Noble Yeats Storms Home In Grade 2 Chase At Aintree

Grand National hero Noble Yeats (7g Yeats - That’s Moyne, by Flemensfirth) ran out an apt and impressive winner of Saturday’s Grade 2 Many Clouds Chase at Aintree.

Emmet Mullins’s charge became the second novice to win the prestigious test in April and was last seen running out a comfortable winner of a Listed chase at Wexford at the end of October. The bay was well-supported on return to the scene of his greatest triumph and was given a patient ride by Sean Bowen. Pushed along from three out, he was ridden after the next and soon found an extra gear, as he powered past his rivals to lead approaching the last. Running on strongly, he won by three and a quarter lengths, as Grade 1 winners Dashel Drasher and Ahoy Senor (Dylan Thomas) took second and third respectively.

“We were very hopeful coming into today,” the winning trainer later revealed. “It was a lovely run at Wexford last time to get us back on track and it's another step up the ladder, and he seems to be progressing all the time.”

Bookmakers subsequently slashed Noble Yeats in price for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, with the King George another possibility before then. Robert Waley-Cohen’s star performer is now a six-time winner, having first shown signs of ability for Donal Hassett, for whom he finished a close second on his sole start between the flags as a four-year-old.

The son of Yeats was bred by Mrs Kristene Hunter out of dual winner That’s Moyne (Flemensfirth).