Yeats (and The Gold Cup)

I've taken some the prices about Yeats....I cannot have Geordieland or Paktai as favourite ahead of him as is the case in some books.

A complete over reaction to his run at Navan...if he turns up he wins imo.
 
Agree, and I don't want to see him beaten so not going to think about it very much. I do have a saver on Patkai, just in case Sir Michael and/or Ascot improves him.

Have looked at the field and cannot find anything of the quality of Yeats. Some nice European breeding amongst them, and I like the mare but no chance to win I think. I like the breeding on Eastern Anthem and what he's done, in the old days I'd probably do a saver on him, but who knows what is up with the boys in blue?

If Geordieland remains in good shape could be another 1-2 for the old boys. :<3: Anyway I will have to be shot if Yeats does not win ..... will be so miserable.
 
I have just had a good look at the Gold Cup, and can see nothing that can give Yeats a race, apart from Geordieland who is now correctly priced, and Eastern Anthem. However, i'd be surprised if Godolphin ran a Sheema Classic winner, who is now a viable stud prospect, in the Gold Cup. I would have imagined it would be the top 1m4 G1 races for him, starting in the Coronation Cup?
 
Ask
Bannaby (FR)
Coastal Path
Eastern Anthem (IRE)
Friston Forest (IRE)
Geordieland (FR)
Pointilliste (USA)
Sagara (USA)
Tastahil (IRE)
Tungsten Strike (USA)
Veracity
Viper
Yeats (IRE)
Centennial (IRE)
Fiulin
Hindu Kush (IRE)
Maidstone Mixture (FR)
Patkai (IRE)
Washington Irving (IRE)
Gravitation
Suailce (IRE)
 
Galileo said:
Bubble burst.

Remarkable run from Geordieland.
Click to expand...

Make your mind up. Its hardly a remarkable run from Geordieland if you are right and Patkai is no more than useful.

Yeats has never been invincible so to say that if he turns up he wins is foolish, when you consider that he may run like has has done on two out of his last three runs, in which case he doesn't win.

Its going to be noisy at Epsom with at least five bubbles all bursting at once.
 
My mind is pretty clear thanks...Of course it's a remarkable run from Geordieland considering the horse wouldnt go a length clear a donkey at the best of times. Whats more he did not curl up under a drive as he has done so often....remarkable in every sense.

Everytime Paktai has come up against some have decent types he has been found out. Just my opinion.

As for Yeats, I think if he turns up for Ascot it will mean he has been showing the right signals at home. The reference to 3 of his last runs means little in the context of Ascot considering of those runs were at Longchamp and the three of them were on ground much softer than he will face at Ascot.

Why you have brought Epsom up in the discussion regarding the Ascot Gold Cup is for others to decide.
 
Last edited:
Not unbeatable but bloody impressive... He equalled Sagaro’s record of three consecutive victories in the race last year and bids to go one better this season in winning for an historic fourth time. The Sadler’s Wells’ entire has won six Group 1s including a Coronation Cup, an Irish St Leger and a Prix Royal-Oak, in addition to his three Gold Cups, and 14 of his 23 career starts to date.

However, to say he disappointed on his reappearance this term would be an understatement when odds-on favourite and running no sort of race in sixth place behind Alandi and Hindu Kush in a Listed race at Navan. He reportedly blew hard after the race and while he can be expected to line up at Ascot in much better shape, the transformation required to pull off the epic feat would be dramatic. The question is can the eight-year-old veteran rise to the occasion one more time. Merman was eight when he won this back in 1900, but no eight-year-old has won since.
 
Last edited:
Did no-one see Geordieland put Patkai over the rail in the final furlong? Patkai would have been a lot closer but for that.
 
It was slightly more than interference - he was literally put over the rail.

I'm just amazed that so many are writing the horse off, especially considering the circumstances. I didn't see any bubbles burst myself.
 
Shadow Leader said:
It was slightly more than interference - he was literally put over the rail.

I'm just amazed that so many are writing the horse off, especially considering the circumstances. I didn't see any bubbles burst myself.
Click to expand...

In fairness I did not rate the horse beforehand so maybe I am looking it in a negative light anyway.
 
I would not write him off, but he also looked very unbalanced, not sure if this was only caused by the bump or was something already happening. But was surprised that there was nothing said of it in the press, or on the course by the stewards.
 
