The Grey Gatsby switched to Dermot Weld for new campaign

Weld believes that The Grey Gatsby just needs a bit of luck in 2017. Picture: Racingfotos.com

The Grey Gatsby, placed in four QIPCO British Champions Series races without quite managing to win one, has joined Dermot Weld ahead of the new campaign.

The six-year-old won four races for Kevin Ryan, including the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly and the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown in 2014.

He has been placed on a further nine occasions, earning more than £2.7 million in win and place prize-money. His nearest miss in the Champions Series was when beaten a short head by Free Eagle, trained by Weld, in the 2015 Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“He has been a grand horse and perhaps he has been unlucky a few times,” Weld said. “We beat him by a short-head one day in Royal Ascot with Free Eagle and sometimes the ground didn’t go his way. He just needs a bit of luck.”

The Grey Gatsby’s owner, Frank Gillespie, had two-year-old filly Tilly Trotter in training with Weld last year and she won twice.

“That’s how The Grey Gatsby came to me and, to be fair, he arrived in great condition,” Weld said. “I have no definite plans – we’ll see how he settles in,” the Derby-winning trainer told the Irish Field.

The Grey Gatsby failed to get his head in front last year but his final effort, when fifth to Almanzor in the QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot on British Champions Day in October, showed he still had fire in his belly.