Let's talk about... star stayers | Persian Punch & Yeats head ours - who are yours?

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Sun April 12, 2020 · 5y ago

Matt Brocklebank and Ben Linfoot discuss their favourite stayers from the Flat over the years - who are yours? Get involved and let us know.

Our team reveal their favourite stayers from the Flat - now we want your feedback! Who are your favourite long-distance legends? Check out details of how to contact us towards the foot of the article.

Ben Linfoot – Persian Punch

It’s not difficult to put your finger on why Persian Punch became one of the most popular horses the Flat has ever seen.

Here was a horse that wore his heart on his sleeve, never knew when he was beaten and came back season after season in a world where the very best were usually retired at three.

Persian Punch was gelded at that age after his very first start and he ran in 62 races for eight consecutive seasons, winning in each and every campaign.

He was in the top three on 39 occasions, winning 20 times, including the Jockey Club Cup three times, the Goodwood Cup twice and the Lonsdale Cup twice.

Persian Punch - Jockey Club Cup 2003

He never quite cracked the Ascot Gold Cup but he was second in it twice, including a memorable duel with Royal Rebel in 2001, while he was twice third in the Melbourne Cup, including a three-quarters-of-a-length defeat in 1998 where he gave 11lb to both the first two home.

What a hardy horse he was to run in so many staying races so many times while running well on almost every occasion.

He had his off days, he wasn’t perfect – and he never landed a Group One – but he won 13 Pattern races in Europe and his never-say-die attitude endeared him to a legion of racing fans.

His final win, his third in the Jockey Club Cup (see video above), showcased all the tenacity and fight he was synonymous with and it was a devastating day when he collapsed and died on his 63rd racecourse appearance in the Sagaro Stakes in 2004.

Sixteen years on he’s still remembered fondly by racing enthusiasts. And, while he wasn’t the best we’ve seen, I can’t think of a more popular stayer, even though we’ve been blessed with several talented ones since. Including…

Matt Brocklebank – Yeats

The seismic shift towards stamina, and away from speed, in the breeding industry worldwide surely has its roots in the life that Yeats breathed into the division during the mid-to-late noughties.

Back-to-back winners in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot were not uncommon – Royal Rebel achieved the feat for Mark Johnston in 2001 and 2002 as he became the 18th horse in the race’s long and distinguished history to win it at least twice consecutively.

Sagaro took top spot three times on the trot in the 1970s but 30 years on and the whole staying programme had become a little stagnant and relatively unpopular.

Like so many other areas of the racing world, Ballydoyle led the way in reinvigorating things and by the time Yeats came home three and a half lengths to the good over Patkai to claim his fourth Gold Cup in a row, the race had rediscovered its position as the Royal meeting’s marquee event.

Yeats- The 2009 Ascot Gold Cup

A gifted son of Sadler’s Wells, Yeats had it all. He would clearly break down barriers when it came to stamina and a sheer will to win, but he also possessed a superb turn of foot.

That was in clear evidence when he won the 2005 Coronation Cup at Epsom, dictating a slow gallop and kicking for home at the pivotal moment. The natural speed he possessed throughout his career – it was still in evidence as an eight-year-old when he galloped into the record books in June 2009 - is generally overlooked when reflecting on Yeats.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien and recording Group One wins under Kieran Fallon, Mick Kinane and Johnny Murtagh, he was clearly in great hands throughout his magnificent career, but there’s no denying he was the ultimate staying force on turf and the greatest of all time.

Send us your views

Send your favourite star stayers and other contributions to racingfeedback@sportinglife.com and if you’ve any ideas for more topics you want covering over the coming days and weeks please let us know.

Feedback from readers

Robert Torrie: For me one of the best stayers are Ardross for Charles st George. What a horse! Also Double Trigger. I don’t know if you include Comanche Run in the St Leger - 1m6f. Also, Sea Pigeon, Le Moss. I guess it will be which generation you ask. Time figures also but my all time favourite horse OH SO SHARP. 1000 Guineas, Oaks, St Leger. My view is anything over 1m4f are stayers... Interesting to hear people’s views.

Tony Harbour: I used to enjoy watching GEORDIELAND. I remember backing him when he won at York I believe, he never found much at the end of his races but that race was a thrill to watch. So of course one becomes sentimentally attached and backs him when he runs each time. Probably cost me a fortune!

Dave Parker: Yeats, Ardross, Persian Punch and STRADIVARIUS would be my choices. Even though Persian Punch never actually won the Ascot Gold Cup I had to put him in because he never stopped trying yes he had his off days. But he had some record I think he won a third of his races. What can you say about Yeats just a fantastic horse, trained by one of the best trainers of all time who always had Yeats at top of his game. Fantastic horse. Ardross another great stayer bought from Ireland and trained by Henry Cecil fantastic record won 14 out of twenty races, yet another great racehorse. Stradivarius who is still in training with John Gosden and has a fantastic record which is still ongoing all we can do is watch him until he retires hopefully we will see him race this year?

Rosie: Yeats was a star and Persian Punch a hero. I also loved DOUBLE TRIGGER, Further Flight, Big Orange and Brown Panther. I was lucky enough to see Double Trigger run in the St Leger. It was only his second run of the season as he'd been injured and finished third. Fell in love with the great chestnut with the big white blaze in the parade ring and what a horse!

Andrew Pelis: The staying division is perhaps one which rarely has tremendous depth to it at the top level, so in that sense, a horse has the opportunity to make its mark. Le Moss was absolutely dominant in his era and saw off previous Gold Cup winner Shangamuzzo and Buckskin when recording an emotional win in 1979. The following year he had those amazing battles with Ardross, who in turn would go on to dominate the division. Several years later, in the same Charles St George colours Ardross had carried, Henry Cecil trained another really smart young horse called KNELLER. Having won the Ebor he defeated Gold Cup winner Sadeem at Doncaster and then won the much-missed Jockey Club Cup at Newmarket. He was unbeaten but from memory had an infection and lost his life. He could have been anything. He was only three when accomplishing these feats. Yeats added class to the division. He was Derby favourite when injured in 2004 but the following year underlined his class as he won the Coronation Cup. When he stepped up in distance, he was just a cut above his rivals when on-song. To do what he did I think will be unparalleled. So many stayers, particularly on harder summer ground, cannot sustain their best level of form for too many races. Yeats was a tribute to Aidan and his team, that they were able to get him back there in top form, year after year. Final stayer I'd mention who is often overlooked, is the classy and much-missed FAME AND GLORY. He was an Irish Derby winner who had taken in most of the elite Group One middle distance races, often taking on Sea The Stars, before embarking on a stayer's campaign. He maybe didn't fully see out the trip but his guts got him home in the Gold Cup.

Dave Youngman: HOW Henry Cecil loved his staying horses and LE MOSS and ARDROSS were two he trained that come to mind, Le Moss never excelled out on the Newmarket gallops in the morning he would have been second to Henry's hack but on the racecourse he was brilliant. Two stayers from my early day's in racing were back in the 1960s, TRELAWNY trained by George Todd and GREY OF FALLODEN trained by one of my favourite trainers Major Dick Hern. Great memories of those brave horses.