Dermot Weld eyeing up Meld Stakes glory with The Grey Gatsby at Leopardstown racecourse
The Grey Gatsby has not won since 2014 but there was encouragement to take from his first outing for new trainer Weld earlier this month in a Group 3 contest at the Curragh
THE GREY GATSBY goes in search of his first win since 2014 in the ICON Meld Stakes at Leopardstown on Thursday evening.
He made a satisfactory debut for new trainer Dermot Weld when fourth behind Johannes Vermeer in a Group 3 at the Curragh earlier this month.
Jockey Pat Smullen expects him to take a step forward.
“He ran a good race the last day, we felt. He travelled into the race nicely and just got a bit tired in the closing stages, as he was entitled to with it being his first run for a while,” said Smullen.
“You’d hope he’d improve a good bit for that and he should be there or thereabouts I think.
“He’s wearing a visor for the first time. That’s not to suggest he’s ungenuine or anything at all, it’s just that he’s a six-year-old entire and at this stage of his life, they might just help him concentrate his mind that little bit more, keep his mind on the job.
“If he recaptures anything like his old form you’d like to think he might be hard to beat.”
Aidan O’Brien runs Deauville, a Grade 1 winner in America and a fine third to Ribchester in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot last time out.
Ger Lyons is doubly represented by the admirable Brendan Brackan and Tennessee Wildcat and Jim Bolger’s Moonlight Magic completes the five-runner field.