Bin Laden family member to ‘join horse racing owner ranks after spending £1.8m’

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A ‘prominent’ member of the Bin Laden family is reportedly set to become involved in British horseracing after buying seven horses earlier this week. The reported purchases were made under a company registered at Companies House in November 2021, with the business listed as ‘activities of racehorse owners’.

The Tattersall sales have taken place at Newmarket this week, with some of the best-bred young horses being bought from the sales ring and fetching a pretty penny along the way – with a Frankel colt becoming the most expensive yearling sold in Europe this year when being purchased for 2,000,000 guineas (£2.1million).

Coolmore, Juddmonte and Godolphin also splashed out on the Book 1 sales, as well as a ‘prominent member of the Bin Laden family’, according to the Racing Post.

Operating under the name of Salhia Stud Limited, which was registered in Britain in 2021, the company reportedly spent £1.83m on yearlings at the sales – with all seven of their purchases being fillies. Mohammed Saleh Bin Laden is the majority shareholder of the company, with Hossam Esmat Alsaady also listed as a director.

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It is unclear as to how the business will operate and whether authorities will intervene further down the line, and it remains to be seen whether the fillies seamlessly slot into stables in the UK and Ireland or if there is any backlash if trainers do choose to welcome the new arrivals.

The third and final session of the Book 1 sales is set to take place on Thursday, though Salhia Stud had not continued their spending spree after 177 lots were auctioned in the mid-afternoon. Book 2 of the yearling sales is set to take place between October 9 and October 11, with Book 3 and Book 4 scheduled for a few days later.

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All eyes will be on whether Salhia Stud Limited add to their seven reported purchases over the course of those days, though alternatively, the company could look to slip into the racing sphere with a small group of horses to avoid attention being drawn to their arrival.

Having spent 300,000 guineas on a Frankel filly out of Shades of Blue and 500,000 on a Dubawi filly out of Alina, along with Ghaiyyath and Too Darn Hot yearlings, the business may feel that they are well-stocked and have made enough purchases to gain a thorough understanding of horseracing ownership.

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