Ten months after creating international headlines when partnering to secure star mare Just The Judge, Qatar Racing and the China Horse Club stood shoulder to shoulder to fend off all comers and secure the feature colt on the second day of trading at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in Britain.
On the first occasion Sheikh Fahad Al Thani’s operation teamed up with the China Horse Club the Tattersalls auction ring shook to the most significant bidding war seen in 2014. Yesterday didn’t carry the same weight of money but it was equally significant that two of the growing forces in the industry were again pairing up.
Lot 255 Galileo Colt
The yearling colt, by world champion sire Galileo, is a son of the English G1 Thousand Guineas runner-up Jacqueline Quest and any success on the racecourse makes him an immeasurably valuable stallion prospect.
Both Qatar Racing, its sibling company, Qatar Bloodstock, and the China Horse Club have growing stallion interests internationally and the selection and subsequent purchase of this star colt was with this long term view in mind. The dominance of Galileo is producing world class colts in recent years such as Frankel, Australia and current star Gleneagles ensured the strapping chestnut colt was a wanted commodity.
“We have a great relationship with Sheikh Fahad and David Redvers, and with this colt, it was a meeting of minds – we had similar views on him,” Michael Wallace, Head of Bloodstock for the China Horse Club, told the Racing Post after the purchase.
“1.2 million guineas is a lot of money and an element of risk comes with that, but he’s an exceptional horse and ultimately we’re trying to secure stallions for the future – so this is a way of sharing the risk but also the enjoyment.”
From left, David Redvers, Teo Ah Khing and Sheikh Fahad al Thani at the recent 2015 CECF Wuhan
Sheikh Fahad al Thani and his advisor David Redvers were among the VIP guests at last month’s CECF Wuhan, the feature racing and lifestyle carnival held annually by the China Horse Club. The occasion’s growing appeal drew both to China for their first experience of racing on the mainland.
The headline colt was later followed up by two additional purchases for the club which included a colt by world champion racehorse and boom stallion Frankel and a daughter to the above mentioned world champion sire Galileo. The former is a half-brother to multiple G1 winning sprinter Regal Parade, the latter is a sister to two stakes winners and was bred by Andrew Lloyd-Webber and his wife Madeleine.
If you would like to learn more about the China Horse Club exclusive membership offer, please contact Mr. Eden Harrington or Ms. Fu Peipei. We look forward to hearing from you.
Mr. Eden HARRINGTON eden@chinahorseclub.com (Hp no : +65 93769968)
Ms. FU Peipei peipei@chinahorseclub.com (Hp no : +86 18600929029)