'Hong Kong's spending power is hard to contend with' - Royal Ascot winner sold

Britannia Stakes winner Thesis has been sold to Hong Kong with joint-trainer Harry Charlton admitting the “spending power is hard to contend with” when weighing up whether to sell or keep a horse in training in Britain.

Owned and bred by Juddmonte Farms, Thesis won his first race when coming with a surging run to lead under Ryan Moore before holding off the late charge of Saga in the three-year-old handicap at Royal Ascot.

After that success, a first for Harry Charlton in partnership with his Classic-winning father Roger, Thesis was labelled as being “unbelievably talented” and a horse connections had “always thought was our best one”.

Nevertheless, the economics of keeping a horse in Britain against the returns of selling abroad meant Juddmonte elected to make the sale, with the Kingman colt entering quarantine before joining new trainer Richard Gibson later in the year.

“Thesis is a very talented and good-looking horse who bumped into some really good horses in his novices, such as My Prospero, who won the Group 2 Prix Eugene Adam over the weekend,” said Harry Charlton. “He is sure to do very well in Hong Kong as he has the size and scope to go with the talent he has.

“We were obviously delighted he won a strong Britannia in a quick time and provided Juddmonte with a winner at Royal Ascot this year. I will always remember him fondly as my first.

“It’s always sad to see very good horses leave the yard, but the demand and spending power of Hong Kong is hard to contend with. We were extremely lucky to be sent such a quality horse by Prince Khalid’s family.”

Harry Charlton: 'It's always sad to see very good horses leave the yard'Credit: Richard Young

A half-brother to Group 1 Fillies’ Mile winner Quadrilateral, Thesis, who was officially rated 99, was placed in his four runs before winning at Royal Ascot, and collected £72,798 in his win and place prize-money.

In previous years, the Britannia Stakes has been a race targeted by buyers in Hong Kong, with the likes of 2013 winner Roca Tumu, 2014 scorer Born In Bombay and 2016 winner Defrocked sold to race there straight after triumphing at Royal Ascot.

A Racing Post special report last month highlighted the increasing number of horses rated above 90 leaving Britain for other countries, with the total shooting up from 163 in 2019 to 301 last year.

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