TEN. That’s how many races Big Gossey has won at the Curragh after his latest success in the Jebel Ali Racecourse & Stables Dash Stakes on the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby undercard.

€669,610 is how much the now nine-year-old has son for the Allegro Syndicate. €21,000 was the bid on the board when he was led out unsold at Goffs as a foal.

But 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 explains, 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 a nose separating the second and third.

“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.”

Onlookers discussed whether a pub named in Big Gossey’s honour or a statue would be a better testament to the popular grey as he was led back to cheers in the winner’s enclosure. The Gutaifan gelding is now a 12-time winner, highlights being three listed wins, another three wins in premier handicaps and five group placings.