Gold Cup Preview: The Ascot Gold Cup may be a rather old-fashioned concept in the high-finance world of international flat racing but that hasn't stopped the Aidan O'Brien team pitching Yeats into today's big race highlight.
Along with the 2002 Melbourne Cup winner Media Puzzle, he makes up a strong Irish challenge even if the five-year-old's presence alone might not exactly be what his Coolmore Stud connections originally wanted for Yeats.
After all, two years ago he was the ante-post favourite for the Epsom Derby only for injury to finish his classic season prematurely. A clever Kieren Fallon ride secured a valuable Group One bracket in last season's Coronation Cup but even a success like that doesn't cut much ice any more in the speed-biased commerical world. So quite what a win in a two-and-a-half-mile Group One today will do for his value is debatable.
His presence, however, does give O'Brien the chance to fill in a rare Group One blank at the Royal meeting and if Yeats does see out the trip his latent class will make him a danger to all. Stamina though may not be as much of an issue as the ability to act on quick ground, something that is in some doubt with Yeats.
In contrast, Media Puzzle should love the conditions but with his history of serious tendon problems, Dermot Weld might not want it too quick for his veteran star.
The other international interest in the race comes from the French hope Reefscape who won last year's Prix du Cadran and who shouldn't have a problem with the surface. Andre Fabre's horse doesn't look quite up to the task, however, and boiling down the questions about ground and trip it becomes increasingly hard to overlook Mick Kinane's mount Distinction.
Runner-up last year to a truly top-flight stayer in Westerner, Distinction is sufficiently adept at running on fast going to have survived unscathed two trips to the Melbourne Cup. The trip will be no trouble and Kinane has a fine record in the race. With no Westerner to oppose him this time, Distinction looks a worthy favourite.
Just five other Irish-trained runners decorate Day Three but there will be a lot of interest in how City Of Tribes goes in the opening Norfolk Stakes.
Before his debut at Tipperary earlier in the month, there were many others in the race with big reputations but the Ger Lyons colt impressed in beating the lot of them.
Rabatash didn't advertise the form in Tuesday's Windsor Castle but he was bumped at the start and never recovered. City Of Tribes will also have to come from stall 11 but against that is the blinding current form of the Lyons string. An Tadh secured a first Group success for the trainer last week but it will be no major surprise if City Of Tribes secures the best yet for Lyons.
BRIAN O'CONNOR'S TIPS: 2.35: City Of Tribes, 3.10: Sindirana, 3.50: Distinction, 4.25: Easy Air, 4.55: Ivy Creek (Nap), 5.30: Marching Song
