BIG Gossey was greeted by rapturous applause after gaining his 10th Curragh win in the Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Dash Stakes, which brought the nine-year-old’s earnings to €669,610 for the Allegro Syndicate – not bad for a €21,000 buyback as a foal.

I would argue that the most important figure in the wonderful grey’s life is 2,555. That’s how many days, give or take, that Gary O’Brien, who is part of Big Gossey’s syndicate of owners, as well as a key part of Charles O’Brien’s team, has worked, without a holiday, because the fan favourite refuses to take a day off himself.

“I’ve been with this horse every day since he was a two-year-old, because he’s a seven days a week, 365 days a year horse – Charles [O’Brien] will tell you that. The only days I missed with this horse was when I got Covid,” Gary O’Brien explained, walking the grey back from the parade ring on Sunday.

“How many days is that now? Christmas Day, Stephen’s Day, New Years Day – he has to get out of the stable every day, this horse.”

Because he’s worth it

“I’m just so proud to be a part of this horse’s career. I’ve worked for some wonderful people (including Vincent O’Brien), I’ve worked with champions all around the world, but to end up with a horse like this myself… Sure you couldn’t write it, it’s unreal.”

Despite his loyalty to the horse, Gary was like us all, as we doubted Big Gossey would fail to justify 5/2 favouritism in the six-furlong listed, as he was failing to quicken under Billy Lee’s urgings approaching the final furlong, but as Tango Flare (10/1) and Bodhi Bear (4/1) battled it out to the line, Big Gossey flew home to score by three parts of a length, with just a nose separating the second and third places.

“A furlong and a half down, I thought he was going to be fourth or fifth,” Gary later admitted.

“But do you know what happens on that ground - I said it to Billy – he knows the Curragh like a lad knows his local pub – he backs off going into that dip when it’s firm, and he’ll only pick up when he comes out of it.”