- This topic has 5 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 3 months ago by
.
- Posts
A colt foal by Frankel out of Our Echezeaux was sold for about £592,00 at New Zealand’s top yearling sale just a couple of days ago. He was obviously conceived in Southern Hemisphere time, so he will be a two-year-old on August 1st. Apart from the fact that he was a strikingly good looking horse and the top-priced lot in the sale, the biggest surprise was who bought him. It may signal a thawing of the bitter feud between two of the biggest Northern Hemisphere breeding and racing empires. He was bought by BBA Ireland for a syndicate which included Tom Magnier representing Coolmore Stud and Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, a first cousin of the head of Godolphin. With each of these “families” being a tight cohesive bunch, I suspect that such an alliance must have been sanctioned at the highest level. Perhaps at the 2016 European yearling sales we might at last see Coolmore buying a few by Dubawi, Shamardal and New Approach, while Godolphin pick up some by Galileo, Mastercraftsman and Zoffany. Could it be that they have both seen that a boycott on both sides benefits neither of them. But then again, they did not get where they are today without having a streak of affronted stubborness about them.
With godolphins lack of success at the highest level lasting as long as it has I’m surprised they haven’t bit the bullet earlier. Dubawi is keeping the flag flying for them but coolmore withe the likes of Australia,Camelot,gleneagles,magician and zoffany have some hugely promising stallions for the future. I think gleneagles could be a star at the paddocks and if this syndicate is a sign of things to come it could be very interesting indeed. Qatar bought a half share in ruler of the world and coolmore sold half shares in the likes of order of st George so maybe there is a pattern developing.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum has been buying racehorses from Coolmore for several years, and putting them in training with Mike de Koch. Examples are Archipenko (back in 2008) and Johann Strauss more recently.
Coolmore bought a Dubawi filly at the yearling sales last year (though they were more interested in the dam than the sire), and they bid on at least one more. They also bid on a Shamardal colt in 2014. They regularly buy Bernardini progeny in the US sales. They sent Vertigineux back to Street Cry and the resulting 3yo full brother to Zenyatta is now in Ballydoyle. John Magnier is a hard nosed businessman, he won’t let the little matter of a feud stand in his way. However, there is no budging from Sheikh Mohammed.
The sheikh can do what he pleases but is cutting of his nose by not buying galileos. As you say magnier hasn’t stayed at the top of breeding for so long without being more pragmatic. Coolmore do have some hugely promising sires and I’m sure other major players will be snapping up zoffany and Australia offspring.
I would love SM to invest in Galileo with the Fantastic broodmares he has ohhh what a dream that would be!!
i got told the simple reason he don’t use coolmore stallions is that they haven’t been a supporter of his Dubai Festival i think coolmore have said its basically a micky mouse festival . you would of thought you go and win some impressive price money tho . how the other half live A!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.