Racehorse TALK

An 8 year old entire still running round. Geoff would be turning over in his grave.

Overrated. 

Yeats flops as Alandi is pick of Crop

26-Apr-09

Yeats suffered a major reverse on his seasonal debut in the Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan. Aidan O'Brien's magnificent stayer, three times a winner of the Gold Cup at Ascot, could only finish sixth of eight runners in this Listed heat, which was won by John Oxx's Alandi. Yeats, ridden by Seamus Heffernan, was attempting to win the one-mile-five-furlong contest for a third consecutive year, but was off the bridle a long way from home and found virtually nothing when asked by his jockey, fading tamely out of contention. Alandi, conversely, looked impressive on only his second career start, as the 4-1 chance bisected British raiders Hindu Kush and The Betchworth Kid inside the final furlong to score by three and a half lengths. Oxx said of his well-backed winner: "We had plenty of offers to buy him as a hurdler at the end of last season, but we decided to hold on to him as he's very well bred. "He holds back in his homework so he should improve from this. "He'll go for the Savel Beg Stakes (Leopardstown) next, followed possibly by the Curragh Cup. That would be the route we'd take." Yeats blew heavily after the race.

Yeats history bid 'huge' moment for Ballydoyle

YEATS bids to create history in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on Thursday with jockey Johnny Murtagh looking forward to what he describes as a "huge" moment forall concerned at Ballydoyle.

Three victories in the Gold Cup and two in the Goodwood Cup have established Yeats as the best stayer in 20 years, and glory on Thursday would single him out as arguably the best of all time as the only horse to have won the Ascot showpiece four times.

Murtagh rode Yeats last year and is in the saddle again, as he bids to help the Aidan O'Brien-trained eight-year-old put a very disappointing reappearance run at Navan behind him.

"He's going to be huge for us this week," said Murtagh. "He's going to be huge for everyone. He's in great shape and Ascot is where he shines most brightly.

"Fast ground, two and a half miles around there, he has to have a big chance.

"Seamus [Heffernan] rides him in a lot of his work at home and he says he has definitely come forward since Navan.

"He's in good form and he obviously knows Ascot well. He seems to come alive with the big crowd on the big day and we're hoping he can do it again.

"No horse has won the Gold Cup four times so it would be something special if he can do it and that's what Royal Ascot is all about.

"Special things happen over the week there."

Jamie Osborne's Geordieland has been second to Yeats in the last two Gold Cups, as well as in the 2006 Goodwood Cup.

His attitude has been called into question on more than one occasion, but he showed renewed resolution at Sandown in the Henry II Stakes when he sprinted five lengths clear of Patkai.

"Everything has gone fine, nothing has gone wrong - touching all available wood as there is still time I suppose," said Osborne.

"They are both the same age, which everyone seems to be forgetting, but win, lose or draw tomorrow, isn't it fantastic that you've got the first and second from the last two Gold Cups reopposing?

"They are first and second favourites - it's like National Hunt racing.

"It's going to be a fantastic race and it is great to be a part of it.

"Obviously one would appear better than the other at the moment but they are fantastic stayers.

"People talk about age but I'm not really with them on that because Sea Pigeon and Night Nurse were winning Champion Hurdles at 11.

"If these two were hurdlers they'd just be coming into their prime with the only difference being they are not geldings.

"They are great horses and it would be great to see them fight out the finish again - but obviously with a different result.

"For the last two years we've come away from Ascot feeling that we've got the second-best Gold Cup horse around, maybe a part of me felt that would always be the case.

"I firmly believe that we might not be the second-best around."

Well why not ?

Why not What ?

THey said he is 5/1 favourite for next year.

I'll put $10 up against that - first in first served.

Yeats makes history with fourth Gold Cup win

Report: Royal Ascot, Thursday
Gold Cup (Group 1) 2m4f, 4yo+

YEATS showed all his brilliance to record an unprecedented fourth victory in the Ascot Gold Cup. Johnny Murtagh was keen to make this a real test and struck for home over three furlongs out.

He quickly opened up a clear lead andnever looked like being caught. Patkai did well to close in the last furlong ahead of Geordieland who was never close enough to land a blow.

His longevity is fantastic but watching some of these distances races feels like something close to a boat race. Perhaps that's my uneducated knowledge of European racing.

Fantastic effort last night, gee he's a mighty horse.

Not to sure about the quote, there was a moment around the furlong I thought he might get beaten, but he seemed to rally again.

For you fans...

Autumn is over the long leaves that love us,
And over the mice in the barley Sheaves;
Yellow the leaves of the rowan above us,
And yellow the wetwild-strawberry leaves.
                               Yeats.

Great win