O’Brien hails ‘amazing’ Yeats
TRAINER Aidan O’Brien spoke of a dream come true after champion charge Yeats etched his name in racing folklore with a record fourth Gold Cup victory at Royal Ascot.
The 6/4 favourite powered to a three-length victory over second-place Patkai to become the first time winner in the race’s 202-year history, surpassing the efforts of Sagaro in the late 1970’s.
“Unbelievable, that’s all I can say,” a delight O’Brien said of the eight-year-old. “He is an amazing horse.
“I was so sick this morning as I believed this couldn’t happen. I really felt sick to the stomach.
“History is very hard to change, we knew we had a wonderful horse but usually fairytales don’t come true. 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.”
Elsewhere, Godolphin got off the mark for the meeting after unbeaten Flying Cloud (5/1), streaked home in the Ribblesdale Stakes. Ridden by Frankie Dettori, the filly saw off the challenge of Henry Cecil’s Flame of Gibraltar for a four-length success.
Radiohead emerged as a 25/1 shot for the 2000 Guineas after notching an impressive victory in the Norfolk Stakes. The 10/1 shot evaded the attentions of Yogaroo hanging across the track to win by two lengths from Reigner in second. Tawaabb was third.
Ed Dunlop’s Fareer took the Britannia Stakes, while Sir Michael Stoute and Ryan Moore finally got off the mark for the week with Glass Harmonium coming out on top in the Hampton Court Stakes.
Cosmic Sun was the longest-priced winner of the day, winning the King George V Stakes at 66/1.