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Home , Dubawi, Frankie Dettori, Hampton Court Stakes, Hong Kong Cup, King Edward VII Stakes, Orby (horse)

The Big Interview Racing The Power SURGE King Power Racing has quickly become a powerful force in racing but for those involved like Alastair Donald it has at times been a difficult journey

Words: Carl Evans Photos: George Selwyn and Carl Evans

mid the sub-plots and were running well, but we lacked a bit of background stories running luck. We had seconds and fourths, and Aobliquely through this year’s then it rained and we had soft ground Royal Ascot was one that reached a when we wanted fast ground. Then it perfect ending in the final race. dried up when our soft-ground horses had run off with the were about to run. It was becoming very show long before the Royal procession frustrating, and I remember thinking, on that Saturday afternoon, ‘Please, can we have a winner – they [the was relentlessly stalking him in trademark, Srivaddhanaprabha family] so deserve it’. steely-faced determination, and Blue “When Cleonte won the final race it Point was about to land a Group 1 sprint was a huge relief. It felt way better than a double. Yet for every front-of-house Group 1 winner, and we’ve had plenty of highlight there were dozens of might- those. I was so pleased for the family, and have-beens for owners, trainers, grooms, it was hugely important for King Power racing managers and bloodstock agents. Racing.” In that category, until the fifth day’s Sitting in his Hungerford office, closing race, you could find King Power Donald comes across as a content and Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha Racing, trainer Andrew Balding and agent happy man again, far removed from the (second left) and his brother Alastair Donald, a triumvirate suffering wounded figure who attended last year’s Apichet (right) celebrate with near-miss syndrome, until, finally, Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale Cleonte’s win at Royal Ascot Cleonte came good and pulled clear to just a few days after Vichai’s death. win the . “I had made lists of horses to buy, but Donald says the victory was “as good I couldn’t bother the family with that,” had been flying forward it would have Donald says the financial impact of a market. It is Donald’s remit to work as a Group 1 win”, which, given that the he says. “Everyone [at the sale] was “When Cleonte auto-rotated down, but they didn’t have dispersal never entered his head. He says: on horses in training, while Sackville contest is a conditions race of extreme very sympathetic, but I did try to avoid forward momentum and weren’t high “I had other business and clients, but handles the buying of breeding stock length and popular with jump trainers, is the press, because it was one of those enough. it would have been devastating to lose – they come together to buy yearlings, an insight to agent pressure. Never more occasions when you really didn’t know won it was a “It was obvious we couldn’t contact the opportunity of buying that calibre of yet work for their own clients. so, given the turmoil experienced within what to say.” the family to discuss what they wanted for horse, and to think that a good one would Asked how the agency has developed, the King Power Racing camp following Reflecting on the moment when he huge relief. It the horses, and we had to wait for them come along and they wouldn’t be around Donald says: “It has grown in terms of the death in October of its founder and first heard that Vichai’s private helicopter to call us – a few days later we were asked to see it. It would have been awful if it was number of clients and through our own chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. had crashed after taking off from felt way better not to run anything for a week, and from all very short-lived.” realisation of the areas and clients on “Royal Ascot started off great when City’s football ground, Donald there on we just managed things without which we wish to concentrate. I don’t Beat The Bank was second in the Queen says: “I was at home with the kids when bothering them. The evolution of an agency waste as much time chasing a horse only Anne, because the horse was very close Andrew rang and said, ‘Something awful than a Group 1” “I thought a dispersal was unlikely, Donald is one half of SackvilleDonald, to find we can’t get the job done, but to the family’s hearts,” says Donald. “He has happened – you had better turn on and when his son [Aiyawatt, also known an agency created in 2011 with Ed that has come with experience. You learn was the first flagship horse owned by the television’. I switched on Sky News he came racing there were always pilots, as ‘Top’ and now King Power’s CEO and Sackville. The two men met while to see opportunities which can come to King Power Racing and the chairman and thought, ‘Oh my God,’ because he assistants, family and friends. Chairman] spoke of keeping his father’s working for Luke Lillingston’s Kern fruition, while avoiding those that are loved him. was bound to be on that chopper, and “It was a one in a million accident – legacy going with Leicester City I felt Lillingston agency, and complement unlikely to succeed. “However, after that good opening then I wondered who else would have there was a fault with the foot cable to that was encouraging, although we didn’t each other through sharing ideas but “The other key change has been the we kept hitting the bar – the horses been on the flight with him. Every time the rear propeller, and if the helicopter know for sure.” focusing on different areas of the availability of race replays through the ››

