'It's demoralising to say the least' - Charlie Johnston sees another promising youngster sold to race abroad

Charlie Johnston has described seeing some of his best young horses sold to race abroad as "demoralising to say the least" as he prepares three-year-old Lion Of War to run his last race for the yard.

Johnston was speaking to the Racing Post for a major interview in Sunday's newspaper on the eve of Glorious Goodwood, a week he acknowledges is his most important of the year given the stable's traditionally strong record at the meeting. He also discusses his frustration at not being given the opportunity to train more of the most expensive yearlings, his surprise at just how different things have been since his record-breaking father Mark came off the training licence and his ambition to step up on the yard's high standards.

Johnston will cut short his trip next week to head across the Atlantic to saddle Lion Of War in the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational, a $600,000 turf race for three-year-olds on Saturday. The Qatar Racing colt, second in the Golden Gates Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, will then stay to continue his career in the US in what has become a familiar frustration for Johnston.

"Every time you have a good winner these days someone will be straight on the phone trying to buy it," he said. "More than 50 per cent of the time it is to go abroad, and if you're lucky, they might leave the horse with you until the end of the season. We all know the economics for owners but it's demoralising to say the least."

'We're now without all of them'

Group 1 winner Dubai Mile also left Johnston in order to be campaigned abroad by Freddie and Martyn Meade, although plans are on hold for him following a setback this week, while injuries to other leading horses, notably Subjectivist, have left the trainer searching for a star.

"Dubai Mile has been sold and Subjectivist retired," Johnston reflected. "We also lost Dance In The Grass, who was injured ahead of the Oaks after she ran a nice race [to finish fifth] in the 1,000 Guineas. They were the three highest-rated horses we had at the start of the year and we're now without all of them.

"It's an old adage that the good ones get injured more frequently. There is truth in that, because the good ones will go into the red zone more frequently. I'm sure plenty of others are in the same boat with injuries and horses sold on. It's just something we have to combat and look to fill the void."

Read more from Charlie Johnston in The Big Read, available in Sunday's newspaper or online for Members' Club Ultimate subscribers from 6pm on Saturday. Click here to sign up.

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