Sport

Coastal Path will prove big threat to Yeats' hat-trick bid

RACING NEWS : COASTAL PATH emerged as a real threat to Yeats' bid to win three successive Gold Cups when taking his 100 per …

Mon May 19 2008 - 01:00

RACING NEWS: COASTAL PATH emerged as a real threat to Yeats' bid to win three successive Gold Cups when taking his 100 per cent record to six at Longchamp yesterday.

Given a supremely confident ride by Stephane Pasquier, Andre Fabre's stayer cosily outmanoeuvred his rivals in the Group Two Prix Vicomtesse Vigier.

The Khalid Abdullah-owned four-year-old had far too much class for runner-up Orion Star and was cut from 8 to 1 to 9 to 2 second-favourite for Royal Ascot's two-and-a-half-mile showpiece on June 19th.

"Yeats is still hot favourite to land a third Gold Cup, but Andre Fabre's charge is rapidly emerging as the most likely obstacle to his hat-trick bid," said Coral's David Stevens.

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Claude Beniada, who assists Abdullah's racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe in France, said: "Coastal Path has once more confirmed his great talent and he will now go to Royal Ascot to run in the Ascot Gold Cup."

Trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre took the two Group One races on the card with Belle Et Celebre and Sageburg. The latter got the better of his more fancied stablemate Darjina to lift the nine-furlong Prix d'Ispahan in the hands of Olivier Peslier. The son of Johannesburg is owned by the Aga Khan, while three-time Group One-winning filly Darjina is owned by his daughter, Princess Zahra.

As long-time leader Turfrose began to drop away, Darjina pressed into the lead but Sageburg's superior stamina began to kick in late on and he eventually won a shade cosily. De Royer Dupre said: "Nothing has been decided yet, but Sageburg and Darjina could both run at Royal Ascot.

"I think Sageburg could run in the Prince of Wales's Stakes, while Darjina will probably go back to the mile (Queen Anne Stakes). Both ran well today.

"Darjina needed this run, she was still carrying a bit of weight, as we slowed her down a bit since her last run in Dubai.

"Sageburg had worked really well and is a very good horse. He's more relaxed now then he used to be."

Last year's Champion Stakes hero Literato has proved disappointing since joining Godolphin. He was well held on his first start for the boys in blue in the Dubai Duty Free and he again failed to show any of his sparkle from last season, trailing home in last position. His jockey Frankie Dettori said: "He ran a bit flat."

Belle Et Celebre dented one or two reputations as she lost her maiden tag in the Prix Saint-Alary. A 25 to 1 chance, the filly made all under Christophe Lemaire and found plenty when challenged in the straight to hold Gagnoa with Proviso, representing the Abdullah/Fabre combination, third.

Despite this defeat, Proviso could still take her chance in the French or English Oaks. "She ran very well and finished well. She runs better covered up than from the front," Beniada added.

"She might run in the Prix de Diane. She is also entered in the Epsom Oaks and it is her trainer and owner who will decide where she will run."

Meanwhile, Kerrin McEvoy guided Saddex to a narrow success in the Premio Presidente Della Repubblica at the Capannelle in Rome. He finished a head in front of the Michael Jarvis-trained Pressing under Neil Callan.