Sheikh Mohammed spent £15.6 million during a six-hour spending spree at Tattersalls' elite October Yearling Sale on Tuesday, buying ten horses including the top lot.
The ruler of Dubai and owner of Godolphin, a regular attendee of the auction in Newmarket, made his presence felt on day one of the three-day event. His purchase of a colt by 2,000 Guineas winner Night Of Thunder was the highest sum for a yearling sold in the world in 2026 and a new European record.
Record-breaking purchase
The Night Of Thunder colt fetched £4.8m, with MV Magnier on behalf of the Coolmore partners bidding up to £4.2m before Sheikh Mohammed's representative Anthony Stroud took the bidding out of reach.
The colt was bred by Sunderland Holdings, of Sea The Stars fame, and was sold by Norelands Stud in Ireland, fetching an amount beyond expectations.
Reactions to the sale
Farm manager Matt Gilsenan told Tattersalls: "I always thought he might make 3,000,000gns, but I mean, you know, it's a crazy world! Anything over $2 million is a lot of money for a four-legged animal!"
Stroud said: "He was a really beautiful colt, by Night Of Thunder from a very good family. He is a particularly taking individual. He has the pedigree, he's got the looks, he's got stallion potential, and is just an extremely nice horse coming from a very good stud, and we couldn't be happier. It was the top end of our valuation."
Earlier sale surpassed
The sale of the Night Of Thunder yearling overtook the earlier sale best for a son of the late Wootton Bassett, also knocked down to the Sheikh for £4m. Coolmore were again the under bidders.
Stroud said: "He is an extremely nice horse, an outstanding horse, by Wootton Bassett and there are not so many to come from him now. This colt is from a wonderful farm that has bred countless good horses and the whole team liked him."
