Gold Trip 2.0: Australian Bloodstock and Ciaron Maher buy English Cups raider Sayedaty Sadaty

Australian Bloodstock and Ciaron Maher have struck on one of the hottest prospects to come out of Europe, as they look to find their next Gold Trip following his retirement earlier this year.

Mark Zahra and Ciaron Maher after winning the 2022 Melbourne Cup with Gold Trip.

Ciaron Maher and Australian Bloodstock have landed their latest Caulfield and Melbourne Cups contender as they look to fill the enormous hole left by superstar Gold Trip following his retirement earlier this year.

It can be revealed they inked a deal late on Friday night to purchase the highly rated Andrew Balding-trained Sayedaty Sadaty, with the view of bringing him to Australia as a European three-year-old to race in the spring carnival.

The colt is likely to race again in Europe for Balding, before making the trip out to Australia, where he will team up with Maher in Victoria.

The beginning of a beautiful friendship? 🫶@RKingscote's new alliance with Ahmad Al Shaikh yields immediate dividends with Sayedaty Sadaty 🏇

Andrew Balding's juvenile (2-5f) crashed through a rail at Windsor last time and once again shows a wayward streak @kemptonparkrace .. pic.twitter.com/WoIKgOgilU

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 30, 2023

He was last seen running fifth behind superstar City Of Troy in a brutally quick Group 1 English Derby (2400m).

“Generally these type of horses aren’t able to be purchased,” Australian Bloodstock’s Luke Murrell said.

“It was such a high-rating Derby on my figures, we actually had the fourth-placed horse (Deira Mile) bought as well, but he didn’t go close to passing the vet.

“Obviously with Gold Trip no longer on the scene, we are looking to find the next one, and we really like this guy.

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“We bought Gold Trip at an older age and his form was better, because he had run fourth in an Arc, but this one has better form at the same age.”

Murrell said Sayedaty Sadaty reminded him 2018 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter, who won the Melbourne Cup as a European three-year-old.

With a huge amount of Australian trainers and bloodstock agents in Europe for Royal Ascot, Murrell said it was harder than ever to buy imports for Australia.

“It is so hard to buy a four-year-old, let alone a three-year-old,” he said.

Andrew Balding will have another start with Sayedaty Sadaty. Picture: Alex Davidson—Getty Images.

“We probably paid a bit too much for him, but being a three-year-old we are banking on some upward trajectory.

“Buying them younger, like he is, allows us to have a really solid four years of racing in Australia, rather than buying them older.”

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His new connections are currently weighing up his next start in Europe before making the trip to Australia, with the Group 1 German Derby a possibility.

“We are just working that out now, obviously we want to beat the handicapper when he comes to Australia, but we also need to get his handicap up enough to get him into the race as a three-year-old,” Murrell said.

Murrell said there was still 10 per cent available to buy in the colt.

Originally published as Gold Trip 2.0: Australian Bloodstock and Ciaron Maher buy English Cups raider Sayedaty Sadaty