He might be an old warrior in the Lindsay Park Racing team, but Gentleman Roy has plenty of life in his eight year-old legs and was tenacious all the way to the line to win the Group II MRC PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
Gentleman Roy won the Group I MRC CF Orr Stakes last year, but was relegated to second following a protest from the runner-up Jacquinot and had not won a race since then and had alengthy spell of nearly 12 months away from the track between June 2023 and May 2024.
He found top form during the winter months with wins at Flemington and Sandown in July and early August so brought a fitness edge to this assignment over many of his rivals.
Well ridden by Mark Zahra, Gentleman Roy hit the front with a furlong to run and held off all challengers to win by half a length.
The Hayes brothers have won the past two runnings of this race with the stable star Mr Brightside and they were thrilled to claim another win with a horse that is a stable favourite.
“It is quite fitting to win it with Gentleman Roy and Mr Brightside the last two,” said JD Hayes said.
“They really were pinnacle horses that were key to when we first got handed the licence. They were both sitting in the barn as maidens and looking back now it was quite handy.
“They say its good placement, but I think you could point them anywhere and they would just win.”
Gentleman Roy advances his record to 11 wins and five placings from 27 starts with earnings in excess of $1.2million.
Retained to race by his breeder Peter Woods, Gentleman Roy is a half-brother to stakes-winner and $1.2million earner Jacquinot Bay and is the best of seven winners from winning Last Tycoon (IRE) mare La La Land, a half-sister to stakes-winner Wake Me Not. La La Land has an unnamed two year-old filly by Sandbar.
Gentleman Roy is the first stakes-winner of a new season for So You Think who was third ion the Australian General Sires List last season and stands at Coolmore at a fee of $77,000.
