DUBAI // The international racing landscape changed fundamentally yesterday, but it was not the start to a potentially all-conquering relationship that Harry Herbert would have scripted.
Al Shaqab Racing, Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad's rebranded racing operation, acquired a reported 50 per cent share from Ireland's Coolmore Stud in Ruler Of The World, who is widely considered the favourite for Saturday's US$10 million (Dh36.7m) Dubai World Cup.
It was announced before the post-position draw ceremony at Meydan Racecourse that the English Derby winner would race in Al Shaqab’s new-look racing silks, but luck was not smiling on the new international racing axis as Herbert, Sheikh Joaan’s racing adviser, drew out gate 12 of 16.
It is a similar move to when Al Shaqab swooped on Dubday, who races in Saturday's Dubai Sheema Classic (see Racecard), before Qatar's racing festival last month. The four-year-old colt subsequently won the Emir's Trophy in Doha.
“Hopefully we will grow the empire,” Herbert said.
“There is no question that Sheikh Joaan wants to be a major player at the highest level, but also when the horse retires to stud we have a significant investment with partners who are geniuses at making brilliant stallions.”
Herbert denied that Sheikh Joaan was planning to piggyback Coolmore to grow his breeding operation quickly.
He highlighted the Sheikh’s purchase of the Haras De Bouquetot Stud in Normandy, which stands Style Vendome, the 2013 French 2,000 Guineas winner, and Planteur, the dual Dubai World Cup place-getter.
Al Shaqab also has a Purebred Arabian breeding operation, while Ruler Of The World will retire to Coolmore.
It is not the first time the lead-up to the Dubai World Cup has triggered a rushed sale.
Meandre was sold by Edouard de Rothschild to Ramzan Kadyrov, ruler of the Chechen Republic, only days before the World Cup 12 months ago.
Like last season, the trainer and jockey will remain the same and Aidan O’Brien and his son, Joseph, will continue respectively to train and ride the horse, who arrived on Tuesday and will have his first sight of Meydan at Friday trackwork.
Ruler Of the World’s wide draw hinders his chance of succeeding in the world’s most valuable horse race and is the second successive occasion the son of dual Derby winner Galileo has been allotted a poor starting gate.
That time he was third behind Godolphin’s Farhh and Cirrus Des Aigles in the Champion Stakes at Ascot from stall nine of 10 in October.
The draw also could be a blow to the hopes of sealing the new relationship between the Irish breeding giants and Sheikh Joaan, who has experienced a meteoric rise as an owner.
“It is not a great draw, but not a disastrous draw,” Herbert said, glossing over the fact that horses from gates 11 or higher have succeeded only once in 75 starts on the Tapeta surface over further than a mile this season, although Animal Kingdom broke from gate 12 before winning the World Cup last year.
AT THE GATES
1 Prince Bishop (IRE)
2 Belshazzar (JPN)
3 Vancouverite (GB)
4 Akeed Mofeed (GB)
5 Sanshaawes (RSA)
6 African Story (GB)
7 Hillstar (GB)
8 Military Attack (IRE)
9 Side Glance (GB)
10 Surfer (USA)
11 Hokko Tarumae (JPN)
12 Ruler Of The World
13 Mukhadram (GB)
14 Red Cadeaux (GB)
15 Cat O’Mountain (USA)
16 Ron The Greek (USA)
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