National Racehorse Week: Gentleman's Deal
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Gentleman's Deal was bred to be a great! By Danehill out of 1000 Guineas winner Sleepytime he was sold as a yearling to Gainsborough Stud Management for 460,000gns. Not living up to expectations for Ed Dunlop, he was sent to the sales a dual winner, having won a maiden and an all weather handicap off a mark of 75. He caught our eye and we brought him home from Tattersalls in October 2005 for 26,000gns to run in the colours of Stephen Curtis.
He had been off the track for a while, but he won at the first time of asking for us at Southwell and followed up at Wolverhampton. In his next six starts he failed to win, but switched back to the all weather he was a different horse altogether. He won two handicaps at Southwell, followed by the Listed Ladybird Stakes at Kempton. Up in class again he tackled the Group 3 Winter Derby at Lingfield and picked up the £56,000 first prize. Two unplaced efforts on turf followed. It was clear that the all weather was where he showed his best and he bowed out at Lingfield on 22nd December 2007 by winning the Listed Quebec Stakes. He was ridden in his final five wins, including the Winter Derby, by Paul Mulrennan.
In all Gentleman's Deal won nine of his 19 starts, and £143,000 in prizemoney. However, his all weather record showed eight wins from nine starts.
Retirement from the track followed, but there was another role for Gentleman's Deal. He was to stand as a stallion at Norton Grove Stud, his impeccable genes to be passed on to a future generation.
At stud Gentleman's Deal produced several multiple winners for the yard, including We'll Deal Again (5 wins), Strong Man (7), Fame Again (2), Alluring Star (7) and One Of Twins (2). His versatility was shown by the range of distances his progeny won over, from sprinters to stayers and even an eight times point to point winner, Royal Deal.
Gentleman's Deal was later sold to stand at a stud in Russia and he left us in 2010.
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