History maker Yeats proves his staying power with National Hunt sires' title

Yeats has proved as difficult to knock from the plinth as his bronze equivalent in the Ascot paddock.

A record of four consecutive Gold Cups may stand for many more years, for all that Stradivarius should have another attempt to equal his total haul, with a body of work that marked him out as a stayer without equal.

Last weekend he formally embellished his record by becoming the champion National Hunt sire of Britain and Ireland for the first time.

It is an achievement that will have been embraced by the entire Coolmore conglomerate, but there is particular pride at his base of Castlehyde in Fermoy, the branch run under the eye of David Magnier and Tom Gaffney, which has never before been home to the jumps title holder.

"It’s great for Castlehyde to be able to stand a horse that has made it and become the champion National Hunt sire, for everyone associated with looking after the horse," says the stud’s Cathal Murphy.

"It’s obviously also great for for the Magnier and Nagle families as well, to have bred and raced a horse that was so successful on the track and has gone on and passed that success on to his progeny."

The statue of Yeats is pride of place in the Ascot parade ringCredit: Edward Whitaker

Coolmore itself has been collecting this particular award since such records were really addressed, through the likes of 14-time phenomenon Deep Run, Be My Native, Supreme Leader and, most recently, Flemensfirth and Milan.

This year’s race has been quite exciting for outsiders as it ebbed and flowed between Yeats and late Grange Stud resident Fame And Glory, who punched above his weight with less heralded names.

In the end, just as the British season’s most prolific trainer Donald McCain might still cast a surreptitious glance up the table to Paul Nicholls despite his fabulous tally, money makes the world go round and it was the Grand National victory by Noble Yeats which rubber-stamped the number one spot for his father.

"It’s been interesting between the two," says Murphy. "Unfortunately Fame And Glory is no longer around, but it’s great to also see him getting the success, and for the breeders who supported him when he was around too.

"We’ve been following both horses with massive interest, and from Yeats’ point of view it’s great for him to get the accolade."

Cathal Murphy (left): 'I think Yeats is getting the recognition from the breeders that he deserves'Credit: Tattersalls Ireland

With National Hunt breeding being a waiting game, years and virtually decades elapsing before sires have runners across the spectrum, this title can often be awarded posthumously. Thankfully, Murphy can report Yeats - who is simply addressed by his given name at home - to be in vibrant health.

"Obviously he’s 21 now, it’s hard to believe he’s that age," he says. "But having raced for that lengthy period, we tend to forget that he was late coming to stud. But he’s in great form, he’s busy. I think he’s getting the recognition from the breeders that he deserves.

"He’s a very easy horse to do anything with, he’s got a great temperament. He knows he’s the kingpin, he loves coming out to see the visitors when they come to see the stallions."

Yeats joined Castlehyde after a couple of seasons at Coolmore, which produced his only Flat Group winner through the Lonsdale Cup scorer Montaly.

Only his youngest racing crops have dropped into double figures but they will be back to well over 100 in future. It is the last couple of seasons that have seen his most decorated performers emerge, led by the dual Stayers’ Hurdle champion Flooring Porter and Irish Gold Cup winner Conflated.

Yeats, pictured enjoying himself in his paddock last summerCredit: Colin J Kenny Photography

"I think what happens is people tend to sometimes sit back and wait to see the runners; when they start coming through they kind of like to come back to them again," Murphy explains.

"He has covered about 150, 160 mares and has definitely been popular this year, although we’re in the middle of the season so it’s hard to give an exact figure.

"He’s very professional about it, he likes to get on with the job."

The victory of Noble Yeats, the final ride for Sam Waley-Cohen and part of a masterplan by trainer Emmet Mullins, was the icing on the cake.

"The Grand National is the world’s most famous steeplechase and I also think for that horse to win, he was only a seven-year-old, so that kind of bodes well for that horse’s future," says Murphy. "He’ll surely improve in the next few years, he probably hasn’t even hit his peak yet.

Noble Yeats (right) brought home the sire title for his father by winning the Grand NationalCredit: Shaun Botterill

"There’s Chantry House for Nicky Henderson, he’s a very good horse and hopefully if he stays healthy he could be another champion for Yeats in the next couple of years. There's Conflated for Gigginstown too, there’s plenty happening for him."

There was an air of inevitability about the way Yeats, who spanned the Ballydoyle careers of Jamie Spencer, Kieren Fallon and Johnny Murtagh, went about his racing business in a symphony of power, elegance and determination.

By Sadler’s Wells and a half-brother to Group 2 winner Solskjaer, he won once at two and also claimed a Coronation Cup, Irish St Leger and Prix du Cadran, and was not disgraced in a Melbourne Cup under top weight.

"When he arrived there was a great buzz that such a fantastic racehorse was coming to stand in Castlehyde," Murphy recalls. "When we’d have visitors coming to the stud, he was the one that they all wanted to see.

"He’s a gorgeous looking horse, dark bay, the minute he comes out of the stable, your eye is drawn to him. He's got a great action, good bone, he’s everything that you look for in a National Hunt sire.

"From speaking to trainers and people that have them, they all seem to mention their temperament and their willingness to try and please, and their heart.

Diane Nagle (left) leads in Yeats and a jubilant Johnny Murtagh after securing an historic fourth Gold Cup win at Ascot in 2009Credit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

"When the going gets tough they seem to dig deep. If you remember when he was racing, it seemed to be his big trait was on the big day, when the pressure was applied, he used to respond. That seems to be something that he’s passing on. Toughness and soundness."

The Coolmore umbrella shelters many of the prominent National Hunt sires, from Getaway and Walk In The Park through to Crystal Ocean and Vadamos, but Murphy seems optimistic that Yeats, who is cared for by stallion manager Paul Quinn and a rota of staff, can maintain his spot for now.

He continues: "Obviously on the Coolmore National Hunt roster we stand a lot of stallions, and good young stallions, but I would think at the moment hopefully he can remain top of the pile.

"Even in Castlehyde we have Kew Gardens, a son of Galileo who is getting outstanding first foals this year, and Santiago, a son of Authorized.

"They’re two very exciting young horses, and who knows, hopefully we’ll be talking about both of them as champion sires of the future with a bit of luck. But Yeats has still got plenty of young stock to come through, and hopefully they can progress."

Even for a behemoth such as Coolmore, it would have been shouting into the wind to have turned Yeats into a popular or commercial Flat stallion as he had neither a juvenile Group win nor a three-year-old Classic to his name.

But Murphy, and one imagines the Magnier family, can hardly complain when his life and times are considered in the round.

"He made history in another way," suggests the Castlehyde man.

"A lot of people forget that at one stage he was favourite for the Derby, only to get a slight injury that year. It could have been totally different, but to win four Gold Cups you not only need to stay, you have to have class."

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