Yeats Star takes to handicapping in Punchestown

Top-weight Yeats Star (5/2f) held on in a driving finish to the novice handicap hurdle at Punchestown to make it a treble on the card for Gordon Elliott and Jack Kennedy.

The four-year-old gelding carried 11-12 on handicap debut and regained the lead inside the final furlong before seeing off strong-finishing Heliko Conti (11/2) by half a length with Striking (11/1) the same distance back in third.

Gordon Elliott said: “He’s very tough and I thought Jack gave him a great ride. He held onto him and just waited to have one run.

“He won a little bit too well in Downpatrick and I thought we had a lot of weight, but it’s great that he’s won again.

“It’s great that Bertie (Mannion, owner/breeder) is here. He has horses with us for a good while and its great to get a winner for him. We’ll look for something similar.”

Additional reporting by Alan Magee