Tuning, a Henry Cecil-trained filly with Group-race form but a weight of 8st 7lb, returned 9 to 2 as she justified Tote Ebor favouritism in course record time at York yesterday.
The chestnut daughter of Rainbow Quest, again ridden with brain and brawn in equal and abundant measure by champion jockey Kieren Fallon, had put her trainer in mind of Europe's richest handicap when running second to Cecil's Yorkshire Oaks winner Catchascatchcan in the Listed Aphrodite Stakes at Newmarket last month.
Her subsequent second, on unsuitably soft ground, in the Group Two Prix de Pomone at Deauville, rarely a trial for the Ebor, at the beginning of August had the effect of hardening her case.
Punters needed no second invitation to take the early 12 to 1 ante post, and during the race they suffered as much anxiety as you'd find in the average opium den.
Fallon, winning the race for the first time, committed his partner, the first filly to win the Ebor for 40 years, to the front with over three furlongs of the mile and six remaining.
Through the final quarter mile the pair had to withstand a stubborn challenge from Sheer Danzig, but the market leader always held the upper hand to win by a length and a quarter in a time of 2:51.89s. Yavana's Pace came home a length and a half back in third, with Jaseur taking fourth.
"She was nearly a Group winner so with that weight, she had to be respected," said Cecil, who had won the John Smith's Cup at York earlier in the summer with Porto Foricos.
"It rained and rained all morning when she ran at Deauville and she was never really going. I'm a sort of handicap trainer, aren't I?"
Though not with Tuning, in future, it seems, as Cecil nominated a Group Three race at Doncaster's St Leger meeting as her next target. "She might go for the Park Hill now. I will discuss it with the owner but she deserves to be a Group winner," added Cecil, whose only previous victory in the race came with Kneller in 1988.
Quizzed as to his aggressive tactics, Fallon answered: "It is the only way to ride in the Ebor when you have got the draw and a horse with ability and speed. Lie handy and let them catch you.
"This is a race I have always wanted to win. A couple of years ago Pat Eddery jocked me off when Sapience won, but this has made up for it."
In a race of incident, Cecil's other runner, Street General, threw Willie Ryan to the floor shortly after his stablemate had taken up the running.
Ryan, who was joined on the deck by Cash Asmussen, himself unshipped from Theatreworld, was detained in York District Hospital overnight.
Lord Howard de Walden at last enjoyed the slice of luck that had eluded him at the Knavesmire as Catchascatchcan secured the Aston Upthorpe Yorkshire Oaks. But the 85-year-old former senior steward of the Jockey Club, whose apricot colours have enjoyed great success over the years, had to endure a nail-biting 10-minute inquiry before the victory of his filly was confirmed.
Catchascatchcan, the first leg of a 114 to 1 plus treble for Kieren Fallon, had wandered off a true course as she made her move for home in the final furlong, appearing to push High And Low towards the far rails. The filly, unbeaten now in four starts, was eventually straightened out before going on to defeat High And Low by a convincing two lengths.
It did appear that Darryll Holland had to snatch up on the runner-up but after viewing the film the stewards decided that any interference was accidental.
