Gatsby’ Done for the Season

French Derby winner The Grey Gatsby (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) has been ruled out of Saturday’s G1 QIPCO Champion S. at Ascot, but will stay in training next year. Kevin Ryan’s 3-year-old has enjoyed a tremendous campaign, winning the G2 Dante S. at York, the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and most recently lowering the colors of Australia (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Irish Champion S. at Leopardstown. The son of Mastercraftsman was due to round off his season on Champions Day this weekend, but with testing conditions increasingly likely to prevail, Ryan has decided to draw stumps for the year. 

“I’m not going to run him on heavy ground,” said the trainer. “They had 25 millimetres of rain last night and there is more forecast. He’s done everything we’ve asked of him this year. He stays in training next season, so we’ll look forward to that now.” 

Despite his intended defection, The Grey Gatsby is still among 12 G1 Champion S. entries following the confirmation stage. Corine Barande-Barbe’s French ace Cirrus Des Aigles (Fr) (Even Top {Ire}) won the race in 2011 and will be strongly fancied to regain his crown after having filled the runner-up spot behind Frankel (GB) (Galileo {Ire) and Farhh (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) in the last two renewals. Aidan O’Brien has three remaining contenders in Kingsbarns (Ire)(Galileo {Ire}), Ruler Of The World (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Kingfisher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), while fellow Irish trainer Dermot Weld is set to saddle a major player in Free Eagle (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}). Frankel’s brother Noble Mission (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) has enjoyed an excellent campaign and is in the mix for Lady Cecil. Al Kazeem (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Sheikhzayedroad (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Ayrad (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire) and Western Hymn (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}) are also engaged, while the Richard Hannon-trained Pether’s Moon (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire) has been supplemented for the race.