No longer a tragedy: Greek racing looks to the future

Remember a Godolphin half-brother to the 2007 Kentucky Derby winner Street Sense called Mesmerism? Maybe not; after all, he ran three undistinguished races for Jim Bolger before being sold for 6,000gns. How about Royal Mahogany? He too probably slipped under the radar in five races for Luca Cumani before changing hands for 4,000gns.

But Greek racing fans know all about the pair, who have proved their worth in Athens to the extent that they were put forward, unsuccessfully as it turned out, to race at this year's Dubai Carnival and Qatar Festival.

Mesmerism and Royal Mahogany were bought at Tattersalls in Newmarket in October 2015 and July last year respectively, and are among an influx of more than 200 imports from Britain and Ireland, the latest of whom include January winners Elementary, formerly owned by the Queen, and Qatar Racing's Dreaming Of Paris.