Significant Interest in Cape Blanco Sold to Fitri Hay

A "significant interest" in Cape Blanco, one of last season's outstanding three-year-old's and a major candidate for top honours in the forthcoming Dubai World Cup at Meydan on March 26, has been sold by his Ballydoyle-based owners to Mrs Fitri Hay, wife of former senior BP executive Jim Hay, writes Elliot Slater.
 
The Hay's already have significant bloodstock interests around the world and have been long-standing supporters of both Stan Moore and Paul Cole in the UK, as well as having horses with other successful trainers such as Tom Tate. The actual percentage purchased in Cape Blanco and the price paid has not been revealed, and those who bet on horse racing will know the change of ownership will have little impact on the horse.
 
Trained by Aidan O'Brien, the son of Galileo was unbeaten in three starts as a juvenile culminating in victory in the Group 2 Futurity Stakes at Fairyhouse in August of 2009. He began his three-year-old campaign with a bang, handing out a five-length beating to subsequent Epsom Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Workforce when the pair clashed in the Group 2 Dante Stakes at York in May.

On the strength of his Knavesmire success Cape Blanco was sent off the 2/1 favourite to win the French Derby, but failed to handle the track or the soft ground and finished in mid-division. Only three weeks later he re-appeared at the Curragh in the Irish Derby and in a race run at a strong pace outstayed his stable companion Midas Touch to grab the glory.
 
A fine effort in retrospect in finishing a distant second to the great Harbinger in the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July followed, before O'Brien's charge proved too fast for the top class Rip Van Winkle in winning the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown in September. In his only other start last term Cape Blanco was surely 'over the top' when disappointing in France for a second time behind Workforce in the 'Arc'.