The first auction of racehorses in central London in more than 70 years will take place in Kensington on Monday.
The event, which aims to attract wealthy Londoners and overseas visitors, is sponsored by Sheikh Fahad Al Thani — who is based in the capital and is the Emir of Qatar’s cousin.
The sale, at The Orangery at Kensington Palace, has been put together by the British Horseracing Authority and racing businesseshh Weatherbys and Goffs as a fast-track route to owning a horse at Royal Ascot. Investors can buy a horse on the Monday and see it run in its new owners’ colours that week.
Sheikh Fahad’s trainer David Redvers, who has bought many winning horses including former Royal Ascot winners Kiyoshi and Extortionist, said: “Sheikh Fahad agreed to sponsor the event as he was excited to bring his friends to an event where they can view and buy horses.
“The real excitement is the fact that buyers will be able to see their horse run at Ascot.”
For example, one of the horses in the Goffs London auction, Pearl Acclaim — trained by Robert Cowell and being sold by Pearl Bloodstock, who Mr Redvers represents as part of Qatar Racing — is entered in the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 21. Huge sums can be spent at horse sales.
Last year Sheikh Joaan Al Thani of Qatar spent a record 5.5 million guineas (£5.78 million) to buy a daughter of Galileo, the super stud which fathered Frankel — the world’s best thoroughbred racehorse — and hopes are high that this sale will hit similar heights.
Among the 61 horses being sold is Frankel’s first son, which will be on display at Kensington with his dam. Experts expect this lot to go for seven figures. The rest will be seen by live video link from Kempton Park. Eighteen of them are due to run at Ascot.
Cater Carnegie, international executive of Great British Racing International, said: “A racehorse is the ultimate luxury product and Royal Ascot is the world’s most prestigious race meeting. This is a unique opportunity.”
Tattersalls ran a weekly horse auction at its Knightsbridge Green base between 1865 and 1939. After the war Tattersalls moved its sales to Newmarket.
