Racing: Aidan O'Brien has reported that his Ascot Gold Cup hero Yeats is likely to make the long journey to Australia to contest the Melbourne Cup.
After running out an impressive four-length winner of the Group One event at the Royal meeting back in June, O'Brien's charge then went on to register another emphatic victory in the Goodwood Cup.
That success saw him installed as ante-post favourite with many bookmakers for the famous Australian race, but, after being outpointed by Kastoria in the Irish St. Leger, the five-year-old's participation seemed in doubt.
O'Brien reports Yeats to be in good shape, however, and has confirmed the November 7th contest is very much on his agenda.
"Yeats will go into quarantine at Ballydoyle this Friday for two weeks, and the plan is to travel to Australia as long as everything is okay with the horse," he told the Racing Post.
"When he gets to Australia he will spend a further two weeks in quarantine, so hopefully it all will work out. He seems in good form since the Irish Leger. Nothing has been decided about a jockey," explained O'Brien.
Yeats currently heads totesport's market for the 'race that stops a nation' at 7-1.