Bloodstock agent, John Ferguson, acting for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, purchased three top-priced yearlings on Monday at the opening night of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale for a total of USD $4 million (Dh14.7m).
Two of the purchases, were witnessed by Sheikh Mohammed who attended a US sale for first time in several years, are from the first crop of foals by Bernardini, the 2006 champion three-year-old who was bred and raced by Sheikh Mohammed and now stands at his Darley Stud.
The other was from the newly-acquired Darley second crop sire, Medaglia d'Oro, who produced wonder filly, Rachel Alexandra.
A Bernardini colt out of the 1998 stakes-winning Storm Cat mare, Storm Beauty, 1998 which fetched $1.2m, was the first purchase to break the million dollar mark.
Ferguson also bought another Bernardini colt out of the mare, Bird Town, whose recogniseable name singles her out as from the same family as Kentucky Derby shock winner, Mine That Bird and Belmont Stakes winner, Summer Bird. He went for $1.3m.
But it was a filly by Medaglia d'Oro from another Storm Cat mare, Cat Dancer, who fetched top dollar with a final bid of $1.5 million.
After the sale Ferguson dropped hints that the new additions may be considered for Europe campaigns.
"With AP Indy [Bernardini's sire who was a prolific US winner] you know 95 per cent of the time the answer is going be America," he said.
"But with Bernardini, and I may be wrong, I can really see him being the kind of horse who can go to both sides of the Atlantic. From a stallion's point of view, that's a great thing to have, that flexibiliy."
stregoning@thenational.ae
Like a Fading Shadow
Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
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NO OTHER LAND
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AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en