinn recorded the day's only success for a Yorkshire-based trainer when his New Planet – another for Fallon – took the Julia Graves Roses Stakes at 17-2 from Abuser (5-1) with Julius Geezer third at 28-1 then Conciliatory, trained at Newmarket by Rae Guest, took the final contest, the EBF Totepool Fillies' Stakes at 8-1.