09-20-2005, 05:25 AM
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♦*♥Moderatrix♥*♦
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Join Date: Nov 2001
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Hold your horses! Stallion in stud mix-up
SYDNEY (Reuters) - In a case of mistaken equine
identify, one of the world's top stallions earmarked
for stud in Australia was sent from England to a farm
in Ukraine, and a lesser known steed came to Australia
in his place.
The thoroughbred ID mix-up lasted six months, with the
unknown stallion booking about A$320,000 (US$250,000)
worth of services for the upcoming breeding season.
Dubai Excellence, a half-brother of world champion
Dubai Millennium, was bought by the West Australian
Turf Club chairman Ted van Heemst, who in turn sold
about 80 services to mares at almost A$4,000 each. Van
Heemst took possession of his new horse in February.
He did not realize until August that the horse was not
Dubai Excellence, but an Irish-bred look-a-like called
Samood.
"It was a mess from go-to-whoa," van Heemst told
Reuters on Tuesday. "The reality of the situation is
that the wrong horse was picked up. The transport
company didn't bother to check."
The mistake was identified just days before the start
of the Australian breeding season starting in
September.
Dubai Excellence is believed to be in good health in
Ukraine, said van Heemst, adding every effort was
being made to deliver his prized stallion to
Australia.
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