Yeats runs today in Ireland

Should be slightly worse than evens to start the season with a win?

Heffernan hopeful Yeats can start season with win


SEAMIE HEFFERNAN renews his unbeaten partnership with Yeats at Navan on Sunday and hopes the triple Gold Cup winner can make a successful start to his seventh season in training.

Aidan O'Brien has used Navan's Vintage Crop Stakes in the last two seasons as a starting point for Yeats and Heffernan has ridden him to victory on both ocassions.

Yeats' main target this term will undoubtedly be a record fourth win in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, but Heffernan reports him in good order for the 1m5f Listed race where Yeats will face nine rivals including former stable mate Hindu Kush and the Michael Bell-trained raider The Betchworth Kid.

"I'm really looking forward to the weekend. I've sat on him at home and he seems ready enough to start off," said Heffernan.


"Aidan likes to start him off in this race as it is a spin away from home and a nice confidence-booster for him.

"I'd say he's very similar to how he was at this stage last year, so hopefully he is forward enough to the business.

"He is a top-class stayer so you would be hopeful he has the class to see him through.

"It would be great to win it for a third year but I suppose the easiest thing to do is ride the best horse in the race, so I'm looking forward to it.

Would be fantastic to see Yeats win a "4th" Gold Cup.

I suppose we'll be watching Ngong instead?

Alandi coasts to Vintage Crop win as Yeats flops


Report: Navan, Sunday

Vintage Crop Stakes (Listed) 1m5f, turf, 4yo+

YEATS was unable to make it a hat-trick of wins in the Listed Vintage Crop Stakes at Navan on Sunday after he could beat only two home with victory going to 4-1 shot Alandi.

Coral immediately pushed Yeats out to 7-2 (from 6-4) to win a record breaking fourth Ascot Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June.

The John Oxx-trained winner meanwhile was making it two wins from as many starts and was rewarding connections for keeping hold of him.
johnoxx

"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," Oxx said.

"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."

British raider Hindu Kush went straight to the lead after the stalls opened and was followed by Yeats, who was a little keen, before he was passed by the hard pulling Tale Of Two Cities.

Alandi raced further back for jockey Mick Kinane, just behind the other British-trained runner The Betchworth Kid.


Alarm bells started to ring for 4-5 favourite Yeats as the runners prepared to exit the back straight with his jockey Seamus Heffernan starting to niggle the triple Ascot Gold Cup winner.

Niggling quickly became shoving however and the response was limited from the eight-year-old.

He was passed by the fast-improving The Betchworth Kid who loomed up as a major challenger to Hindu Kush but both were sitting ducks for Alandi.

Alandi burst between the pair with just over a furlong to run and quickly put daylight between himself and the pursuers.

He crossed the line three and a half lengths clear of 9-1 chance Hindu Kush as the supported 4-1 third favourite. The Betchworth Kid was third at 7-2.

Speaking on At The Races after the race Yeats's jockey Seamus Heffernan said: "I was a bit disappointed he didn't collect today.

"I knew going into the dip that we were in trouble and he got tired in the ground. Back on better ground he'll be much more competitive."

He added: "I'm not sure what Aidan has planned for him but he'll be right for the big day (Ascot Gold Cup, June 18).

Seamus Heffernan says it's too early to write off Yeats after the three-times Ascot Gold Cup winner flopped on his reappearance at Navan on Sunday.

Aidan O'Brien's superstar stayer is due to bid for a fourth consecutive triumph at the Royal Meeting in June.

But he failed to show his old brilliance on his seasonal debut, trailing in sixth behind Alandi in the Vintage Crop Stakes.

Despite that Heffernan is convinced Yeats will still be a force to be reckoned with at Ascot.

He said: "I was a bit disappointed that he didn't collect for me.

"He just didn't go with me down the dip.

"In fairness, you'd rather run him on softer than harder ground to start him off.

"He got a bit tired on the ground.

"When he gets his ground, and he's a bit fitter, he'll be a real competitor.

"I'm sure Aidan will have him right for the big day that matters."