YEATS WAS PURE GOLD

Graham Buddry recalls legendary stayer who made Ascot prize his own

- 

In the long distant past the Ascot Gold Cup, founded in 1807, ranked second only to the Derby (inaugurated 37 years earlier) in importance and was the natural target of Derby winners in their following season.

Over time it lost its importance due partly to other races, such as the Eclipse gaining in prestige and partly with the introduction of new races, such as the King George and International, aimed at what was now considered the optimum racing distance.

As such the Ascot Gold Cup slowly fell from grace to become, with the exception of a progressively rarer victor of high esteem, just another long distance race. That trend started a reverse in 1975 when the Francois Boutin trained Sagaro, one of the greatest stayers of all time, won the first of his three unprecedented victories under Lester Piggott. The fields weren't big but the class was there with Le Moss and Ardross quickly gaining two victories each, three of which again were under Piggott.

After such a triumvirate of greats the race again lost a lot of its lustre until 2006 when Aidan O'Brien won the race for the first time with a horse called Yeats.

Foaled on 23 April 2001 and named after the renowned painter Jack Yeats, it is possible that but for injury the course of his entire career may have run a very different course.