The Grey Gatsby on course for Curragh return

Royal Ascot beckons for Kevin Ryan’s stable star. Image courtesy of Racingfotos.com.

The Grey Gatsby is on course to return in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh on May 22 in what will be his final season before being retired to stud.

Kevin Ryan, trainer of the popular five-year-old, who has been runner-up in three QIPCO British Champions Series races in the past two seasons, says that his stable flagbearer will reappear in the Group 1 feature provided the ground is not too testing.

If conditions are unsuitable The Grey Gatsby will instead head straight to Royal Ascot, where he will be entered in two races.

“He’s bigger and stronger again this year and is in great order,” Ryan said. “We are hoping to start him off in Ireland but if the ground wasn’t there for him he’d just go straight to Royal Ascot.

“He will have two entries at Ascot, the Hardwicke and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes. We will keep our options open and make plans after the Curragh. He’s lost none of his speed but will step up to a mile and a half at some stage.

“From Ascot onwards there is a Group 1 every month [for him] and we’d love to take him to Breeders’ Cup at the end of year all things going well.”

The Grey Gatsby, who has won £2.6 million in prize money, won the French Derby and Irish Champion Stakes in 2014.

He failed to get his head in front last year but ran some tremendous races in defeat – including when finishing second in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and Coral-Eclipse, when beaten by Free Eagle and Golden Horn respectively.