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I can just hear Mr. O’Brien now.
"Listen, Yeats shows so much speed, so he does. Listen, his speed at home suggests he could win a Sussex stakes".
Remember a few years ago when Brian Boru was entered in the Lockinge!
Yeats was being pushed along on the home turn at 2m4f, think he’s lost some of his speed (not ability).
If (big IF) he runs, will probably finish mid-field at best.
Of course just an entry in the race adds to the horse’s breeding mystique / appeal.
Value Is EverythingHe does gets pushed along but that is his style…even when he won the Derrinstown. He showed a very good spurt (relatively) in the Gold Cup and is worth a go in the Arc, if its firm.
I agree however that all this "he can run 4 consecutive 11.5 second furlongs", is Aidan and John Magnier setting the table for his stud career.
It seems to me that waiting until the horse is 8 years old to have a go at the Arc begs the question; Why now? I know that Ballydoyle is a bit short of older horses to compete in the Group 1 races but this borders on the ridiculous.
When Yeats ran in his first Gold Cup there were five"generations" (if I can call them that)of horses to compete against at least 3 older and 1 younger. Three yod’s four yod’s five, six, and seven yod’s. Now there are still five but a different five,all younger. He has competed by my reckoning against the best of twelve "generations" of horses and beaten them all. So his achievement is monumental.
Its always hard to evaluate stayers, especially in races in excess of 2m. But leaving ratings aside, Yeats is a top horse who deserves to be recognised as such. He maybe isn’t an all time great, maybe he is…that depends on how you view horse racing. Would love to see him head to Longchamp for the Arc…yes he may be outpaced but im not so sure. In all his Gold Cups he has been "put to sleep" and has been woken turning for home. If he can produce a turn of speed over 12f then he will certainly get home!
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Yeats has done me a few favours in his time, and I love the horse to bits, but surely they’re having a laugh when talking about the Arc. Imo, it’s nothing more than the usual hyperbole from that quarter in an attempt to ‘big’ the horse up and deflect the NH mares that his profile suggests is all he’ll attract.
Icon though he is, he hasn’t had the speed to compete over middle distances at anything more than listed level for a few years now, and even The Melbourne Cup wasn’t far enough for him at gp1 level a few years back, so he hasn’t an earthly of competing in a race the class and the distance of Europe’s premier 12f test.
Or has he to suffer the same ignominious exit as Istabraq?As far as I’m concerned, a good stayer is just as good as a good sprinter/miler/middle distance horse – I don’t care what the ratings say.
Good point made by Andyod about the number of generations Yeats has seen off. Sheds a different light on it.
Does anyone know Yeats highest end of season Timeform rating to date?
Yeats rating in Timeform’s Racehorses Annual
2008 128
2007 126
2006 128
2005 125
2004 117
2003 95PInterestingly his best ratings are gained when conceding weight to inferior opposition in the Goodwood Cups of 2006 and 2008 rather than his Gold Cup runs. He’s currently rated 128 and was awarded 126 for his 4th Gold Cup win.
John Magnier, the day after the Gold Cup last week…..
"He can run extreme distances, yet Aidan tells me he recorded 11.5 secs per furlong in his final piece of work"
When Magnier, tells that to the press you know its hard sell time. Arc my ar*e.
Half a stone adrift of Le Moss then. Perhaps a tad underrated I’d say. I’d have him on 130-ish.
Bit harsh there Zarkava, these things happen from time to time. I’m finding the forum sticky again for the last few days myself.
Could you type that again Ian i didnt catch it.
Cant see why Yeats would be given an Arc entry as he would be outpaced from the word go.
The Breeders Cup Marathon with a duel against Caracciola would be fantastic to see although maybe they could run that race at Wolverhampton for our benefit.
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