Last evening, I was watching the Royal Ascot 2009, one of Britain's most stylish horse racing events on television. They are held every June at the Ascot racecourse in the village of Ascot, Berkshire close to the Surrey border. Apart from the beautiful dresses and hats worn by the ladies, I was also looking to see if Yeats, the bay horse that won the previous three Gold Cup races would win the fourth time.
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 Flat horse race in Great Britain for thoroughbred horses who are four years or older. It is run at the Ascot racecourse over a distance of 4,023 metres and is one of Britain's most prestigious event for 'stayers' or those horses which specialize in racing over long distances. Traditionally, this event is held on the third day of the Royal Ascot meeting, which is known locally as Ladies' Day.
Well anyway, Yeats pulled off a Michael Schumacher by rewriting history with his fourth straight Gold Cup win. At eight years old, Yeats is at a stage when most horses are retired to stud farms, but this horse was simply unstoppable at yesterday's Royal Ascot race. Yeats beat the second place finisher, the youthful Patkai, by almost three and a half lengths. The triumph and joy on the faces of Yeats' jockey Johnny Murtagh, owner John Magnier and trainer Aiden O'Brien told the story like it was.
The Royal Ascot races were established in 1807 and is Ascot's oldest surviving race.Yeats is an Irish thoroughbred racehorse, which was foaled on April 23, 2001 at Derrinstown Stud. Unbothered by his years, Yeats raced to glory, getting a standing ovation for his performance from the watching crowd. The Gold Cup trophy was later presented to his owners by the Queen. This trophy is currently one of three at Royal Ascot that are traditionally presented by the Queen.
Congratulations to this handsome stallion!! Hope Yeats gets a chance to display his extraordinary prowess at next year's Royal Ascot Gold Cup race too!!
Mr O'Brian has a remarkable horse in yeats. Amazing victory. Good luck next year. Martin, Kintyre.
ReplyDeleteAT GALWAY RACES
ReplyDeleteby: W. B. Yeats (1865-1939)
HERE where the course is,
Delight makes all of the one mind,
The riders upon the galloping horses,
The crowd that closes in behind:
We, too, had good attendance once,
Hearers and hearteners of the work;
Aye, horsemen for companions,
Before the merchant and the clerk
Breathed on the world with timid breath.
Sing on: somewhere at some new moon,
We'll learn that sleeping is not death,
Hearing the whole earth change its tune,
Its flesh being wild, and it again
Crying aloud as the racecourse is,
And we find hearteners among men
That ride upon horses.