The chance to own a 50% stake in a racehorse entered in this year's Royal Ascot meeting will be up for auction online with ThoroughBid on Thursday, June 15th.
Thunderbear, a three-year-old Kodi Bear gelding who finished fourth behind The Antarctic in the Group 3 Lacken Stakes, will be put up for auction just over a week before he is scheduled to compete in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot on Saturday, June 24.
“We are looking forward to partnering up with somebody, or a group of people, for this horse”, trainer and part-owner Jack Davison explained. “He’s ideal, he’s a flag bearer for me whom I would very much love to keep around the place, and it’s just a great opportunity to bring some people into ownership at a really good level. He’s a very good horse, he’s very straightforward, and he’s going to run his heart out in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.
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“Whoever comes in to take the share can have the horse run in their colours. They will also have their name in the racecard, and hopefully they’ve got a live chance heading into Royal Ascot. It’s a unique opportunity.”
The Irish trainer’s previous visits to the Royal meeting have not gone unnoticed either, with Mooneista finishing fourth in last year’s Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes and sixth the previous year in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup.
“I love the royal meeting”, said Davison. “We’ve managed to get a runner there in three of the last four years and we’ve only been at it [training] for five years. It’s what it is all about, in terms of the European Flat season; it’s the main event and this horse is one I’m priming for it. I’m looking forward to it and it’s really exciting to have a horse that I think can be a genuine contender at Royal Ascot.”
For 107-rated Thunderbear, the Jersey Stakes represents a step back up to seven furlongs, which Davison believes will suit: “Seven furlongs and fast ground are his conditions, in my opinion. The horse is in super form, he clearly likes to travel [won two starts back at Nottingham], so let’s hope he can get competitive.”
Following Royal Ascot, Davison anticipates a busy campaign with the three-year-old: “This is an exciting season with him, kicking off at Royal Ascot but also eyeing up all the big sprints across the UK and Ireland.
“Races like the Haydock Sprint Cup, Stewards’ Cup and Champions Sprint back at Ascot are certainly on his agenda, and we’d love to campaign him overseas too. Something like the Al Quoz Sprint next year, while a long way off, is a nice target we’ve got in the back of our minds.”
The online auction has been exclusively set up for the sale of Thunderbear, while ThoroughBid’s June Sale, slated for Friday 16th June, will still take place. Entries close for that mixed auction on Wednesday 7th June.
James Richardson, CEO of ThoroughBid, said: “These one-off, one-horse sales always generate a lot of excitement. The chance to own 50% of a Royal Ascot runner, including having the horse run in their colours, is a unique offering and we’re looking forward to seeing the bids fly in next Thursday.
“Thunderbear is clearly a horse on the up with plenty of raw ability. He was a very stylish winner at Nottingham two starts back and followed that up with a really good fourth in the Lacken Stakes to The Antarctic, who himself has serious claims in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup. Whoever ends up winning the bidding on Thursday looks to have a live chance in the Jersey Stakes and a very smart prospect for the season ahead, that’s for sure.”
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