Dubai: Trenchard, a former Godolphin-owned three year old son of Elusive Quality, fetched the highest price of Dh700,000 at the Al Basti Equiworld-sponsored 2017 Racing in Dubai September Sale.
On a day of strong trading the headline act, who was campaigned entirely on all-weather tracks in the UK when previously trained by the legendary John Gosden, was purchased by top South African trainer Mike de Kock.
Trenchard boasts an impressive race record with one win and two seconds from a total of five career starts.
Earlier in the Sale, de Kock’s also purchased Guernsey (USA), another ex-Godolphin-owned three-year-old gelding, for Dh120,000.
Formerly raced by multiple Grade Stakes-winning handler Michael Stidham, the son of Tapit, has a respectable race record having won his maiden at Delta Down last November, and also finished in the money in five of his 11 career starts.
Former UAE champion trainer Ali Rashid Al Rayhi, who is based at the Gandstand Stable at Meydan Racecourse, was the leading purchaser from the Dubai Racing Club trainers, securing bids on six of the Sale horses.
His prize acquisition was Janszoon, a Dubawi colt who was previously trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin. The lightly race Janszoon fetched a price of Dh300,000.
The Racing in Dubai event was hosted by the Emirates Racing Authority in association with Tattersalls with a total of 46 horses going under the hammer
In total, more than Dh5 million was spent on the future equine stars of the UAE racing industry.
The average lot price was Dh110,000 with only four horses exceeding Dh300,000, giving purchases and new owner’s great value for money.
As a precondition of the sale, all horses acquired may remain in the UAE for the next 18 months, enriching the racing scene here.
