The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe now beckons for Milan after he produced an impressive turn of foot to land the Rothmans Royals St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday.
The colt, whose success means trainer Aidan O'Brien and jockey Michael Kinane each need only to secure the 1,000 Guineas to complete a "full house" of all five British Classics, gave the Ballydoyle set-up its 15th Group One triumph of a memorable campaign and put O'Brien clear in the race to become the first overseas trainer to land the British championship since 1977.
But the 13 to 8 favourite had appeared to face certain defeat in the 13/4 mile event as he was horribly boxed in on the rail in the straight, and he still had four horses in front of him a furlong and a half out.
However, once switched to the outside by Kinane - making his Leger debut - he showed a blistering turn of speed to reel them all in before the furlong-pole and he galloped on relentlessly to score by five lengths from 10 to 1 chance Demophilos.
"The plan is to go for the Arc and he will probably be our only runner," O'Brien said. "It wil be his first time against older horses and it is two furlongs shorter but he has plenty of class."
Kinane added: "I think he would acquit himself well in the Arc - I wouldn't swap him."
Milan was the first Irish-trained winner of the world's oldest Classic since Boucher (Vincent O'Brien) scored in 1972.
Mediterranean is back home at Ballydoyle and awaiting X-rays on a tendon injury suffered in the race
"His off fore leg was cast after the race and he came home with the rest of the horses last night," O'Brien reported at the Curragh yesterday. "They'll probably take off the cast for the X-rays and discover from the state of the injury whether the tendon is ruptured or not," he added of the Tote Ebor winner.
Meanwhile, Golan booked his place in next month's Arc with a stylish success at Longchamp yesterday. But Michael Stoute's British raider may face stiff competition in the middle-distance championship event, judged by the impressive success of French filly Aquarelliste in the following race.
Having his first outing since finishing third to Galileo in the Budweiser Irish Derby 11 weeks ago, Golan justified 13 to 10 favouritism in the Prix Niel Casino Barriere d'Enghien les Bains, scoring by 3/4 of a length from French Derby hero Anabaa Blue with Chichicastenango a further two-lengths back in third.
It was Anabaa Blue who cut out the early pace under Christophe Soumillon but Kieren Fallon made his challenge aboard Golan with two furlongs to travel and the pair stuck on well to score in workmanlike fashion as the runner-up renewed his challenge near the line.
"He was in front too soon but I got the perfect split and we had to go," said Fallon. "He felt great, as he goes around here. He's definitely a real Arc horse.
"We'll need a low draw but he will get a good gallop which would suit him better. He enjoyed himself out there. I just had to help him concentrate a bit."
Aquarelliste oozed class as she ran out an impressive winner of the Prix Vermeille. The Daniel Wildenstein-owned filly, trained by Elie Lellouche, quickened nicely for Dominic Boeuf to score by a short neck from Diamilina.
The layers were split after Hightori captured the Prix Foy. The half-length success saw him stay at 4 to 1 with Ladbrokes while William Hill offers 13 to 2. But it was no walkover for the horse who was forced to dig deep for his victory over Idaho Quest.
The win will, however, have put Hightori right for the Arc in three weeks time. He won on dirt in Dubai in March but had been third at Ascot on his two most recent outings.
Hightori missed his planned recent outing in the Grosser Preis von Baden in Germany because of a dental problem.
Aidan O'Brien may send a strong team to Newbury next weekend that could include Galileo's full brother Black Sam Bellamy.
