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Saudi Arabia must be the best football league worldwide.
A false equivalency and the cracks are already happening. The LIV golf tour is a perfect example. It won’t be long until it hits all the sports that the Saudi interest’s have invested in.
But FWIW – Per Goggle AI, the average player salary in the EPL is £4.16 million to £4.68 million annually. In the Saudi Pro league the average player salary is around £5 million. Not a big difference and not as much as you might think.
I have more thoughts on British football, at the national level, but I want to stay on topic as much as possible.
Ruby – I agree that Mullins is a top trainer and the placement of Selma De Vary was smart, just like Ethical Diamond’s in last year’s Breeders Cup Turf. But before I am willing to put Mullins at the top of heap, he will continue to have to “poach” more top NH races in France before I put him in the same category of the ones I mentioned. BTW, who did Mullins get Selma De Vary from, Emmanuel Clayeux. I appreciate you helping me to make my point.
Not sure if you have ever owned any race horses (I had a few many years ago), but the first priority was to sell the horse for a profit, minus any who have residual stud/breeding value. The French trainers know this and Mullins owners spend an exceptional amount of money to get a winner. Whether or not he improves them, there is now way for you or me to say, unless you have first hand knowledge from working in the yard. Simple as that. It’s down to basic math and economics.
French owners/trainers do not want to run their horses in the UK and Ireland for lesser purses. The top 10 non handicap NH races in France have a top at €820,000 and #10 is €200,000. In the UK it’s €715,000 and €172,000. In Ireland it’s €350,000 and €100,000. Alright, the UK is close in comparison with France, but Ireland is significantly less. Why chase money abroad, when you can stay at home and earn more? Winx was a perfect example this. Where was Selma De Vary going to run in Ireland for what he won at Auteuil this past Sunday? or at the Punchestown festival?
I respect your knowledge of the sport and am enjoying this colloquy. As you acknowledged that the source of almost all of Mullins superstars are French bred and recruited; why is not the same in France? Why are no French owners buying UK or Irish breds and racing them in France?
In France, none of the current top 20 earners were bred in the UK or Ireland. All were bred at home.
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