PEARL Of Love made Mark Johnston's season complete by romping to a Group One victory in Italy's premier two-year-old race yesterday.

Despite a spectacularly successful season, in which he notched a record-breaking tenth consecutive century of winners, the Middleham trainer had found a Group One prize elusive in 2003.

Duke of Venice, a leading fancy for the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday, proved to be a disappointment.

But Mick Doyle's Chesham Stakes winner Pearl Of Love made up for it by winning the Gran Criterium in Milan.

Johnston beamed: "He was always holding his rivals in the last furlong, every time something got to him he found a bit more.

"Next year's 2000 Guineas is his next target.''

The Middleham colt's victory also sealed a memorable big race double for Darryl Holland, who had ridden shock Dewhurst victor Milk It Mick at Newmarket the day before.

Ironically, Holland had been left "gutted" last week when Johnston was forced to withdraw his intended mount Lucky Story from the Dewhurst after disappointing on the Middleham gallops.

Holland went to the front early on in Milan and Pearl Of Love kept up a relentless gallop to repel all-comers.

Unbeaten Italian runner Spirit Of Desert threw down a determined challenge, as did Neville Callaghan's Barbajuan, but they could not peg back the winner and finished second and third respectively.

In a special interview with The Northern Echo on Saturday, Johnston had lamented the lack of a Group One success during 2003, saying: "It sticks in the throat because I've never had such a high quality bunch of horses."

Aidan O'Brien's Royal Lodge second, Moscow Ballet, was settled towards the back of the field and came with a run in the home straight, but faded to finish well down the field.

Pearl Of Love's victory paid a big compliment to O'Brien's 2000 Guineas favourite One Cool Cat, who had the Johnston runner back in third in the National Stakes at the Curragh.

Coral cut Pearl Of Love to 12-1 fourth-favourite for the 2000 Guineas from 20-1.

The firm's spokesman Simon Clare said: ''The Dewhurst raised more questions than it answered, but there was no questioning the class and courage that Pearl Of Love displayed.''

Half an hour later, Marcus Tregoning had some reward for the disappointing performance of Nayef in the Champion Stakes when his stable star's former pacemaker Ekraar took the Group One Gran Premio Del Jockey Club.

Richard Hills was content to sit in third on the recent Newmarket winner as Black Sam Bellamy made the running, but he sent his mount to the front two furlongs out and the six-year-old ran on strongly for his first Group One success.

Ekraar was third in the 12-furlong event last year behind Black Sam Bellamy, but on faster ground was able to reverse the form.

The Italian-trained Maktub laid down a serious challenge in the final furlong, but the British raider kept finding more to win by two lengths, while Clive Brittain's Warrsan was well held in third.

* Champions Day at Newmarket again proved too difficult for Scoop6 punters.

With all six legs coming from headquarters yesterday, the bet was not won and has yet to be won on Champions Day.

A total of £267,012 was bet into the pool and a series of upsets meant that no-one got close to collecting on the bet. The win fund rollover now stands at £148,448 and the bonus fund rollover at £235,054.