€80,000 Lutèce: Master Gatsby finds his best game

September 1, 2022, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris). – Up until today, Master Gatsby (The Grey Gatsby) had performed over 10 to 13 furlongs, like most of his 3-year-old rivals in the €80,000 Prix Gérald de Geoffre - de Lutèce (Gr3), where they had to prove their stamina over 3,000 metres, that’s 1m7f. Such a long trip proved to be much appreciated by the Ioritz Mendizabal-ridden colt.

Master Gatsby was held up while Virtual Rock (Fascinating Rock) showed the way. Halfway down the final straight, he took over and won by almost a length, beating Fasol (Galileo), a less experienced runner who was trialed for the first time in a group race. At a good length, the brave front runner held on for third place, the favourite Gaashiels (Australia) failing by a short neck for a position on the podium.

Owned by Antoinette Tamagni, Aleksandra Pusnik, Anne-Marie Van Gils, Antonia Riegel, Daniela Spuhler and Katherina Dobers, the winner was bred by the Haras de Saint-Julien. Unsold at €20,000 at the Arqana yearlings sales, he’s out of Moonee Valley (Aqlaam), who had revealed a certain potential. After making her winning debut in the Prix des Marettes, she won the Prix des Réservoirs (Gr3) in Deauville, ridden by Ioritz Mendizabal. The family descends from a Niarchos bloodline comprising Titus Livius (Machiavellilian) or Zagora (Green Tune), winner of a Breeder's Cup. Master Gatsby is her third foal. The next ones are a yearling colt by Toronado (High Chaparral) and a weanling colt by Galiway (Galileo), while she was covered this year by Elarqam (Frankel).