SERGEANT Cecil made the 550-mile round trip from Devon pay a handsome dividend as he completed a rare double when taking the £200,000 totesport Ebor at York yesterday.

In doing so, the 11-1 chance became the first horse for almost a century to land this prestigious event having already taken the other big staying handicap in the North, the Northumberland Plate.

Pillo in 1911 was the last horse to win both prizes.

It was a remarkable feat, both for trainer Rod Millman - better known for his handling of early-maturing two-year-olds - and for former York-based jockey Alan Munro, enjoying his first season back in Britain after a lengthy spell in the Far East.

Once in the winner's enclosure Millman, who looks after a team of about 40 near Cullompton, said: "The Ebor is the one we've really wanted to go for. Last year he had a cough and couldn't go, and the year before that he wasn't high enough in the handicap.

"We might be a long way away from York but we know all about this race and we know what a prestigious event it is, so it's a real thrill."

Munro's mount came from off the pace to win by a length from the strong-finishing Carte Diamond (20-1), with Grampian (16-1) a neck away in third and the 9-2 favourite Balkan Knight fourth.

Brian Ellison, the Malton-based trainer of Carte Diamond, said: "That was fantastic, at Cheltenham he boiled over so we gave him a holiday and brought him back for this.

"He's had five months off, he's come back in a competitive race and he's missed the break, so he's run a fantastic race.

"He's in the Melbourne Cup and we'll give that some consideration. I'll talk to the owners but he would have to go out at the end of next month.

"His main target is the Tote Gold Trophy in February. He's rated 125 so he's well handicapped over hurdles."

Punctilious continued Godolphin's good run by landing the Aston Upthorpe Yorkshire Oaks at York.

Kerrin McEvoy brought the four-year-old (13-2) through to lead in the final furlong, with the pair running on strongly to beat Dash To The Top and Kieren Fallon by half a length.

Updated: 11:50 Thursday, August 18, 2005