It's still one of the main highlights for me throughout the five day meeting, it's the Ascot Gold Cup, the premier stayers' race of the season. This years renewal has a few of the expected candidates turning up, but I feel maybe a few have been scared off by the favourite...Yeats. He has already won this race twice before and looks a serious bet to land a third. horse racing betting. He started his season off over an inadequate distance, and didn't really have things go perfectly in a small listed race at Navan. Yet his class brought him through and he justified favouritism in pretty ready fashion in the end. He has now been kept for this.

So what's up against him? Coastal Path will represent France and is unbeaten in six starts. This does represent a step up in class from what he has achieved so far but still he has done nothing wrong. If he beats Yeats here though he will arguably develop into Europe's best stayer on the flat. S Pasquier gets on great with him, and he must be a player but he could be anything.

Septimus, who like Yeats, represents Ballydoyle, has become a superb stayer over the last year, and secured a victory in many top prizes last year, including a demolition job in the Doncaster Cup.

He's fresh which for me raises a question mark as it is a very difficult task to win an Ascot Gold Cup first time up, but connections obviously know what they are doing and Septimus has earned his place in this line up.

Britain will be represnted by a few at bigger prices which include Geordieland, who last time at York finally got his big day when taking their Cup race. This is a step up in class but he was a fine 2nd here twelve months ago when at one stage looking to have Yeats in a bit of bother. Now he has found the winning post, he could do ity again, but he isn't one to rely on despit the fact that trainer J A Osbourne is very keen on his chances. He is an intriguing contender and I can't wait to see him run.

It's a decent renewal of the Gold Cup, which hopefully will provide some history, and be taken back to Ireland by connections of Yeats.

 

SELECTION - Yeats, 3.45 Ascot (19/06/08).