36 OWNER BREEDER THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER 37 The Big Interview King Power Racing

autumn. Chief among a swathe of King Power acquisitions at Tattersalls’ Book 1 was a filly later named Tuk Power, and a three-parts sister to Oaks winner who was given the name King Power. She was subsequently third in this year’s Listed . Factoring in purchases for other clients, SackvilleDonald bought 32 lots for just over 13 million guineas at that auction, while at the Goffs Orby Sale the agency gained 21 yearlings for more than €3 million. This buying spree continued at the horses-in-training sales, where purchases included Morando, who was to win this year’s Stakes. Further acquisitions came at the 2018 breeze-up sales, at the London Sale where another six lots cost slightly more than £2m, and there were further big-money buys at the yearling sales, a few weeks before tragedy struck. Mystery Power (centre) emerged as a Classic candidate with victory in the Reflecting on his introduction to Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, Donald says: “King ›› internet, which means you have to react if a horse has done well and can be Power had done the rounds of various much faster. As a result the proven-horse sold for a good price it could pay for an trainers and chose Andrew Balding [as market is now far more competitive. In owner’s racing for several years. A lot of its first trainer]. Andrew felt it was an the past you would have a few days to trainers now plan a horse’s career around organisation that would need some help consider a race before offering a horse to their value.” with managing its plans, and put my name , but now you have to be on forward. In year one we worked with the phone within hours and have an offer Power in the sport of Kings Andrew, but he and I soon realised it was ready to go the next day. We used to Fed- King Power had an affinity with sport growing pretty quickly and he [Vichai] ex DVDs and it would take a week for an through interests in football – including could not have all his eggs in one basket, offer to come in. ownership of Leicester City FC – and so recommended some other trainers. “The markets in Hong Kong and high-goal polo before making its entrée Andrew was part of that process. are strong, but the American to British racing in 2017. “Before then we would go to Book 1 market is not so busy. They tend to want In that year eight wins and ten places and the Orby, and, after looking at every fillies, which are hard to find. Twenty years from 48 runs was a satisfactory start on horse, would knock a load off the list ago we would be buying 25 horses each the racecourse, but the organisation’s because we knew we couldn’t afford year for America, and now it would be buying impact, both privately and at them.” five, but we are buying triple the number public auction, was more significant. One of the first big names to carry we used to for Hong Kong and Australia.” the blue and white silks was popular Given his agency’s involvement with campaigner Beat The Bank. Widely Hong Kong he would appear to be nicely “The indication credited as a horse pivotal to King positioned should racing in China become Power’s growth, Beat The Bank won the more commercial and accepting of bet365 Mile upon his return to action betting. is that they this year and then the Summer Mile at He says: “There is a lot of talk about Ascot, only to sadly suffer a serious and China, and Chinese people are buying want to keep ultimately fatal leg injury in the race’s horses to race in Europe, but they are not closing stages. It struck a tragic note on a buying horses to race in China. We are still his legacy tumultous afternoon for King Power who a long way off seeing betting in China – it only minutes before had celebrated the will probably happen one day, but it could victories of Pivoine in York’s John Smith’s be another 25 years or more.” going” Cup and the unbeaten Mystery Power in If breaking into China resembles a the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket. closed door it is no more difficult than Seeking horses that could provide Since the Chairman’s death there has dealing with a European trainer who instant action, Donald picked up some been a breeze-up purchase and a few loathes agent approaches to buy horses breezers in the spring of 2017 and bought private purchases, but Donald stresses in their yard. proven horses privately, acquiring such the reduction in spending is because King Donald says: “Trainers who have good performers as the ill-fated Beat The Power is happy with the number of horses emerged in the last 15 years are much Bank, Cleonte and Donjuan Triumphant. currently in its ownership. He says: “In the more commercially minded and willing to At Goffs’ London Sale he and Sackville past we were working towards a five- sell horses. They realise the importance purchased six lots for £2 million, and year strategy to build up to 100 horses of turning horses over, while in the past they combined their yearling buying in training, and to keep it there with an many trainers hated selling horses. Today, experience to gain further purchases that approximate 25 in and 25 out each year. ››

