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Gustav Klimt has his sights lowered in Newbury

Gustav KlimtGustav Klimt
© Healy Racing Photos

Gustav Klimt drops back to Group Two company as he bids to get trainer Aidan O’Brien back among the winners in Saturday’s Ladyswood Stud Hungerford Stakes at Newbury.

The Ballydoyle handler has made no secret of the fact his yard has been under a bit of a cloud over the last month, but nevertheless Gustav Klimt turned in a creditable effort when fourth in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood at the beginning of August.

That was the colt’s fourth successive start at Group One level, having been placed in the Irish 2,000 Guineas, St James’s Palace Stakes and Prix Jean Prat previously, and he leads the way for Ryan Moore on the ratings.

Richard Hannon feels Yafta will be a worthy adversary for Gustav Klimt in Berkshire.

The progressive three-year-old colt successfully stepped out of handicap grade when winning the Group Three Hackwood Stakes over six furlongs on this track.

Hannon is happy to see the son of Dark Angel go back up in distance.

“I think seven furlongs is his trip. He is in great form and if the ground becomes softer, it should suit him,” said the Herridge trainer.

“He has never run a bad race in his life and when he got chinned in a couple of handicaps, I was gutted. It was a fantastic performance to win his Group Three and I’ve always felt he would be better at seven furlongs.”

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I'm from just outside Kells, Co Meath and I suppose racing has always been a passion of mine. I do love the sport, and it is brilliant to make a career out of it now. My family are huge racing fans and I suppose the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Racing is a highly discussed topic at home with my family as well as farming. The racing is never off the TV. We take an annual family holiday to Galway every year. We go down for the week, and I've been going since I was a child. It is a proper family tradition now. We have going to the same house for the races I'd say for 14 or 15 years now. There are so many bedrooms there and some of my friends from home come down towards the weekend. It is a proper good holiday, and it is always in our calendars every single year. We were in Punchestown recently after Fairyhouse, so we would be big supporters of going racing. My parents are farmers, so I wouldn't have a close association with horses. I grew up on the farm, and I've been surrounded by animals all of my life. I know at first hand the effort, work and dedication that goes into animals and caring for them. I would have helped dad out on the farm alongside my two brothers. We still try to give a hand when time allows. We've no horses here on the farm, but I'm extremely confident that we will one day! I used to do a bit of riding when I was younger at my local equestrian centre. Things just got in the way then, but last summer I took it back up as a hobby. I'm really enjoying that again.