Yeah Man

Yeah Man put up another good performance at Ascot just before Christmas when he stayed on well to take second place behind old rival Victtorino in the three-mile handicap chase, the Silver Cup. Held up early on, he was last and coming under a ride from Jonathan Burke on the outside as they jumped the fifth last fence. He wasn’t great at the third last fence, and he was still ninth of the 10 runners as they turned for home, but he stayed on strongly over the final two fences. Eighth jumping the second last after being switched towards the outside, he was strong all the way to the line, getting to within three parts of a length of the winner by the time he got to there, clear of the rest.

It was another big run by Gavin Cromwell’s horse at Ascot. He might have beaten Victtorino in the Sodexo Gold Cup over this course and distance in November had he not come down at the final fence. This was another step forward from him, racing off a 2lb higher mark, but he could do even better now with a greater test of stamina. He obviously handles this goodish ground well, but he is proven in softer conditions, and softer ground may play to his strengths more. He hasn’t won yet over fences, so he is obviously eligible for novice contests, but he will also be of interest now in another handicap, ideally a race in which there is a greater emphasis on stamina.

Ascot, 23^rd December 2023