Trained by Aidan O’Brien and expertly ridden by
Yeats completed 2 1/2 miles on Ascot’s
“Unbelievable — that’s all I can say,” O’Brien marveled. “He is
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“History is very hard to change, we knew we had a wonderful horse, but
usually fairy tales don’t come true,” the horseman admitted. “You dream and
dream and dream, we were in this position and we never would be again — great
things can happen.
“This is something that has never been done before and I didn’t think it
could be done. He’s an unbelievable horse and we knew there would never be
another one of him.”
Yeats thereby silenced his doubters, who
wondered whether the old campaigner could rebound from a
subpar seasonal reappearance in the April 26 Vintage Crop S. on soft ground at
Navan. The handsome bay moved forward off that disappointing sixth-place effort,
and reached peak form just in time for his tilt at history.
Sent off as the 6-4 favorite, Yeats took up a
forward position in the early going, just off the steady pace carved out by
Hindu Kush (Sadler’s Wells). Veracity (Lomitas [GB]) soon moved up to prompt the
leader for much of the marathon, and he put his head in front with about a
half-mile to go.
Meanwhile, Murtagh began to drive Yeats forward,
and the redoubtable champion gradually gathered momentum. Accosting Veracity as
they negotiated the final bend into the stretch, Yeats quickly forged clear.
Nearly all of his rivals were toiling, with the
exception of Patkai, who was still traveling well while caught in traffic. Once
bursting free, Patkai gave gallant chase and narrowed the gap, but was unable to
get close enough to challenge. Yeats kicked away again inside the final furlong
in a thoroughly dominating performance.
The rest trudged home a long way behind Patkai.
Geordieland wound up third, followed by Sagara (Sadler’s Wells), Eastern Anthem
(Singspiel [Ire]), Hindu Kush and Centennial (Dalakhani). Veracity and
Washington Irving (Montjeu [Ire]) were both pulled up.
Yeats improved his record to 24-15-2-1,
£1,288,902. The winner of his first three starts, including the Ballysax S.
(Ire-G3) and Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial (Ire-G2), he was the early favorite
for the 2004 Derby (Eng-G1), but was sidelined for nearly a year. At four, Yeats
landed the Coronation Cup (Eng-G1), but disappointed in his remaining three
outings. Shifting to the stayers’ arena for his 2006 campaign, he was a
revelation when romping by four lengths in his first attempt at the Gold Cup.
His resume also features a pair of Goodwood Cup (Eng-G2) titles, along with a
victory in the Irish St Leger (Ire-G1) and Prix Royal-Oak (Fr-G1).
Bred by Barrowsdale Stud and Orpendale, Yeats is
out of the winning Top Ville mare Lyndonville, who is also responsible for Irish
Group 2 victor Solskjaer (Danehill) and Japanese Grade 3 scorer Tsukuba Symphony
(Danehill). Lyndonville is a half-sister to Group 1 heroine Ivanka (Dancing
Brave), and she hails from the family of French highweight juvenile Lady of Chad
(Last Tycoon [Ire]) and Prix Royal Oak hero Alcazar (Alzao). Further back
appears Connaught Bridge (Connaught), England’s champion three-year-old filly of
1979.
In other Thursday action at Royal Ascot, FLYING
CLOUD (Storming Home [GB]) extended her mark to a perfect three-for-three with a
convincing success in the £125,000 Ribblesdale S. (Eng-G2). Making her debut for
Godolphin and conditioner Saeed bin Suroor, the bay sophomore had four lengths
to spare over Flame of Gibraltar (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]) while finishing 1 1/2
miles in 2:30.67. Flying Cloud, who sparked a flying dismount from Frankie
Dettori, was coming off a score in the May 1 Prix Cleopatre (Fr-G3) in her final
outing for Andre Fabre.
In the £90,000 Norfolk S. (Eng-G2) for
juveniles, the Wesley Ward-trained Yogaroo (Bring the Heat) failed to follow up
on the exploits of stablemates Jealous Again (Trippi) and Strike the Tiger
(Tiger Ridge) when retreating to finish ninth. As he came under pressure,
Yogaroo slammed into 6-4 choice Monsieur Chevalier (Chevalier), who in turn
bumped and interfered with an advancing RADIOHEAD (Johannesburg). Despite the
adversity, Mrs. Carmen Burrell and Jonathan Harvey’s Radiohead straightened up
beneath Jamie Spencer and launched a renewed challenge to win going away by two
lengths. Reignier (Kheleyf) finished second, while Monsieur Chevalier never got
back on track and checked in fifth. Radiohead, a smart maiden winner at Bath
last time out, negotiated five furlongs down the straightaway in 1:02.07 for
trainer Brian Meehan.
Ballymacoll Stud’s homebred GLASS HARMONIUM (Verglas
[Ire]) broke through with his first stakes victory in the £50,000 Hampton Court
S., outdueling Cashelgar (Anabaa) by a half-length. The Sir Michael Stoute pupil
reeled off 1 1/4 miles in 2:04.52 with Ryan Moore in the saddle.
In the day’s heritage handicaps, the Ed
Dunlop-trained FAREER (Bahamian Bounty) prevailed in a four-way finish in the
Britannia S., and COSMIC SUN (Helissio) garnered the King George V S. for
Richard Fahey.