38 THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER The Big Interview King Power Racing

›› We haven’t had to buy many horses [since him who stay around for a long time in training and Glorious Forever as a the Chairman’s death] because we have a are wonderful – he’s won Group races in yearling. good team in place, and enjoyed a good , , , England, and been Less high-profile, but memorably start to the season. placed in Ireland and the US. It would be quirky and rewarding, was a Group 3 race “Every indication is that they [Vichai’s great for [trainer] Ed Walker if the horse in Hong Kong in which Donald purchases family] want to keep his legacy going and won a Group 1, and I’m sure he’ll find one filled the first five places, headed by they are enjoying it, so I would be pretty abroad.” Simply Brilliant, who was known as confident that we will stick to his plan.” Amade, who is trained by Alessandro Senator when he raced in Europe. Botti in France, won the Belmont Gold Near misses include three runner-up Oohs and ouchs around the Cup after SackvilleDonald bought 50% spots at Royal Ascot with Beat The Bank world of him for OTI Racing. Donald says: “He (), Fox Chairman If Cleonte’s Royal Ascot win will remain might run next in the and () and a personal favourite of Donald’s, it he could be a runner in the Melbourne (King Edward VII Stakes), and second has not been the only success for his Cup.” place in the Hong Kong Derby with agency. Harlem won the Australian Cup for the Waikuku. Donald says: “We’ve won three Stormy Antarctic, who he bought as second year running, and Glorious Forever Hong Kong Derbys, but it would have a breezer, won Group races in Germany won the , matching his been particularly rewarding to do so for and Italy in the spring, and Donald says: brother, Time Warp, the winner in 2018. Mr Siu, who owns Waikuku and Stormy “He’s been a bit of a legend. Horses like The agency bought Time Warp as a horse Antarctic.” ‘We’ve never had an argument’

Ed Sackville offers his insight as the other half of SackvilleDonald

‘That’s why it works, because there’s no competition’ “Alastair and I have never had an argument. I am the youngest of four boys and I look up to Alastair as I do my older brothers. “I’m based most of the time in London, where I live with my wife and two children, but I go to the Hungerford office every week, and when I’m driving there I’m working on the phone – hands- free of course. “It works, and since Alastair and I are always out and about at studs and stables or at sales we are never going to spend the working year in one place. “I work with breeding stock, foals Ed Sackville (left) and Alastair Donald established SackvilleDonald in 2011 and stallions, Alastair focusses on horses-in-training and we both buy my parents’ house, having supper, I have some very good clients and yearlings. and when I checked my phone there business is going well.” “If one of my clients wants a horse- were 20-something missed calls and in-training then Alastair would handle messages. The first thing I did was ‘I was a terrible scholar - the sale, but when his [Hong Kong- ring Alastair. which is why I work in racing’ based] Cotai Glory clients wanted “I didn’t know Vichai that well Five years ago, in an interview with some mares to support that horse as a because he was Alastair’s client, but Nancy Sexton for Thoroughbred stallion I stepped in. That’s why it works, whenever I met him he came across as Owner Breeder, Sackville revealed because there’s no competition. unbelievably nice, kind and friendly. He he was attending night school for “When we are at yearling sales we genuinely seemed pleased to meet you. lessons in Chinese. He is not, however, look at half the horses each, compare “The two mares King Power bought fluent, for he reveals: “I gave up – it notes and make lists. When King Power at the London Sale (Baldovina in was so difficult. It was quite a fun Racing emerged it was very exciting 2017 and Belle Josephine in 2018) are thing to do and I can say hello and to look at a , a Frankel and a doing well, but there are no plans to a few other basics, but until China Dubawi, and be in the market for them.” extend the numbers, in part because opens up its markets and allows Alastair has done such a good job of betting on races there seemed little ‘There were 20-something buying fillies who could easily become point in continuing. missed calls’ broodmares for the family one day. “And I was a terrible scholar – which “On the day Vichai died, I was at “My side of the business is very busy. is why I work in racing.”

40 THOROUGHBRED OWNER BREEDER