Racing: Yeats in shock Melbourne Cup setback

We are going to have to wait for two weeks to learn whether one of the racing game's supposed biggest recent stings turns into one of its costly flops.

With Yeats being soundly beaten in Saturday night's Irish St Leger might have gone the several millions of dollars the Irish stayer was last week backed for to win the Melbourne Cup on November 7.

Australian bookies were bleeding from nose and ears last Wednesday when an avalanche of money arrived to say Yeats could become only the third European-trained stayer to win the big Flemington event, punting him in from $15 to $7 favourite.

They slept better last night in the knowledge that Kastoria and Mick Kinane got past a gallant Yeats in the final 150m at the Curragh, where Yeats was the $1.25 favourite.

There is now doubt Yeats will make the trip to Australia, although not with British betting agency Cashmans, which blew the classy stayer out from $5 to $12 overnight.

The biggest agency William Hill was more conservative, going from $6 to $8 and Boylesports remained unchanged.

Besieged jockey Kieren Fallon took Yeats to the front 1000m out and told Britain's Racing Post later: "He's run a good race and he felt fine. The winner is obviously very smart.

"Maybe I fell between two stools - I should have gone on [sprinted] sooner, or waited longer."

Outstanding trainer Aiden O'Brien was slightly less forgiving of the effort.

"You can take nothing away from the winner, she did it very well. It is possible Yeats was at his peak for Royal Ascot and Goodwood and it could be that he needs a rest.

"But we will wait and see how he comes out of the race before deciding on the Melbourne Cup. The zoom he showed in his previous races this season was missing."

Two elements will play roles in the final decision.

O'Brien has a well-recorded dislike of travelling his horses - but then there is the small matter of a couple of million dollars in prizemoney for Australia's greatest race.

Practically all the money last week came from those associated with the stable.