Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, has set a new world record for a yearling purchase, paying £2.94 million for a colt sired by the legendary racehorse Frankel. The acquisition took place at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, where the billionaire engaged in a fierce bidding war to secure the horse for his Godolphin stable.
The colt, bred by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Watership Down Stud, is out of the Group 3-winning mare So Mi Dar. His resemblance to his sire Frankel, who won all 14 of his races and stands at a stud fee of £200,000, impressed industry experts. Anthony Stroud, buying on behalf of Godolphin, described the yearling as 'the jewel in the crown' with a 'stallion's pedigree'.
Lady Madeleine Lloyd Webber expressed regret at parting with the colt, noting his perfect conformation and likeness to Frankel. 'All the bloodstock agents I spoke to couldn't really fault him,' she said. 'He looked so like his father Frankel and yet he had the Dar Re Mi line.'
The purchase came just a day after Sheikh Mohammed spent over six million guineas on eight other horses. Among them was a £1.5 million colt by Dubawi, a stallion whose covering fee stands at £250,000. Godolphin also has high hopes for Naval Power, a two-year-old trained by Charlie Appleby, who is set to run in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket this weekend.
