Shadwell to relinquish Australian interests
Golden opportunity looms for buyers as Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned stock to sell unreserved in coming months
After 36 years of heavy investment and involvement in Australia, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Shadwell Stud will disband its thoroughbred holdings in the region.
The shock news was delivered in an official statement by the organisation yesterday, with Shadwell’s racing manager Angus Gold citing Sheikh Hamdan’s inability to work as closely as he’d like with the operation in Australia as the prevailing reason behind the decision.
“Sheikh Hamdan has had a long and successful involvement in Australia, initially thanks to his close friendship with Colin Hayes and subsequently with his son, David, when he took over the licence,” said Gold.
“However, as those who know him will attest, Sheikh Hamdan is very much a “hands on” man who likes to be closely involved with the Shadwell horses, and due to his commitments in the United Arab Emirates he has not been able to devote as much time as he would like to following his horses in Australia.
“As a result, and as part of a global review of the Shadwell operation, it has been decided to wind down its racing and breeding operations in the southern hemisphere over the next few months.”
Gold confirmed that Shadwell’s entire Australian yearling crop will be offered at public auction, with the cream of the youngsters bound for the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Shadwell’s breeding stock will be presented for sale by close associates Yarraman Park at the Magic Millions Breeding Stock Sale on May 20.
While disappointed to be farewelling his biggest client over the past 20 years, Yarraman principal Harry Mitchell remained philosophical about Shadwell’s decision.
“It’s a bit of a sad day really. We have had a very good relationship through Angus for a long time, but things move on,” he said.
“They have been great clients of ours for a long time and they will be sorely missed.”
Shadwell’s unreserved dispersal of broodmares, weanlings and the reduction sale of race fillies will provide the market with an opportunity to acquire top quality bloodstock from one of the most substantial investors in the Australian racing and breeding scene over the last three decades.
“Shadwell has been a huge part of the Australian racing and breeding industry for decades and the legacy through their stock in the breeding barn and on the racetrack will be seen for many years in the future,” said Magic Millions managing director Barry Bowditch.
“It is certainly a bittersweet moment to see the culmination of Sheikh Hamdan’s Australian investments down under. However, it is a great honour for Magic Millions to be entrusted to market and sell the Shadwell unreserved dispersal, given it all began here in the ‘80s.
“We are tremendously excited to present this unique buying opportunity on behalf of Sheikh Hamdan.”
Some of the high-class broodmares set to go under the hammer at Magic Millions include South Australian Derby (Gr 1, 2500m) winner Qafila (Not A Single Doubt), Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Rimraam (Commands) and 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) runner-up Reemah (Redoute’s Choice). Grade 1 winners in South Africa will also be sold.
Older mares such as Rewaaya (Singspiel) will not be auctioned and will instead remain in the first-class care of the team at Yarraman to see out their living days on the farm as nannies.
“It will be a good dispersal. There’s some very good stock there and we will be sad to have them leave the farm,” Mitchell said.
Gold paid tribute to the Mitchell family along with David Hayes for their professional support during Shadwell’s long involvement with breeding and racing in Australia.
“On Sheikh Hamdan’s behalf, I would like to thank the extended Hayes family, namely Colin, Peter and David, as well as Tony McEvoy, and latterly Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig, together with their excellent staff, for the outstanding job they have done over the years for Sheikh Hamdan and Shadwell,” he said.
“Equally, I would like to pay tribute to Arthur and Harry Mitchell and their team at Yarraman Park for all their hard work in looking after our breeding stock for the last twenty years or so.”
Shadwell has been a huge supporter of the Australasian yearling market for many years and has been rewarded with numerous stakes winners both in Australia and South Africa.
Sheikh Hamdan’s famous blue and white colours were carried to victory in two Melbourne Cups (Gr 1, 3200m) by At Talaq (Roberto) in 1986 and Jeune (Kalaglow) in 1994 and they won three editions of the Blue Diamond with Mahaasin (Biscay) in 1990, Nadeem (Redoute’s Choice) in 2006 and Reaan (Hussonet) in 2008.
“Although it is very sad that we will no longer be represented on the track in Australia I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sheikh Hamdan for his loyal support of the industry over so many years, and to wish all prospective purchasers the best of luck in the years ahead,” Gold said.
“As we have seen from the recent successful yearling sales on the Gold Coast and at the Classic sale in Sydney, there certainly couldn’t be a more exciting time to be involved in such a thriving racing industry.”