New owner for Fight Your Corner

Fight Your Corner, the impressive winner of last week`s Victor Chandler Chester Vase, has been sold by owners Greenland Park Ltd, his trainer Mark Johnston confirmed today.

The son of Muhtarram is believed to have been bought by Sheikh Mohammed for one of his sons after his victory in one of the major Vodafone Derby trials.

Johnston said: 'We are waiting for the sale to be concluded, they are exchanging invoices and money and Debbie (Albion, Johnston`s secretary) is awaiting on the transfer of engagements and so on - and I should think that be the time I get home from the races it would all be signed and sealed.

'As far as I understand it the new owner is one of Sheikh Mohammed`s sons. It is a good deal for everyone.'

Fight Your Corner was a two-and-a-half-length winner of the Group Three contest at the Roodee last week where he smashed the course record set by Old Vic in 1989.

Despite that win, Fight Your Corner may be an unlikely runner at Epsom as he has not so far been entered for the Classic and his new owner will have to pay a supplementary fee of Stg£90,000 a week before the race if he is to take his chance.

Fight Your Corner has the option of going for the Prix du Jockey-Club (French Derby) at Chantilly on June 2nd along with stablemate and intended runner, Simeon, but the trainer admitted he is still unsure of plans for his team.

He added: 'Whether Fight Your Corner will join Simeon in France or be supplemented for Epsom we will have to see - but they have not bought him for the Derby, they have bought him with a long-term view. It is not likely, it is possible we will have two runners at Epsom.'