Trevor McKee has slammed reports in Australia that Sunline could be sold in Dubai.
"She's never been for sale, and that's that," said McKee with finality yesterday.
"A big offer was made for her by Dubai interests at this time last year, but we were not interested."
Ask McKee what he has learned about travelling horses and how he has managed to have the champion mare in such great shape after a gruelling trip that would flatten an elephant and he gets coy.
"I've learned a lot from making four trips to Hong Kong with horses for their international meeting.I had to learn for myself, so why should I tell anyone."
Not selfish, simply pragmatic. When nearly five million dollars is on the line for less than two minutes of galloping, that's fair enough.
If McKee has a regret it is that Sunline is not in the richest race in the world tonight Dubai time, the $US6 million Dubai World Cup.
"If I could have got two more races into her as a lead-up she'd be in the big race for sure instead of the Duty Free, I simply could not get her ready for 2000m on the dirt on the racing she'd had.
"The irony is, the cup is probably not as strong a field."
McKee has never been worried about switching Sunline to a dirt track, despite statistics which say only a handful of horses can handle both surfaces equally.
One who would love to see Sunline in the Dubai World Cup is one of the McKees' arch New Zealand rivals, Paul O'Sullivan, who came to Dubai to assess the development of the world's most exciting racing scene.
"I'd love to see her win the big race," said O'Sullivan.
"The English are so protective of their form. I remember when Bonecrusher and our horse Waverley Star were at top in the mid 1980s, several of the English trainers said to me they couldn't afford to send their horses to Australia to be beaten by two geldings.
"That's pretty weak. They are protecting their horses' form to the point where they can't afford to be beaten.
"They have sent hat we've been led to believe are some outstanding horses to the Melbourne Cup and most of them have been beaten out of sight.
"Then they quoted the travel factor, and that can be a factor, but Sunline has had to do the same thing in reverse.
"I hope she can win this. I'll be delighted for the McKees."
Racing: Champion Sunline definitely not for sale
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