The Grey Gatsby

THE GREY GATSBY is the highest-rated son of multiple Group 1 winner Mastercraftsman and carries the hopes and legacy of the Danehill Dancer branch of Danehill’s sire line.

The longevity of his career can obscure the fact that he was a classy two-year-old, winning a 6f maiden on debut at York and finishing second in both the Group 2 Champagne and Vintage Stakes.

He was second to Toormore in the Group 3 Craven Stakes on his seasonal reappearance at three and, after running in the 2000 Guineas, stepped up in trip to take the Group 2 Dante Stakes on his next run.

Connections opted to remain at the Dante trip and chose the Prix du Jockey-Club over the Derby. The Chantilly Classic has produced stallions of the calibre of Shamardal and his son Lope De Vega, as well as leading second crop sire Make Believe, in recent years.

The decision proved to be the right one as The Grey Gatsby defeated a field that included the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Karakontie and dual Group 1 winner Prince Gibraltar.

Stepped up to 1m4f for the Grand Prix de Paris, he didn’t appear to stay but was back to his best when running dual Derby winner Australia close in the Group 1 Juddmonte International. He beat a top class field that included Australia, Al Kazeem and Mukhadram to win the Irish Champion Stakes (G1) at Leopardstown.

He travelled to Meydan for the first start of his four-year-old season and was second to Solow in the Group 1 Dubai Turf, and was just a short head second to Free Eagle in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.

He filled the same position behind that season’s Derby hero Golden Horn in the Eclipse Stakes and was third to Arabian Queen and Golden Horn in the International back at York the following month.

Kept in training as a five-year-old his best result was second to Big Orange in the Group 2 Princess of Wales’s Stakes and a fourth to My Dream Boat in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

Out of the Listed Prix Solitude second Marie Vision, an Entrepreneur half-sister to seven winners including the Group 3 Prix Daphnis third Saint Thomas, he comes from a family that has produced successful stallions.

The Grey Gatsby’s second dam Metisse is a Kingmambo half-sister to Septieme Ciel, the Group 1 Prix de la Forêt winner and Grade 1 Hollywood Derby second by Seattle Slew. Her Mr Prospector three-parts sister Macoumba won the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac and is the second dam of Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap winner and Grade 1 Hollywood Turf Cup second Temple City, a Grade 1-winning sire. She is also a halfsister to the Grade 3 winner and Grade 2-placed Maxigroom (Blushing Groom). Her Nureyev half-sister Manureva won the Listed Prix des Tuileries and is the dam of Grade 1 Atto Mile Stakes winner and sire Riviera, a son of Kris.

His third dam Mazimova (Green Dancer) and won the Group 1 Prix Salamadre, was second in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and Prix Maurice de Gheest and third in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. She is a half-sister to the Group 2 winner Navratilovna and Vilikaia, winner of the Group 3 Prix de Porte Maillot, who was also second in the Irish 1,000 Guineas and the Prix de l’Abbaye.

His first book contained 99 mares, and he was patronised by the likes of Henri-Alex Pantall, Haras du Logis and Franklin Finance. That book included mares such as Aqua Alta, a winning three-parts sister to Terre A Terre, victorious in the Prix de l’Opera and Dubai Duty Free (both G1), the Listed winner Kachgai and Terra Alta, dam of Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet winner Nonza. Aqua Alta has a yearling colt named Great Scott and returned to The Grey Gatsby in 2019.

He was chosen as the first covering for Agent Error, an Iffraaj halfsister to Flash Gordon, who was third in the Group 3 Lacken Stakes and the Listed Tertrarch Stakes last year, out of a half-sister to Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Seazun. Agent Error has a yearling colt by him and was covered by him again in 2019.

Racing Form

28 runs, four wins, 13 places | Best Timeform Rating: 128 | Average winning distance: 9.23f

Stakes form

AT 2 Second in At the Races Champagne Stakes, Doncaster, Gr.2, (to Outstrip (GB)), Pinsent

AT 3 Jt Champion 3yr old colt in Europe in 2014, Top rated 3yr old in France in 2014 (9.5-10.5f.). Won Prix du Jockey Club, Chantilly, Gr.1, (10½f. beating Shamkiyr (FR) and Prince Gibraltar (FR)), QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes, Leopardstown, Gr.1, (10f. beating Australia (GB) and Trading Leather (IRE)), Betfred Dante Stakes, York, Gr.2, (10f. beating Arod (IRE) and True Story (GB)), second in Juddmonte International Stakes, York, Gr.1, (to Australia (GB)), Novae Bloodstock Insurance Craven Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.3, (to Toormore (IRE)).

AT 4 Second in Coral Eclipse Stakes, Sandown Park, Gr.1, (to Golden Horn (GB)), DP World Dubai Turf, Meydan, Gr.1, (to Solow (GB)), Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Ascot, Gr.1, (to Free Eagle (IRE)), third in Juddmonte International Stakes, York, Gr.1, (to Arabian Queen (IRE)).

AT 5 Second in Arqana Princess of Wales’s Stakes, Newmarket, Gr.2, (to Big Orange (GB)).