King Charles and Queen Camilla have sold one of their most promising racehorses, Point Of Law, to Australian trainer Ciaron Maher in a deal that could see a £3 million payoff.
Sale to Australian Trainer
The Royal couple have officially parted ways with their homebred stayer, who has been bought by Ciaron Maher's training operation for an undisclosed fee. The colt is now being aimed at the Caulfield Cup in Australia this spring, a race with a prize pot of $6 million Australian dollars, equivalent to £3.14 million.
The sale follows a bittersweet summer for the Royals, as Point Of Law was narrowly beaten in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot, missing out on a historic royal victory. However, the horse bounced back weeks later with a victory in the £200,000 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket in July, under the watchful eye of Maher, who was a guest of His Majesty at Royal Ascot.
Royal Approval
The King's racing and bloodstock advisor, John Warren, confirmed the sale and said Their Majesties are thrilled for the horse's future. "I'm sure Their Majesties will derive great pleasure following Point of Law's continued career in Australia," Warren told Australian outlet The Straight. "Like all owner-breeders, the majority of their colts eventually do get sold on and the King and Queen will be wishing Ciaron Maher and the new owners the best of luck for an exciting future ahead."
Point Of Law, formerly trained by John and Thady Gosden, will temporarily transfer to Newmarket trainer Harry Eustace for pre-quarantine preparations before heading to Maher's stable in Australia.
Australian Ambitions
Maher's head of bloodstock, Will Bourne, expressed delight at securing the King's prized asset, noting that horses who narrowly miss out in the Queen's Vase often become top Australian stayers. "One of the main reasons he was so appealing for the stable to acquire is that he's so lightly raced and still very progressive," Bourne explained. "With horses like him, you never quite know where the ceiling is or when they'll stop improving and reach their peak rating."
With a £3 million target in sight, the King and Queen will be closely following Point Of Law's progress in Australia as he aims for the Caulfield Cup.
