Soulcombe, most recently seen running away with the Melrose Handicap at York last month, has been sold to continue his career in Australia after his owners received “an offer we couldn’t refuse”, writes Peter Scargill in the Racing Post.
The three-year-old will join the Sydney stable of Chris Waller, with his co-owner Chris Budgett decrying the leadership of British racing for leaving owners in the difficult position of having to sell their best horses abroad.
The regally bred Soulcombe, by Frankel out of Group 1 winner Ribbons and trained by William Haggas, made rapid progress this year after being gelded in the spring, winning contests at Haydock and Ascot before his tour de force at York under Hollie Doyle.
Budgett, who owned Soulcombe in partnership with Sir Martyn and Ben Arbib, said: “It’s not uncommon knowledge that prize-money in England isn’t good. Unfortunately, when you’re offered a good deal of money like we were for Soulcombe it is hard to turn down. Even if he stayed sound and was able to run in all the races we’d hoped he might, it still might not have reached what we were offered.
“We bought the horse to try for the Derby but he was too immature for that, but all he has done is improve and improve.
“Hollie said in his last race at York that it was only four furlongs from the finish that she felt the penny had finally dropped with him. There should’ve been a lot more to come from him.”
Budgett also expressed his disappointment with the state of British racing, which is struggling with record low field sizes, attendances and an increase in the number of horses rated above 90 being sold abroad, blaming the malaise on “a failure of leadership”.
www.racingpost.com
