Big Gossey claims Gladness Stakes to continue Curragh love affair

Big Gossey showed plenty of heart to continue his Curragh love affair and claim the feature Lester Piggott Gladness Stakes on Saturday.

Trained by Charles O’Brien, the 70-plus race veteran has an impressive record at the home of Irish Flat racing but at the age of eight was enjoying one of his finest hours as he produced a gutsy display to register his 10th career victory and eighth at this particular venue.

Sent off a 7-1 chance and travelling kindly in the hands of Billy Lee, he took the lead from Karl Burke’s wavering favourite Poet Master with a furlong to run and showed the utmost bravery to repel the dual challenge from the Aidan O’Brien-trained pair of Camille Pissarro (second) and Officer (third) in the dying strides.

Charles O’Brien said: “I thought the seventh furlong might just find him out. I think if it had been six furlongs today, he’d have won easier. Billy said he was just hanging on.

“We knew he was fit and an eight-year-old on that ground against three-year-olds, it doesn’t matter how much weight they are getting, it’s very hard for younger horses to take on a battle-hardened one like him.

“Gary O’Brien, who leads him up, does 90% of the work with him. He doesn’t need a lot of work, but Gary does different things to keep him happy.

“When he arrived in the door, I didn’t think he’d ever be doing this. A Gutaifan with no pedigree of any description – a box walker, a cribber and a horrible horse to deal with in the stable but that’s the way it works!

“Today was his 40th run here and his eighth win at the track.”