Newmarket-bred colt to continue career Down Under after Ascot impact
Point Of Law, the Frankel colt trained in Britain by John and Thady Gosden who claimed the Bahrain Trophy on the Royal Ascot July Course, has been sold and will join the stable of Ciaron Maher in Australia.
From Newbury maiden to Group Three winner
Point Of Law first showed promise when taking a Newbury maiden in the spring. He then contested the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, finishing fourth on the same course before returning to the July Course to carry the royal silks to victory in the Bahrain Trophy, a performance that had him briefly considered a potential St Leger contender.
The colt’s Ascot form was the most high-profile of his season and marked him out as a colt with both stamina and the class to perform in staying contests. He had been on the early lists for the season’s final Classic at Doncaster, but those plans have now changed with the sale overseas.
Sale confirmed and Australian plans
John Warren, racing adviser to Their Majesties the King and Queen, confirmed Point Of Law’s move to Australia and that the colt will join Ciaron Maher’s yard. Warren said Their Majesties would enjoy following the horse’s career in his new training environment and observed that many owner-breeders ultimately sell colts as they move through their racing careers.
The transfer is the latest example of British-trained horses moving to the Southern Hemisphere, where different racing opportunities and seasonal calendars can suit certain types of horses. Ciaron Maher is a leading trainer in Australia, and the change of base suggests connections envisage a campaign tailored to the racing pattern there.
Implications for domestic staying ranks
Point Of Law’s departure removes a lightly raced young stayer from the pool of potential three-year-old candidates for autumn staying contests in Britain and Ireland, including the St Leger at Doncaster. While he had been among the wider contenders for that Classic, his sale means the race will be contested without the Bahrain Trophy winner in the line-up.
For Ascot followers, the colt’s performances on the July Course remain the standout evidence of his ability. His Ascot run will be remembered as the moment he achieved Group Three success in royal colours, an image that will now be followed with interest by connections from afar.
Breeding and ownership context
- Point Of Law is by Frankel and was bred and raced by Their Majesties the King and Queen, reflecting a breeder-owner approach that frequently trades horses as they progress.
- The sale highlights the international market for young horses showing Group-level form in Britain, particularly those with staying pedigrees.
- The move to Ciaron Maher’s yard indicates the new owners will target Australian programmes that suit a horse of Point Of Law’s profile.
While the colt will no longer be seen on British tracks, his Ascot victory remains a notable result from the July Course this season, and British racing followers will be able to track his progress in Australia as he embarks on the next phase of his career.
