The Grey Gatsby

The Grey Gatsby (foaled 14 March 2011) is an Irish-bred, British-trained racehorse. In 2014 he established himself as one of the best colts of his generation in Europe by winning the Dante Stakes and the Prix du Jockey Club before defeating the dual Derby winner Australia in the Irish Champion Stakes. At the end of the year he was rated level with Australia and Kingman as the best three-year-old colt in the world.

Background

The Grey Gatsby is a grey colt bred in Ireland by M Parrish. He was one of the first crop of foals of Mastercraftsman, which also included graded winners Kingston Hill, Amazing Maria and Craftsman. As a two-year-old Mastercraftsman won the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes and National Stakes and was crowned Cartier Champion Two-year-old Colt in 2008. As a three-year-old Matercraftsman went on to record victories in the Irish 2000 Guineas and St. James's Palace Stakes before being retired to stud.^[1]

The Grey Gatsby was purchased for €120,000 in May 2013 and was sent into training with Kevin Ryan at his stables near Thirsk, North Yorkshire.^[2]

Racing career

2013: two-year-old season

The Grey Gatsby began his career winning a maiden race over six furlongs at York. Despite showing signs of inexperience he won by three quarters of a length. In his next two starts, in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes and Group 2 Champagne Stakes he was runner up. In October he was entered into the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy but could only manage seventh place behind fellow Mastercraftsman colt Kingston Hill.

2014: three-year-old season

The Grey Gatsby's first start in 2014 was over a mile in the Craven Stakes where he finished two lengths behind the then unbeaten Toormore. Both horses went on to compete in the first classic of that season the 2000 Guineas. The Grey Gatsby went off as a 66/1 outsider in the Newmarket classic and finished in 10th place behind the winner Night of Thunder. His next start was in the Dante Stakes at York Racecourse, traditionally a trial for the Epsom Derby. Godolphin's colt True Story, who was entered for the Derby, started as odds-on favourite for the race on ground officially good to soft. The Grey Gatsby, ridden by Ryan Moore for the first time, drifted right in the final furlongs but still went onto win. A stewards enquiry was held but the result stood. Ryan shared plans to run the colt in the Prix du Jockey Club rather than the English Derby. The trainer later said he felt the colt "Didn't get the credit he deserved after the Dante Stakes" with his win overshadowed by the poor performance of True Story.^[3]

On 1 June, the colt contested the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly. Ridden again by Ryan Moore, he was a relative outsider with French trained horse Prince of Gibraltar starting as favourite. Despite the horse sweating up badly and a poor start Moore was able to get the colt into the lead in the final furlongs and stay there to win by three lengths and in a record time. He was the first British-trained winner since 2005. He returned to France in July for the Grand Prix de Paris, but failed to reproduce his Chantilly form, finishing sixth behind the Andre Fabre-trained Galante. The Grey Gatsby was matched against older horses for the first time in the International Stakes at York in August. He was restrained at the back of the field by his rider Richard Hughes before moving up to challenge in the straight. He finished second, beaten two lengths by the Epsom Derby winner Australia, with Telescope and Mukhadram in third and fourth.

The Grey Gatsby at Leopardstown

On 13 September, The Grey Gatsby (ridden by Moore) faced Australia again in the Irish Champion Stakes over ten furlongs at Leopardstown Racecourse. He was made the 7/1 second favourite behind the Derby winner in a field which also included Mukhadram, Al Kazeem and Trading Leather. Moore held the colt up at the back of the field and was still in last place on the turn into the straight. Australia took the lead with a quarter of mile left to run, but The Grey Gatsby produced a sustained run on the outside to catch the Derby winner in the final strides and win by a neck. Commenting on the colt's late challenge Moore said "I was confident that I’d pass five of [the horses in front]. I just wasn’t quite so confident about the sixth (Australia)" whilst Ryan said; "He’s a great horse and it was a fantastic ride. Now the horse will get the credit that he deserves. He hasn’t had it yet".^[4] The Grey Gatsby was expected to end the season in the Champion Stakes in October, but was withdrawn six days before the race as Ryan felt the colt would be unsuited by the softening ground.

2015: four-year-old season

For his first appearance as a four-year-old, The Grey Gatsby was sent to Dubai to contest the Dubai Turf over nine furlongs at Meydan Racecourse on 28 March. He started the 6/4 favourite but finished second behind the French five-year-old Solow.

Assessment and awards

In the 2014 World's Best Racehorse Rankings, The Grey Gatsby was rated the third-best horse to race anywhere in the world in 2014 behind the Japanese horses Just A Way and Epiphaneia and level with Able Friend, Australia, Kingman and Variety Club. He was the joint top-rated horse in the Intermediate distance division and the joint top-rated three-year-old.^[5]

Pedigree

References