Southern France (right) is ridden out by Donnacha O'Brien to beat Drapers Guild© Photo Healy Racing
Southern France put in a workmanlike performance to take the feature at Navan this afternoon, the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Yeats Stakes.
A good second on debut here last month, the Aidan O'Brien trained son of Galileo got off the mark at Leopardstown just last Sunday.
Stepping up in class for this Listed contest, he was sent off the 4/7 favourite with Donnacha O'Brien in the saddle.
Settled behind the leaders on the outer, he was pushed along from three furlongs out and soon led. He was ridden under two furlongs from home, keeping on well from there to prevail by half a length. Drapers Guild (25/1), who won his maiden at Dundalk last month, ran a huge race to finish second, with Shane Foley aboard this chestnut gelding for Joseph O'Brien. Whirling Dervish was another length and a quarter back in third.
The winning rider said afterwards: "He stays well. We weren't going very quick so I just wanted to make it into a bit of a test. Once he got to the front he had a bit of a look.
"I think he will be a better horse again next year when he strengthens up a bit more as he's a little weak behind the saddle. The Queens Vase could be a natural enough next step for him."
Aidan O'Brien was completing a treble on the day with Southern France, having took the feature at Newbury earlier with Rhododendron, while also winning with The Irish Rover at the same venue.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
