I recall ringing David Spratt for an interview for a feature, not so long ago. He messaged me back to politely decline, stating that he’d rather wait until the burgeoning operation he was involved in - Gaelic Thoroughbreds - had a bit more time to develop.
Of course, that was completely fine, but a pity, because the Cork native already had built up an intriguing profile. That profile became even more intriguing this weekend.
Since entering the world of racehorse ownership through a horse called Invincible Vibes, Spratt has recorded significant success with horses running under his own name and when joining up with other prominent owners in the Lyons yard such as Sean Jones. He also had put a lot into the aforementioned Gaelic Thoroughbreds project - a syndicate style of ownership designed to get people involved in racing at a higher level.
Mustajeer’s Ebor success on Saturday was obviously his biggest moment, the six-year-old gelding netting the £600,000 first prize in the first running of the race since the total prize money was bunked up to £1 million.
The son of Medicean cost just 50,000 guineas at the 2017 Tattersalls Jule Sale and in many ways, best depicts one of Spratt’s most successful strategies. Combining with Lyons, the Cork native has done incredibly well sourcing horses in training from Britain. The below table is a selection of some of his best purchases, the ratings and prize money won columns outlining serious value for money.
Reading a few pieces about him, Spratt’s background is intriguing. With a Masters Degree in Finance, he has the qualifications to work as a high end stockbroker but instead seems to have applied such values to racing. Indeed, given some of his success with such relatively cheap purchases, he could be the sport’s very own answer to ‘Moneyball’. And yet, the strategy of buying said horses seems so simple - often well bred, well trained horses, bought cheap in the context of their pre-racing value and moved to Lyons, who obviously plays a significant role in this success.
Spratt recognised Lyons’s performance as a trainer before the likes of Juddmonte sent horses to Glenburnie and he has been a big part of Lyons’s development in recent seasons.
His quotes to Lydia Hislop on Racing TV were telling: “I liked the way Ger had been over achieving with cheaply bought horses. He was always trying his absolute best. It’s only now that he and the team there are getting the support they deserve.”
In the same interview, Spratt was also full of praise for Colin Keane. The trio combined are a serious force to be reckoned with and could yet progress into a significant player on the Irish flat racing scene, with the Gaelic Thoroughbreds project still in its early stages. The dream, Spratt has said before, is to develop a stallion. 
In the meantime, it’s probably worth keeping an eye out for the next former Stoute, Charlton or Varian horse about to make their debut in the increasingly familiar yellow and green silks.
CUP CONTENDER
Even before Saturday, the Melbourne Cup was on Mustajeer’s agenda. A controlling stake in the horse was bought by Australian Bloodstock, the same ownership syndicate that won the Cup with Protectionist in 2014.
They look like they have the solid Melbourne Cup contender they gambled an investment on now and it’s a little surprising to see quotes of 25/1 still available about the son of Medicean. He is unexposed as a stayer, the Ebor was just his fourth run over a distance of a mile and six furlongs, and given his prowess over shorter trips, he looks an ideal type for Flemington, where he now has a ballot free entry.
Spratt, presumably still holds a smaller share in Mustajeer, as he was able to outline plans for the gelding in the next few weeks. It's not the first horse he has retained a share in and moved onto Australia - Sea Wolf has had success since going Down Under. Spratt has stated before that he is keen to learn more about racing in Australia, in particular the type of form you need to succeed out there and how they operate ownership syndicates. With that said, ironically he may be about to play a hugely significant part in a piece of Australian racing history - a Melbourne Cup winner.
One of the central themes of the flat this season has been Jessica Harrington’s success with two-year-old fillies. She has 21 juvenile wins to her name, the majority of which have been fillies, and she has taken the two Group 2 races for two-year-old fillies, the Balanchine Stakes with Albigna and now the Debutante with Alpine Star, both owned by the Niarchos family. 
Both fillies seemed to win those races in spite of the distance, which bodes well for their upcoming Group 1 targets - Albigna heads for the Moyglare Stud Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend while Alpine Star is heading for either the Fillies Mile or Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc weekend. They could be backed up by the likes of Cayenne Pepper, Millisle and One Voice, who are just three of Harrington’s smarter-looking juvenile fillies set to be unleashed again in the autumn.
In the Futurity, Armory got the job done without looking hugely impressive. He picked up impressively to go clear a furlong out but may well have been hanging on a bit at the end from the 88-rated Rebel Tale in second. Of course, there is a chance he was just idling and he derives the utmost respect considering Aidan O’Brien had already pencilled him in for the National Stakes back at the Curragh on Irish Champions Weekend.