O'Keeffe hopeful Lord Yeats will perform at Goodwood as Johnston blames ground

This is the horse that won Newmarket’s Fred Archer Stakes 24 hours after the in-form Coverham stable recorded a four-timer. Lord Yeats will be ridden by PJ McDonald who enjoyed a significant success at Goodwood on Wednesday courtesy of Karl Burke’s exciting prospect Havana Grey.

However O’Keeffe believes the rain-softened going should be ideal ahead of this mile and a half contest.

“The rain is what we were hoping for and the more they get the better,” he said.

“I think the trip will suit him and the track will suit him.

“He’s never been to Goodwood but he’s run well at places like Hamilton, which is not too dissimilar.

“He’s in very good form and we’ll be employing our usual tactics by riding him positively, so it’s just a question of whether he’s good enough. I think he deserves his place in the field and we’re looking forward to it.”

The class horse is Charlie Appleby’s Frontiersman who has already finished second in two Group races this year.

“I am hoping that the ground is not too testing,” he said.

“He just needs more racing experience. It looks like visually at home that he has come forward again. He looked great on Wednesday having his blow-out and I’m thrilled with the way he is.”

PERMIAN has been confirmed an intended runner in the Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park in Chicago on Saturday week.

After winning the Dante Stakes at York, Middleham-based Mark Johnston’s colt disappointed when supplemented for the Epsom Derby, but showed his true colours with victory in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.

He returned to Group One level in the Grand Prix de Paris at Saint-Cloud earlier this month and was beaten just a nose by Shakeel after a pulsating finish.

Connections considered a tilt at last weekend’s King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but elected to sidestep Ascot in favour of a potentially easier option stateside on August 12.

Meanwhile Johnston blamed the Goodwood ground for Cardsharp’s third place finish in yesterday’s Qatar Richmond Stakes.

The race went to the William Buick-ridden Barraquero in the iconic blue, green and white colours of the late Robert Sangster.

However the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville remains on the cards for this top two-year-old prospect.

“I hope it’s the ground as the jockey feels it is,” said Johnston.

“He travelled like the best horse, but they’ve come at him and he was unable to pick up and that is par for the course on that ground.

“I’m not ruling out going for the Prix Morny.”