Iranian World Cup international Sardar Azmoun buys $500,000 Frankel yearling, to be trained by Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne
When Michelle Payne won a Melbourne Cup her appeal travelled far and wide, so when she turned her hand to training there was always a chance she would train for someone equally famous but not this guy.
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Of all the people Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne thought she might train a horse for, an international soccer star known as the “Iranian Messi” is not one.
Five months ago Iranian forward Sardar Azmoun slid into Payne's private messages on Instagram to offer his congratulations after he watched her movie, Ride Like A Girl, with his mother.
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The 26-year-old Azmoun, who played for Iran at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, was so taken by Payne’s life story and brother, Stevie, who played himself in the movie, he felt compelled to reach out personally.
One thing led to another and Azmoun, a strong advocate for women’s sport and people with disabilities, asked Payne if she would train a horse for him.
The result? A son of Frankel bought for $500,000 at the Inglis Easter Sales in Sydney on Monday.
After missing out on Snitzel and I Am Invincible colts, Azmoun instructed Payne to do whatever it took to get the prized Frankel yearling.
“He was quite frustrated because we'd missed out all day,” Payne said.
“I said it's going to be the same as before, it's going to be too expensive, then he said, ‘It doesn't matter, we'll buy it’.”
Azmoun draws an annual salary of about $3.3 million from Russian powerhouse Zenit St Petersburg, with a transfer fee of $31 million.
Despite no personal connection to Australia, Azmoun has had a keen interest in our racing.
“He's got a champion horse in Iran and he wanted to a buy a (Australian) horse,” Payne said.
“He knows his racing that's for sure, stays up and watches them go around.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think we'd be getting a half-a-million dollar horse.
“It is the way it happens, you just never know.”
Azmoun planned to visit Australia next month, but the COVID-19 pandemic has stopped that.
As for a name for the yearling?
“I don’t know, he was messaging me this morning … he's very excited about that (naming the horse),” Payne said.
“He sent me his victory (celebration) dance when it’s a winner, so we've got that one sorted.”
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Originally published as Iranian World Cup international Sardar Azmoun buys $500,000 Frankel yearling, to be trained by Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne