O'Brien mulls Gold Cup team

Aidan O’Brien could rely solely on star stayer Yeats in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot on Thursday.

The seven-year-old will be chasing a third consecutive victory in the two-and-a-half-mile Group One showpiece.

Stablemates Septimus and Honolulu, who also appeared among the 15 confirmations on Friday, have not been ruled out but that pair are being considered for alternative targets.

“The plan has always been to run Yeats and he might be our only runner in the Gold Cup,” O’Brien confirmed.

“We have not made a final decision about Septimus just yet. I’m not sure about plans for him, but he hasn’t had a run this season,” he told the Racing Post.

“It’s possible that Honolulu might go for the Queen Alexandra Stakes instead.”

Yeats is on offer as the 6-4 favourite with a number of firms to secure his third Gold Cup next week.