By Mike Dillon
Royal Ways will definitely attempt to join a select group of horses at Ellerslie on Saturday, but it may well be for new European owners.
The $100,000 Mercedes-Benz Great Northern Steeples winner was inspected yesterday by New Zealand Bloodstock's managing director Joe Walls on behalf of potential Northern Hemisphere buyers.
Walls made it clear no offer has so far been made to Royal Ways' part owner and trainer Tony Cole and his partners, but said that was a possibility in the next 24 hours.
"No purchase has been suggested, I have simply inspected the horse for the European people.
"If they decide to go ahead the horse will run at Ellerslie on Saturday in their new ownership."
It's been a starry-eyed rise to fame for Royal Ways, who was a virtual unknown until he took out the Mercedes Northern 10 days ago.
And the kudos will continue if he can join the greats who have taken the Northern-McGregor Grant double.
There are only nine acceptors for the $25,000 The Oaks McGregor Grant and with 62.5kg Royal Ways will get his chance to take away the money.
Cole has always been a seller. He passed on Lord Gyllene, who went on to win the English Grand National and says every horse has his price.
"I don't know what this bloke is worth," he said after yesterday's inspection.
"I know what the young, novice horses are bringing at the moment, but this bloke has done a lot more than them."
The Mercedes Northern is such a dour contest it can flatten horses for the remainder of their campaign, but Cole has had the opposite problem.
"He's done enormously well since the big race, in fact, he put on so much weight over the weekend I had to give him a really good gallop this morning."
Cole's second runner in the McGregor Grant, Starpath, has been vetted for a confirmed sale to the Northern Hemisphere through another agent, but Cole is still waiting for the money.
"I'm not sure what's happening," he said.
Horse racing: European buyers chase Great Northern winner
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