They say that in life timing is everything.
If you have a considerable wedge of cash lying around, then you could time your move into racehorse ownership to perfection at the upcoming Aintree Sale.
That’s because the Gigginstown House Stud, who own the two of the last three Grand National winners in Rule the World and Tiger Roll, have put two of their finest horses up for sale a matter of days before the Aintree showpiece.
Don Poli and Outlander, who both have guaranteed runs in this year’s Grand National barring injury, will both be added to the Aintree Sale that takes place after the first of the festival on Thursday April 4.
And so any investment decision you make could pay almost instant dividends, with the £1 million purse for the National dominated by the winner’s slice of around £550,000.
Buyers that already have their details registered with the BHA will be able to change the deeds of ownership, and the silks that their jockeys will wear, in time for the start of the big race.
Perhaps it will be one of the most lucrative decision you ever make, with three Grade One winners emerging from the Aintree Sales over the years, including this year’s RSA Chase winner Topofthegame and the formerly Gigginstown owned Samcro, who exchanged hands for a cool £335,000.
Sale of the Century?
Gigginstown’s Eddie O’Leary said of the duo:
“Don Poli and Outlander represent outstanding opportunities for new owners to purchase live chances in the Randox Health Grand National, and also potential top-class hunter chasers for the future.”
“Outlander also performs on better ground, making him an ideal prospect for racing in America.”
Don Poli is a three-time Grade One winner, with the ten-year-old’s finest hour coming at the Cheltenham Festival in 2015, when he won the RSA Chase by six lengths to bring Willie Mullins yet another winner at the meeting.
Intriguingly, he isn’t particularly well fancied for the National – he’s out to 80/1 with some bookies – but he does have form at Aintree, having beaten Many Clouds there and finishing second to Cue Card in the Betway Bowl Chase back in 2016.
Outlander, meanwhile, also has Grade One pedigree, having won the Champion Chase at Down Royal in 2017 – beating Road to Respect among others, and triumphing in both the Lexus Chase and the Flogas Novice Chase.
And it was barely a year ago when he came second by a neck to Edwulf in the Irish Gold Cup.
Outlander has been handicapped 11st for the Grand National, and his fellow Gordon Elliott stablemate will go off at 10st 13lb as they look to secure their new owners a monster payday.
Elliott will also be saddling the magnificent Tiger Roll, of course, while the Gigginstown House Stud will have seven entries in the Aintree headliner in total and possibly General Principle and Valseur Lido, who may just get the nod after the final declarations.