Record Purchase Darain Registers First Win in U.S.

Qatar Racing and Watership Down Stud's Darain, the most expensive yearling to be sold anywhere in the world in 2018, registered his first win in the United States last weekend since leaving John Gosden for Brad Cox.

The son of Dubawi, who cost 3.5 million guineas (US$4,811,678), is now with Cox and won easily at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots March 6, with connections hoping the smooth transition translates to a grade 1 win further down the line.

The 4-year-old was scoring at the second attempt in the States when defeating Attorney Tim in a $51,000 allowance contest.

David Redvers, racing manager to Qatar Racing, said: "Darain won very well at Fair Grounds and Fergus Galvin, who runs things for us over there, was absolutely delighted with the electric turn of foot he showed. There's a big one in him over there, I'm sure, and he seems to be absolutely thriving at the minute."

Of the bigger picture, he added: "The dream would be to win good races with him, and hopefully, a grade 1, which would then make him a stallion prospect, but there's a long way to go."

A full brother to Gosden's champion 2-year-old and multiple group 1 winner Too Darn Hot, Darain won 10-furlong novice events at Newbury and Newmarket before finishing fifth behind subsequent Pertemps St. Leger Stakes (G1) third Pyledriver in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes (G2) at York during his time at Clarehaven Stables.

Another Qatar Racing trainee to find their way from Clarehaven to the U.S. is the 100-rated 3-year-old Lost In Space, who has joined Simon Callaghan, and Redvers cited poor prize money in Britain as a factor in similar moves growing in number.

He added: "Lost In Space is also now in the U.S. with Simon Callaghan as we accepted a very good offer to sell a 50% share in him, and we're looking forward to seeing him run.

"The problem at the moment is, unless you've got a genuine stallion prospect, the prize money here is so weak that it's very difficult to keep such horses here. Until prize money levels pick up, you're going to see much more of this sort of transaction, I'm afraid, but it's the same for all big racing organizations."