Online Gambling - Racing

Staff Writer
June 15, 2009

Can Yeats become the first horse in history to win the Gold Cup for a fourth consecutive time?

Royal Ascot is once again upon us, and this year’s £250,000 Gold Cup purse is likely to be one of the most fiercely contested in years. While BetUS has Yeats as firm favorite to take out the 2009 title, Patkai and Geordieland are not far behind. Considering Geordieland pipped Patkai at the line to win the Henry II Stakes at Sandown in May, it may be a much closer race than many would expect. Geordieland’s team also has a personal reason to take out the title; they have finished 2nd to Yeats in the past two years at Ascot.

All three stayers are in fine form, but Yeats’s trainer Aidan O’Brien would have to be confident of his Irish thoroughbred’s fitness, especially considering Yeats took out both the Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup in 2006 and 2008. While having never swept the Stayers’ Triple Crown series (Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup, and Doncaster Cup), the maturity and experience of the eight-year-old may prove to be the decisive factor on Thursday.

Some doubt was cast over Yeats in April after he failed to win his third race at Navan’s Listed Vintage Crop Stakes, finishing 6th behind Alandi. However, jockey Seamus Heffernan insisted that the 3-time Gold Cup winner would be in perfect condition come June 18.

Yeats has been in and out of form since his disappointing race at Longchamp in October, and some critics predicted a swift retirement for the thoroughbred. But it was only weeks later that Yeats won the Prix Royal-Oak at the same venue. It seems that the “Ballydoyle maestro”, Aidan O’Brien, still has a few tricks up his sleeve for the Gold Cup.

Be sure to check out BetUS for current odds in the lead up to Thursday’s race. There are plenty of hefty odds for the adventurous bettor looking for an upset.

BetUS has posted odds on all horses to win the Ascot Gold Cup:

1. Yeats: 9/4
2. Patkai: 11/4
3. Geordieland: 11/4
4. Veracity: 6/1
5. Eastern Anthem: 14/1
6. Tastahil: 22/1
7. Hindu Kush: 30/1
8. Centennial: 30/1
9. Washington Irving: 30/1
10. Sagara: 30/1

Don’t forget, BetUS is offering new customers great incentives to sign up. You will receive a 50% bonus on your first deposit, and an extra 50% bonus when you reload into your account.