Australian bloodstock organisation OTI Racing has completed a deal to buy a New Zealand Derby contender to race in its colours, starting with a race at Ellerslie on Saturday.
OTI Racing completed the deal to buy the promising staying prospect Red Shift (Lucky Unicorn – Scarlet Queen, by Fasliyev) from the Leroy Partnership, clients of trainer Regan Donnison, who also owned a share in the gelding.
Donnison told The Informant the deal was completed on Thursday with the gelding to remain in his current ownership until the winner of two of his eight starts completes his New Zealand Derby preparation before heading to an Australian stable.
“The deal was finalised yesterday and all the paperwork has been done,” Donnison said.
“I get to keep him until the Derby and then he’ll be handed over. I understand he’ll go straight for a spell and eventually go into work with a leading Melbourne trainer.”
“They left it in my hands, they were in agreeance that it’s more about my training business and they had just come along for the ride.
“If he was to win the Derby okay, but he’ll be meeting a very good field there and if he wasn’t to win it would take a long time to win the same sort of money (as his purchase price) in New Zealand.”