Noble Yeats getting plenty of ‘TLC’ but racing future very much up in the air

Robert Waley-Cohen has not given up hope of Noble Yeats being seen again on a racecourse, but admits it may prove a tough ask to return the Grand National hero to the form of past glories.

The 10-year-old has enjoyed a stellar career masterminded by Emmet Mullins in Ireland, winning seven of his 24 starts and landing graded events over both hurdles and fences.

He was fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2023, but the obvious highlight came when storming to Aintree success in 2022, not only providing the owner’s son Sam Waley-Cohen with a fairytale ending to his own decorated career in the saddle, but also becoming the first seven-year-old National winner since 1940.

He has returned to Liverpool to tackle the famous spruce for the past two seasons, finishing fourth two years ago, but after being pulled up on his seasonal return at Leopardstown over the Christmas period, a fourth crack at he National is off the cards and he is now back at his owner’s Warwickshire farm receiving some “TLC” in a bid to rediscover the spark that once made him such a standout performer for connections.

Waley-Cohen said: “He’s come back to us and he’s very sore in his back and very uncomfortable at the moment, so we’re just trying to get him back in good order again. He won’t be going for the National this year.

“He’s getting TLC from my first-class lady at home who will do it better than anyone and will ensure he gets every attention he could possibly hope for.

“It’s unknown if he will return at this stage and he’s not in the kind of health or condition where you would want to run him again at present.

“I think it’s going to be a challenge to get him back, but we might well do so – I wouldn’t want to commit either way just yet and we’re doing our level best, I’m just unsure if we will succeed.”

If Noble Yeats is to have run his final race, then Waley-Cohen can take comfort from the many great days he has enjoyed while owning the son of Yeats, which as well as that historic National triumph, include a win in the Cleeve Hurdle and success in the Grade Two Many Clouds Chase.

He would also join esteemed company in retirement, enjoying life alongside Waley-Cohen’s Cheltenham Gold Cup champion Long Run, among others.

Waley-Cohen continued: “He’s alive and well but not quite well enough and we need to sort that out. If we can achieve that then he will be back racing, but if we can’t then he will have a quieter life here at home.

“He’s been an absolute star for us and out in the field currently we have Long Run, Oscar Time and Liberthine, so if he was to retire he would be able to be quietly ridden around the farm.

“It would be a very impressive photograph of him and Long Run and there is no one else in England who can boast of having a Gold Cup and Grand National winner in their field.

“There are only seven people to do that as an owner and none of them have had their son on board. JP McManus and Michael O’Leary and I have done it, but the other four people I’m afraid have sadly been gathered.

“He’s been a wonderful horse for us and not only has he won the National but he also won a Listed chase at Wexford and a Grade Two chase at Liverpool. Then he came back and won the Cleeve Hurdle only 12 months ago and not many National Hunt horses do that.”