Ebor glory for Irish raider

Racing:Racing: Irish raider Dirar swept through the field to land the totesport Ebor in the hands of Jamie Spencer. Gordon Elliott's five-year-old was sent off at 14-1 having finished third behind the reopposing Overturn in the Galway Hurdle but while the latter faded badly from the turn for home, Dirar continued to travel strongly.

Kieren Fallon appeared to have produced Rosika with a race-winning move approaching the furlong marker, but Dirar was switched to the rail and saw out the one-mile-six-furlong trip best to score by a length and a quarter.

Rosika was second, with Bridge Of Gold and Salute Him filling the minor places.

"Jamie gave him a great ride,'' said Elliott. "We were just hoping to have a horse like him, who has been great all the way along, to win a race like that.

"It's great because we have good staff at home, some good lads around us and some good owners and that's what it's all about.

"He was third in the Galway Hurdle to Overturn and he ran a great race, so we said we will keep him in the Galway Hurdle next year.''

Spencer added: "It was a smooth enough passage. I had to switch going down to the two (furlong marker), but Gordon Elliott - what a trainer.''

"I was further back than I wanted to be and I wasn't getting a run, but this meant the horse was reserving enough energy for later in the race," Spencer continued.

"This is the second time I've won this race, but I should have won about nine as I was beaten on one of Luca's (Cumani), should have won on one of Philip Hobbs' and got placed on one of Aidan O'Brien's to name three!

"York's been very kind to me. I've won basically all the races they have here.

"This Festival is named after the Ebor and that's why it's so important.

"This horse is just a little pony, but he's very brave and generous."

Rosika's trainer Michael Stoute said: "She's so honest and she's run a very good race.

"She does have some black type so the aim for the rest of the season will be to get some more."

Mikael Magnusson, trainer of the third home Bridge Of Gold, added: "We thought he'd win. George Baker said if there was more cut in the ground, he would definitely have won.

"We expected him to run very well as he had been working so well at home, but he came back from Dubai with a bug so he hadn't run for 174 days.

"The handicapper had dropped him 3lb since, so we knew he was well handicapped too.

"He might go for the Canadian International now, as a mile and a half will be his trip.

"Make no mistake, he's a very nice horse."

Tony Martin said of Salute Him: "He's run a cracker. We'll see how he comes out of this and we have no plans for him at the moment."

Overturn's trainer Donald McCain said of his Galway Hurdle and Northumberland Plate winner: "It was just one race too many."