Septimus could swerve Gold Cup

DUAL Ascot Gold Cup winner Yeats could have the stage kept clear for a third victory with stablemate and market rival Septimus possibly missing the showpiece event next month.

Yeats will be bidding to emulate Sagaro by landing a hat-trick of wins, but would face a potential stumbling block in Septimus, who marked himself out as one to follow over staying trips in last summer’s Lonsdale and Doncaster Cups.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien said yesterday: “Septimus was half pencilled in for a two-mile race at York next week, but I think Honolulu will run there instead.