Montaly majestic for Yeats in G2 Lonsdale

The fabulous Montaly (6g Yeats-Le Badie, by Spectrum) put in a career-best effort at York on Friday when coming out best in a thrilling finish to the G2 Lonsdale Cup. The son of Yeats, winner of the Chester Cup in May, battled valiantly in the finish to get up and beat Dartmouth to land the extended two-mile event under P J McDonald.

Montaly, who was home-bred by the Farleigh Court Racing Partnership, has now amassed earrings of over £260,000 for his owners an trainer Andrew Balding.

"The race was run to suit him. They went a nice gallop. PJ had never sat on him before and said he knew he had plenty in the tank all the way to the line,” said Balding’s wife Anna Lisa. “He was really tough,” added McDonald. “I was taken off my feet early in the race. Coming out of the bend, the horse came good. I didn't think I was going to win, but I knew he was going to run a big race three out.”