'We were made an exceptional offer' - Listed winner Great State sold to race in Hong Kong

Useful sprinter Great State has become the latest British black-type winner to be sold abroad after connections of the Richard Fahey-trained sprinter accepted "an exceptional offer" for him to continue his career in Hong Kong.

The three-year-old, who has an official rating of 106, won four of his eight starts for Richard Fahey, most notably the Listed Westow Stakes at the York Dante meeting in May, and earned almost £78,000 prize-money.

After that, the Havana Grey gelding was odds-on to follow up but finished an unlucky third in the Listed Scurry Stakes at Sandown the following month. He filled the same place in the Listed City Walls Stakes at York last month on what was his final British outing.

The latest sale to Hong Kong follows similar transactions, such as the Charlie Johnston-trained Royal Ascot runner-up Lion Of War to the US and Zoology, third in the Jersey Stakes for James Ferguson, being partly sold to continue his career in Australia.

Richard Fahey: trained Great State in BritainCredit: Edward Whitaker

Peter Harper, racing manager to Al Mohamediya Racing, owners of Great State, said: “We’ve sold Great State to Hong Kong for an undisclosed sum and Alastair Donald handled the sale. If he wasn’t a gelding he wouldn’t have been for sale. We were made an exceptional offer and, as he would not be a stallion prospect, it made common sense to take it.”

He added: “He put up his best performance when winning the Westow Stakes and he should be suited to racing in Hong Kong as he’s quick and he likes fast ground. 

"Richard Fahey did a fantastic job with the horse because he was weak in the early days, but he did well to win two races this year. We wish his new owners all the very best for the future with him.”

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