Sayedaty Sadaty, who finished fifth in the Derby, has been sold to Australian Bloodstock in a move owner Ahmad Al Shaikh says will allow him to “keep dreaming” with Betfred St Leger hopeful Deira Mile.

Ridden by Tom Marquand at Epsom, Sayedaty Sadaty joins the likes of Hoo Ya Mal, Youth Spirit and Emaraaty Ana in being traded by Al Shaikh to enable him to continue to patronise British racing. 

The owner said the high costs of being an owner in Britain necessitated such an approach. “This is part of how I do it and it means I have not had to pay for any horses from my own pocket for six years now, only with what I have made from selling the horses," he said.

“For me, I need to do this to continue. Each year, I like to try and sell two to three horses and then that allows me to keep the others. This year, I have two good horses, which means I can keep one because I have sold one. And I have been able to buy horses who are two-year-olds and can come through over the next year for me.”

Deira Mile produced a solid performance to finish fourth behind City Of Troy at Epsom last time out and is likely to skip Sunday's Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh, for which he had been a 14-1 shot, in favour of an autumn campaign.

“I have had a lot of calls about Sayedaty Sadaty and I have had a lot of calls about Deira Mile. I have had people at Ascot who want to try and buy him from me but I am able to keep him now,” Al Shaikh said. “I hope he can run in the St Leger, and then maybe the Arc. I don't know, but it's exciting.

Ahmad Al Shaikh "This is a very expensive hobby, so you need to try and trade"

“I buy the horses myself and people are now coming to me to ask if I can buy for them, but I don't want to as I don't want to be blamed if they don't do well.”

Concerns have grown in recent years about the impact of relatively modest prize-money on the quality of British racing, with multiple champion Flat trainer John Gosden saying it risked becoming “a nursery for other parts of the world” unless returns to owners improved.

Al Shaikh, Sheikh Mohammed’s former media adviser, highlighted the costs as a factor in his approach to trading, but also echoed comments made by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid at Royal Ascot that his approach was to try to create stallions.

“This is a very expensive hobby, so you need to try and trade where you can because it costs a lot of money to keep going,” Al Shaikh said. “When you buy a horse, your first thought is always breeding – can this horse be a stallion? We are lucky that we have a stallion now in Dubai Mile, but when you don't think you have a horse who can do that, then you have to think about selling. 

“I enjoy racing, I enjoy British racing, but this is how it has to be. This way I can stay in British racing and keep dreaming.”

Story by Peter Scargill Racingpost

https://www.racingpost.com/news/britain/i-need-to-do-this-to-continue-in-british-racing-says-leading-owner-after-derby-fifth-sold-to-australia-ap5Vl9S8VRL6/