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Michael Graham

Michael Graham

Yeats Star takes to handicapping in Punchestown

Sat 25th Nov 2023, 16:13

Yeats Star, far side, gets the job doneYeats Star, far side, gets the job done
© Photo Healy Racing

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

About Michael Graham
Michael has worked in horse racing journalism for more than 15 years, having also written a weekly betting column on Gaelic football and hurling for a newspaper. He is involved in writing the My Racing Story features on this website. He spent a year in South Africa completing a Diploma in Business Administration and also studied Newspaper Journalism in Belfast. He enjoys playing 5-a-side football on a regular basis.