St Leger preview: With three English St Legers to his credit, Aidan O'Brien must be feeling the pressure to fill the only gap in his Irish Classic record, the Irish Field St Leger.
O'Brien has tried in the past to win this race, especially in the Smurfit sponsorship era but without success. On this occasion he appears to have dealt himself an ace in the shape of a genuinely back-to-form Yeats.
His three-year-old career was brought to a sudden halt in early summer when he fell victim to a muscular injury, the aftermath of which were recurring bouts of stiffness.
No one can accuse the Ballydoyle folk of being short on patience and almost a year was to elapse before he raced again.
However, following on a unsuccessful prep race at the Curragh he rediscovered something approaching his true form with Kieren Fallon dictating from the front the way the Coronation Cup at Epsom should be run to beat Alkaseed by two and a half lengths.
His rivals were less accommodating in subsequent encounters and while he did start joint favourite for the Irish Leger his final placing was fourth to Collier Hill.
The margins were three half lengths and Fallon thought him rather unlucky not to fare better.
It is unusual for Ballydoyle to keep five-year-olds in training but it has paid for Yeats with convincing wins in the Ascot Gold Cup and the Goodwood Cup.
Put together Group One wins at distances from one mile four furlongs up to two miles four furlongs and you should have a Classic picture by Jack Butler Yeats after whom the colt is named.
The ante-post market indicates that only Kastoria is deemed a serious competitor. The Aga Khan mare proved her stamina at the Derby meeting in June when at a difference of 6lb she beat last year's Irish St Leger winner Collier Hill by a head in the At The Races Curragh Cup over the full one and three quarter miles.
You can make a case for her but Yeats can still do the business.
No non-classic brand of Irish Group Races is proving more attractive to English trainers than the sprints.
The raiders are double handed in the Ballygallon Stud Renaissance Stakes with preference for the recent Deauville winner Indian Maiden over Beckermet whose form, this season is not quite upto the level of that he showed last year.
There is only one Group One two-year-old race confined to fillies, the Moyglare Stud Stakes, and this form usually stands up for the remainder of the season.
Dermot Weld's Supposition went off the 7 to 2 favourite but was a luckless third to Miss Beatrix, who on Tuesday will be contesting the Shelbourne Hotel Goffs Sales Million at the Curragh and she can win the C L Weld Park Stakes.
SELECTIONS: 2-10 - Facchetti. 2-40 - Indian Maiden (double). 3-10 - Supposition (nap). 3-45 - Yeats. 4-15 - Rockall Blizzatrd. 4-50 - Ballette. 5-20 - Aura Of Calm.
