The Grey Gatsby swerves Dubai and points towards Curragh

Ryan had considered a return to Meydan, this time for the mile-and-a-half Sheema Classic, for the consistent five-year-old after he chased home Solow in the Dubai Turf 12 months ago. The son of Mastercraftsman will instead be kept under wraps for a few more months, with the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh – a race in which he was fourth last year – a possible first objective.

The Grey Gatsby is then likely to head to Royal Ascot for a repeat bid in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes after he finished a short-head second to Free Eagle last summer.

Ryan said: “We’ve decided that it (Dubai) would come too early in the year for him. He’s in great form – he’s wintered really well – but we’ll probably start him off at the Curragh before Ascot.

“If we start later with him, hopefully we’ll be able to keep him going for longer.”

l Joseph O’Brien’s string will be split 50-50 between Flat horses and jumpers when he starts his training career, hopefully in a couple of months.

O’Brien, twice champion Flat jockey in Ireland, has quit the saddle to concentrate on his new role.

The 22-year-old has been playing a key role in helping his father, trainer Aidan O’Brien, with a large string of horses recently, including JCB Triumph Hurdle favourite Ivanovich Gorbatov, from a base at Piltown, County Kilkenny, where the great Istabraq’s triumphs were originally masterminded.

He said: “Hopefully I’ll have the licence for May. That’s the plan at the moment. We’re pretty much 50-50 jumpers and Flat horses. We’ve got a nice bunch of two-year-olds and some National Hunt horses.

“Hopefully we can get a few winners when the season gets going.”

SOBOT’S SELECTIONS

SOUTHWELL: 2.10 Busy Street, 2.45 Northside Prince, 3.15 RAIN IN THE FACE (NAP), 3.50 Danish Duke, 4.25 Desert Command, 5.00 Pull The Pin, 5.35 Big Shoes (treble).

CHELMSFORD: 5.50 Bracken Brae, 6.20 Grecian King, 6.50 Slovak, 7.20 Toumar (next best), 7.50 Coillte Cailin, 8.20 Gulland Rock.

CARLISLE: 2.00 Divine Port, 2.35 Dakota Grey, 3.05 Seldom Inn, 3.40 The Bishop, 4.15 Sean Ban, 4.50 Verko, 5.25 Randy Pike.

WINCANTON: 1.50 Scoresheet, 2.20 Ruperra Tom, 2.55 Native Robin, 3.25 Sea Wall, 4.00 Bonne Question, 4.35 St Johns Point, 5.10 Golden Birthday.