Marathon on turf
June 19th 2008 07:36
With Aidan O'Brien and Johnny Murtagh already taking many of the sweetest prizes from the Royal Ascot carnival, they look likely again to add another history making prize to their list of achievements on the third day.
(photo: newsimage.bbc.co.uk)
Yeats will line up for the third time in the Ascot Gold Cup, run over the marathon distance of 4022 metres. He was successful in 2006 when resuming off an eight month break and won by four lengths at the good odds of 7/1. At each subsequent start he has started at odds-on, apart from the one occasion that is significant to us: the 2006 Melbourne Cup when he finished an 8 length 7th behind the Japanese duo of Delta Blues and Pop Rock.
In 2007 he resumed five months after the Melbourne Cup and easily won the the Vintage Crop Stakes (by 4 lengths), before increasing the margin to a 6 length victory when winning another Listed Race at Leopardstown (starting at 1/7). He then won his second Ascot Gold Cup by a length and a half from Geordieland (who had ran an inglorious 18th in the same Melbourne Cup as Yeats).
This year Yeats will run favourite again, but latest odds are 11/8, with the unbeaten French 4 year old Coastal Path being quoted at 2/1 and considered a huge danger. Coastal Path's half brother, Reefscape, finished 2nd to Yeats in 2006 and his trainer (André Faber) considers Coastal Path a superior horse. He stays 2 miles, but the extra 4 furlongs is unknown territory for Coastal Path. Once again Geordieland will line up and he is quoted at 8/1, and the only other horse under double figures.
Bankable finished a creditable 5th in the Royal Hunt Cup yesterday. He started the shortest-priced favourite ever in this race (13/8) and the bookmakers were saved from a 40 million pound payout. Frankie Dettori was emphatic that it was bad luck which cost him the race. Drawing barrier 25 (yes, 25!) in a 29 horse (!!) field, Bankable was near the tail and 15 lengths from the leaders (the first 4 home drew barriers six or lower) and was pleased that he even got so close at the finish. Big wraps on him and still one to watch - especially if Luca decides to bring him to Melbourne.
Meanwhile, in the US Steve Asmussen, trainer of Curlin, has declared that a tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a distinct possibility for his champion horse. He is being set to switch to turf racing in the US with a probable assignment either the (both Group One events on turf) Man O'War Stakes at Belmont on July 12th, or the Arlington Handicap (Arlington Park) on July 13th. If Curlin adapts to racing on turf he will be shipped to France for a lead-up race in the Prix Foy, before contesting the Arc on October the 5th. This is no cottonwool champion. If only there were more like him - and more owners as interested in the welfare of the sport as Jess Jackson.
Yeats in the 2006 Melbourne Cup:
Yeats in full flight
Yeats will line up for the third time in the Ascot Gold Cup, run over the marathon distance of 4022 metres. He was successful in 2006 when resuming off an eight month break and won by four lengths at the good odds of 7/1. At each subsequent start he has started at odds-on, apart from the one occasion that is significant to us: the 2006 Melbourne Cup when he finished an 8 length 7th behind the Japanese duo of Delta Blues and Pop Rock.
In 2007 he resumed five months after the Melbourne Cup and easily won the the Vintage Crop Stakes (by 4 lengths), before increasing the margin to a 6 length victory when winning another Listed Race at Leopardstown (starting at 1/7). He then won his second Ascot Gold Cup by a length and a half from Geordieland (who had ran an inglorious 18th in the same Melbourne Cup as Yeats).
This year Yeats will run favourite again, but latest odds are 11/8, with the unbeaten French 4 year old Coastal Path being quoted at 2/1 and considered a huge danger. Coastal Path's half brother, Reefscape, finished 2nd to Yeats in 2006 and his trainer (André Faber) considers Coastal Path a superior horse. He stays 2 miles, but the extra 4 furlongs is unknown territory for Coastal Path. Once again Geordieland will line up and he is quoted at 8/1, and the only other horse under double figures.
Bankable finished a creditable 5th in the Royal Hunt Cup yesterday. He started the shortest-priced favourite ever in this race (13/8) and the bookmakers were saved from a 40 million pound payout. Frankie Dettori was emphatic that it was bad luck which cost him the race. Drawing barrier 25 (yes, 25!) in a 29 horse (!!) field, Bankable was near the tail and 15 lengths from the leaders (the first 4 home drew barriers six or lower) and was pleased that he even got so close at the finish. Big wraps on him and still one to watch - especially if Luca decides to bring him to Melbourne.
Meanwhile, in the US Steve Asmussen, trainer of Curlin, has declared that a tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a distinct possibility for his champion horse. He is being set to switch to turf racing in the US with a probable assignment either the (both Group One events on turf) Man O'War Stakes at Belmont on July 12th, or the Arlington Handicap (Arlington Park) on July 13th. If Curlin adapts to racing on turf he will be shipped to France for a lead-up race in the Prix Foy, before contesting the Arc on October the 5th. This is no cottonwool champion. If only there were more like him - and more owners as interested in the welfare of the sport as Jess Jackson.
Yeats in the 2006 Melbourne Cup:
| 50 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
