Frank Gillespie's The Grey Gatsby (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) stamped himself among the best of his generation in Europe last season with a pair of Group 1 scores, and Saturday he looks to enhance his reputation on the international stage when he goes postward as the U.S. morning line favorite for the $6 million G1 Dubai Turf (formerly the Dubai Duty Free). On paper, the Kevin Ryan trainee towers over his rivals, having taken a pair of Europe's most important contests last summer–the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and the G1 Irish Champion S. over dual Derby hero Australia (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). In between, he finished second to Australia in the G1 Juddmonte International, rated the best race in the world last year by the IFHA. In addition to the layoff–The Grey Gatsby hasn't raced since taking the Irish Champion last September–perhaps the lone knock against the 4-year-old is the 1800 meter distance. He has only once won going shorter than 2100 meters, when breaking his maiden over 1200 meters on debut, although he has been second three times going seven furlongs or a mile. Ryan expressed satisfaction with his charge's condition yesterday, saying, “The horse looks marvelous. He has taken everything well and we are very happy with him. I couldn't be any happier.”
The Grey Gatsby's greatest threat could come in the form of another grey European shipper–the Wertheimer homebred Solow (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}). The 5-year-old gelding won an allowance over this trip at Clairefontaine last August before running away with the G3 Lucien Barriere by five lengths going a mile at Deauville. He added the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein over the same distance in October and kept his win streak intact in a Chantilly conditions race Mar. 3. It is a big ask for the Freddy Head charge to test Group 1 waters for the first time in a $6 million contest, but with the race lacking its typical star power it wouldn't be a surprise to see Solow take home a big piece of the pie.
“He looks well, he adapted well, his action's good,” said Head. “At home we work on sand–it's not the dirt but it's very close to it. So for the moment everything is fine. We know him well and I have great expectations.”
Another competitor riding a win streak is Al Shaqab's Mshawish (Medaglia d'Oro), although the 5-year-old has been battling a foot bruise throughout the week, throwing his participation into doubt. Mshawish won the G2 Zabeel Mile over this course last year prior to finishing a well-beaten fourth here. Expatriated and transferred to trainer Todd Pletcher, Mshawish has won a trio of stakes at Gulfstream Park over the winter, and became the first Group 1 winner for Sheikh Joaan's racing stable in the U.S. when taking the G1 Gulfstream Park Turf H. Feb. 7. Cladocera (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}) is another with winning form over this strip; the 4-year-old filly is two-for-two at this year's carnival, having taken the G2 Cape Verdi Jan. 29 and the G2 Balanchine S. Feb. 19 over this trip. Last year's GI Beverly D. S. victress Euro Charline (GB) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) makes her first start since that Aug. 16 score here.
“She seems very happy,” said trainer Marco Botti. “We got her back from America [she spent three months with Todd Pletcher] in December and there have been no hiccups. We have to respect the opposition but to my eye, she is a stronger filly this year.”
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