Kastoria upsets Yeats at the Curragh
Kastoria upset hot favourite Yeats to win the Irish Field St Leger at the Curragh today.
Mick Kinane rode the perfect waiting race on the John Oxx-trained 6-1 chance to pick up Yeats (2-7) in the last 50 yards and win by half a length after Kieren Fallon had committed his mount a long way out.
The Whistling Teal (20-1), second 12 months ago, plugged on to take third place for Newmarket trainer Geoff Wragg.
Yeats was quickly away, but Howard Johnson's British raider Percussionist went on after a furlong.
The latter continued to lead with Yeats close up, Fracas in third and the Aga Khan-owned Kastoria tracking the leaders until Fallon decided to take the bull by the horns and go on fully five furlongs from home.
It was a move that looked like paying off on the Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup hero as Fallon and trainer Aidan O’Brien sought their first Irish Leger triumph.
However, Kastoria could not be burnt off and she picked off Yeats in the closing stages to complete a quick double for Kinane and Oxx, who had combined to lift the C.L. Weld Park Stakes with Arch Swing.