SteveM said:
...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.
Click to expand...
I hope one of your horses has won over 10f and placed over 1m 7 1/2f this year Steve ;)

Pointilliste definitely of interest if you can ignore his last poor run - should really appreciate the ground and stamina being to the fore :)
 
Isinglass said:
I would not write him off, but he also looked very unbalanced, not sure if this was only caused by the bump or was something already happening. But was surprised that there was nothing said of it in the press, or on the course by the stewards.
Click to expand...

Stoute himself said they were beaten by a better horse. Patkai has looked very convincing in his two Group 3s over 2m at Ascot and is clearly a rising star. He was racing in a Group 2 here though and may be a little out of his depth in the Gold Cup. He is much too short in the ante-post market for the Gold Cup.
 
Irish Stamp said:
I hope one of your horses has won over 10f and placed over 1m 7 1/2f this year Steve ;)

Pointilliste definitely of interest if you can ignore his last poor run - should really appreciate the ground and stamina being to the fore :)
Click to expand...

I can see why you might be drawn to Pointilliste. He split Americain and Bannaby in the Group 2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier and made all to win the Group 3 Prix de Barbeville from La Boum and Americain over two miles at Longchamp prior to that.
I’m not sold on his pedigree for the Gold Cup trip though, despite doing well at 2m. There is a concentration of thorough stayers this year (as usual, only a few of which are actually proved at the trip).
Pointilliste’s rating is also not quite high enough to trouble some of these.
 
Isinglass said:
I would not write him off, but he also looked very unbalanced, not sure if this was only caused by the bump or was something already happening. But was surprised that there was nothing said of it in the press, or on the course by the stewards.
Click to expand...

There was a fairly long stewards enquiry after the race although after a while they said it didn't affect the placings so they could weigh in. Kelly received a 3 day ban though for careless riding or somesuch.
 
Thanks Steve - Bannaby was my main bet, he's won over a variety of tripsp and I was impressed with him late last year, seems just as good on a faster surface and there's doubts about the front few in the market and with Veracity about the trip so the 14/1 and 16/1 at the time was great value.
 
I agree with Galileo - Patkai is probably not quite top class and i think Stoute's reaction confirmed that he knows that.

There are two horses in training capable of winning this (Other than Yeats and Geordieland) but unfortunately neither is likely to show up unless circumstances change - Those horses being Conduit & Septimus.
 
If you would have told me a couple of weeks ago that I will be writing this, I wouldn´t believe you, but I think Geordieland is a great price at 5/1 for the Gold Cup. I don´t think Patkai is gonna stay as well as him in the race and I have massive doubts about Yeats chances. The rest seem too far back on form.
 
Last edited:
O'BRIEN AIMING FOR YEATS GOLD


Aidan O'Brien is hoping Yeats can leave his disappointing seasonal reappearance run at Navan well behind him as he bids for an unprecedented fourth Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.
The eight-year-old finished a distant sixth on his comeback run in the Vintage Crop Stakes in April but O'Brien expects a much better showing at his spiritual home.
"He's well at the moment. Obviously he's a year older and a year wiser than he was last year and than every year that he was before," O'Brien told At The Races.
"He's fine, we are happy with him so far but like I said, he is older and wiser and he minds himself.
"He's a marvellous horse and he's one of those that you sit back in a morning and look at him because he is such a unique horse.
"We are happy with him. Obviously his first run this year was disappointing but it was in bad ground. We are hoping to get him back at Ascot and seeing him run.
"It was very soft at Navan and very early in the year. It wasn't a fast-run race, they went steady and then quickened. He had been away a few times but he was still very relaxed before that.
"To have him in top gear at that time of the year would have made it hard to get him to peak again at Ascot, so we think he has come forward since then.
"I wouldn't read too much into it and hopefully he will leave that well behind him."
Godolphin are set to field Veracity and trainer Saeed bin Suroor is delighted with his charge.
The five-year-old finished third in the Yorkshire Cup last time and the form has since been boosted by the winner Ask.
Bin Suroor added: "I like Veracity in the Gold Cup, he ran well at York last time and the winner won the Coronation Cup."
 
Just to give credit where it's due, that is the kind of insight which is both interesting and informative.
 
Back
Top