KING Power Racing has purchased recent Curragh winner Sunday Sovereign from the Sunday Racing Club.

The Equiano colt, who cost just €30,000 as a yearling, will remain with trainer Paddy Twomey for the moment and is thought to be the first horse King Power has had in training in Ireland.

Noel Hayes, co-founder of the Sunday Racing Club, said: “I’m happy to confirm that we have sold the horse to King Power Racing. We wish them all the luck in the world and we are very much looking forward to cheering him on at Royal Ascot.”

The sale represents a massive success for the club, which is in its first full season. “This is hugely significant for us,” said Hayes. “Working with Matt Houldsworth, I bought three yearlings under the Sunday Racing banner at the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale with a view to creating a commercial ownership syndicate.

“The plan was to buy horses which could race at two but with the scope to be three-year-olds and beyond, get form into these horses and look to sell them into the strong secondary market.

“Sunday Sovereign was the first of these two-year-olds to run for us and was a very convincing winner of an open Curragh maiden. After the race Paddy fielded plenty of calls from interested parties and the horse was ultimately sold to Alistair Donald, operating on behalf of King Power Racing.”

Hayes reports that there are now 10 happy club members “with varying shareholdings who have made a very significant return on their investment”.

He added: “The plan is to reinvest at the yearling sales in the autumn and purchase between five and eight yearlings which will again be trained by Paddy Twomey. If anybody is interested in getting involved they can get in touch with me – we have a very clear buying policy which focuses on produce of proven stallions and we are lucky to be teamed with a trainer who has proven time and again that he can deliver results.”

Sunday Sovereign could run at Tipperary on June 4th before his Royal Ascot target is confirmed.