Yeats (and The Gold Cup)

Whilst you are correct about what he beat it is surely too early to say that Patkai is 'nothing more' than useful. He looks a deal better than that. Dropping him back to twelve furlongs after his Queens Vase win was a mistake and made him look moderate, but he absolutely took off at the Royal Meeting last year and at two miles and, I am assuming, beyond he looks remorseless. Reminds of Kneller.

(one for Ardross there)
 
I must be the world's biggest Yeats fan, but I agree with Goober, Patkai is the first horse I've ever seen who looked to me as if he could get near Yeats at Ascot. Coastal Path is nice ..... but I never feared he would beat Yeats there.

Patkai has all the right credentials, the breeding, the class, the trainer, the jockey, runs in the right silks ..... if it were not for Yeats I'd love him. He is a gorgeous beast.

I admit to backing them both ..... just in case. :cool: But I want Yeats to win and make history.
 
If he could reproduce his Arc run over a longer trip he would be a serious contender . Lots of disappointing efforts on his CV though .

Is Yeats likely to have another run before Ascot ?
 
Nope he wasn't. Hard to know how for sure how he'll cope with another 6f but he deserves a shot at it after that.
 
True he is ground dependent but I don't think Blue Bajan is particularly relevant to the form . Being only 4 lengths behind Zarkava is perhaps more relevant.

It seems though he is going Coronation Cup and Irish St Leger so although he has an entry it doesn't seem that he will be running at Ascot.
 
Hardly a ringing endorsement from AOB today- surely a horse to back only if he turns up . I cannot se them running him unless they are confident he has returned to form .
 
I think Aidan is always a bit cautious, he's a realist. You are right he does not wax lyrical about the present condition of Yeats, just about having had the horse all these years. However he says he is fine, there is no problem with him. Training an 8 year old entire who has a mind of his own cannot be easy and if you press too hard too soon you blow it. Sounds to me as if they are taking it slowly and admitting that Yeats could ram his hoof on the brakes - or he could be willing to go on.

Mark Johnston admitted that Double Trigger was becoming more difficult to train and he was retired at 7, after one of his best seasons ever.

But Aidan is very wise to difficult horses and if anyone can get Yeats back into the Winner's Enclosure at Ascot it's him.

I realise most people are only interested in him as a betting propostion come June, and I've backed him myself. But win or lose, I'm happy just to go to watch him, one last time. That's got to be the highest accolade any horse can have, when people go merely to see them. I hate Ladies Day at Ascot all those bloody one pound each ways on whatever Frankie is riding, and queues that stretch for miles for loos - but Yeats has drawn me there for three years! And I am not alone in wanting to see Yeats again. :<3:

I'll be worried if, like Istabraq's last run at Cheltenham, Aidan says that it will be a miracle if he wins. :(
 
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Indeed, I would not take O'Brien's comments about Yeats as a positive or negative. It does tell us that they have not asked the horse any questions at home yet this season.
 
Probably more negative than positive at this stage I'd say. AOB seems to be preparing us for the possible disappointment of him not lining up.

If anyone can get an 8-y-o ready for this AOB can, but it looks as if he has a massive task on his hands at this stage.

I think Ardross has it right. They won't push him ultra hard, they'd sooner not run it seems.
 
Patkai beaten by good old Geordieland in a tremendous race at Sandown. Goods news for Yeats, if he can be back to something like his best...
 
uncle goober said:
Whilst you are correct about what he beat it is surely too early to say that Patkai is 'nothing more' than useful. He looks a deal better than that. Dropping him back to twelve furlongs after his Queens Vase win was a mistake and made him look moderate, but he absolutely took off at the Royal Meeting last year and at two miles and, I am assuming, beyond he looks remorseless. Reminds of Kneller.

(one for Ardross there)
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Bubble burst.

Remarkable run from Geordieland.
 
Cracking performance from Geordieland but he had such a hard race there that it is hard to see that not leaving a mark.
 
I would not write Patkai off yet. But he looked unbalanced to me there. Hope nothing amiss.

Well done to Geordieland! He deserves that, I think. And even if it does leave a mark, at least he had his glory day this season. Really grand old horse. :)

Agree if this is the best Patkai can do then Yeats, at his best, has zero to fear. However, Patkai could be like Yeats, reserves his best for Ascot.
 
I'd have thought that was, more or less, Patkai's best to date (the 5l was exaggerated by the late interference and Moore letting him come home in his own time). He did wander around a lot alright, not for the first time either.
 
Gareth Flynn said:
I'd have thought that was, more or less, Patkai's best to date (the 5l was exaggerated by the late interference and Moore letting him come home in his own time). He did wander around a lot alright, not for the first time either.
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Agreed, and he looked awkward a couple of times on his way up, at Newbury behind Unnefer, possibly Chester and Goodwood and whilst the last 2 could be put down to the track, the way he hung on hitting the front yesterday suggests he's not 100% straightforward. Didn't really like his brother Saptapadi's head carriage in the classic trial either. I'm far more in agreement with Ladbrokes who make him 5's rather than Hills who have him 9/4 for the Gold Cup.
 
Gareth Flynn said:
I'd have thought that was, more or less, Patkai's best to date (the 5l was exaggerated by the late interference and Moore letting him come home in his own time). He did wander around a lot alright, not for the first time either.
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Probably is about his best performance and probably about as good as he is. He's looked convincing in a couple of Group 3s at Ascot at 2m, but this was up in class. He would also have looked quite good (stumbling around aside) if Geordieland hadn't lined up.

This is no pointer to Yeats though. We should all know that Yeats is a division better than Patkai at anywhere near his best. It's how close to that best we can expect now however.

There is outstanding value elsewhere in this market.
 
Hamm said:
Do elaborate!

What will the French have for the race?
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...sorry to be so mysterious. I'll get back shortly. But the hint is that the three 8-y-os (Y, G, TS) have to cope with some rattling good chances upwards of half their age.

I'm working out my betting stategy and then going in quite hard. I'm already on one at a fancy price for a modest stake at the moment. I need two more parts of the jig-saw before going public.
 
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