Report: Sheikh Mohammed Buying Eydon Hall Interests

According to a published report in Great Britain, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum has agreed to purchase the bloodstock interests of Eydon Hall Farm, the internationally successful racing and breeding operation put together by the late Gerald Leigh. The farm and horses are owned by Sarah and Robin Leigh, the deceased breeder's children.

The report in The Racing Post put the purchase price in the neighborhood of £35-million (US$58.3-million) and noted that the pending deal was a topic of much discussion Tuesday at the Houghton sale conducted by Tattersalls in Newmarket, England.

Leigh, who died last year at age 71, raced top horses Barathea, Bosra Sham, Act One, and Gossamer, among others.

According to the report, the transaction would include broodmares in foal to top U S. and European stallions and Eydon Hall Farm in Northamptonshire, England.

Officials at Tattersalls, which is scheduled to sale the bulk of the Eydon Hall horses at its December sales, could not confirm for The Racing Post that a deal had been struck with Sheikh Mohammed or whether they had been notified of the horses' status for the sale.