Son Of Yeats Adds Grade 1 To Unbeaten Hurdle Record

The Yellow Clay (6g Yeats – Winning Indian, by Indian Danehill) extended his unbeaten record over hurdles when drawing clear in the first Grade 1 of 2025, the Lawlor’s Of Naas Novice Hurdle at Naas.

A Listed winner and runner-up at Grade 1 level in bumpers, Gordon Elliott’s charge impressed on his first two starts over hurdles, including in a Grade 3, before following up in a Grade 2 last time out. The bay travelled strongly throughout Sunday’s showpiece and was going best as they turned for home. Asserting before the second last, he kept on well from the final flight to score by eight lengths under Sam Ewing.

“He's a horse who just knows how to win and I think he's improving the whole time,” Gordon Elliott commented. “I'd imagine he will go straight to Cheltenham. He will be entered in the DRF [Dublin Racing Festival] but the little break before Cheltenham will do him no harm. I imagine he'd go for the middle-distance option, the Turners.”

The winning rider added: “We went a real honest gallop today, he settled and jumped everywhere. I couldn't have been happier all the way round, I took it up going to the last and he stayed at it well.”

The Yellow Clay carries the colours of Noel and Valerie Moran’s Bective Stud, who also bred the son of Yeats.