Darley buys Ascot winner Slade Power

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Darley operation has acquired Group 1 winner Slade Power with plans to retire him to stud in Ireland at the end of his 2014 campaign.

The purchase comes shortly after the 5-year-old son of Dutch Art won the Grade 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes during the Royal Ascot meet. He will remain in training with Edward Lynam for the remainder of the year and race in the colors of his current owner, Sabena Power.

“Slade Power is an incredibly tough racehorse who consistently performs at the highest level,” said Joe Osborne, Darley’s managing director in Ireland. “He’s the Northern Hemisphere’s best sprinter and with a physique to match, he’ll be a popular addition to our roster when he retires to stud at Kildangan at the end of the year.”

Slade Power’s next planned start is the Group 1 Darley July Cup at Newmarket, in which he finished third last year. His end-of-season target is the Group 1 VRC Sprint at Flemington in Australia during the Melbourne Cup Carnival. It would be his second trip outside of Europe, after competing in the Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint last year.

Bred in Ireland by Power, Slade Power is the first foal out of the winning Key of Luck mare Girl Power, who is the dam of two winners from as many foals to race. He is from the family of Italian Group 3 winner Balqis.