AIDAN O’Brien racked up his 22nd Group One winner of the campaign when three-time Ascot Gold Cup hero Yeats won the Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp yesterday.
The seven-year-old disappointed on his previous two outings at the track but was always travelling well in behind his pacemaker Mikhail Fokine.
The son of Sadler’s Wells went to the front just before turning for home and galloped all the way to the line to repel the challenge of the Sir Michael Stoute-trained runner-up Allegretto.
Godolphin’s Veracity was third.
O’Brien is now just three short of the world record for top-level victories in a season, which is currently held by American maestro Bobby Frankel.
Meanwhile, the future of Breeders’ Cup Classic hero Raven’s Pass has yet to be decided.
The three-year-old shocked the racing world at Santa Anita on Saturday night by upsetting hot favourite and defending champion Curlin to take the $5m race under Frankie Dettori for trainer John Gosden and owner Princess Haya of Jordan.
Yet whether he stays in training or is retired to stud is open to discussion.
“I think we will just sit down and see whether the horse races next year, or whether he retires to stud,” Gosden said following his horse’s length and three-quarter victory over Aidan O’Brien’s Henrythenavigator.
