The billionaire owner of Manchester City has announced his first signing of the January transfer window.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, who owns a number of clubs through the City Football Group, has bought one of the most successful stud farms in the world.
The Abu Dhabi royal family rose to sporting fame by turning Manchester City into a team of champions, winning eight Premier League titles and the Champions League.
He is less known in horse racing, as his involvement to date has been concentrated on purebred Arabians. He owns Arabian stud farms in Abu Dhabi and France and is chairman of the Emirates Racing Authority.
Haras de Fresnay le Buffard, in Normandy, was put on the market last year by the Niarchos family, who have owned the 120-year-old stud farm since 1980.
During that time the farm bred 45 European Classic winners, plus seven Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winners and seven Breeders' Cup winners.
Champions produced by the Niarchos family include Miesque, Kingmambo, Sulamani, Hernando and Six Perfections.
It has now been confirmed that Sheikh Mansour is the new owner of the 600-acre estate with stables for 200 horses and a 16-room castle.
The Sheikh's lawyer, Edouard Vitry, told Ouest-France: “Al Wathba Stud in Abu Dhabi, owned by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and President of the Presidential Court of the United Arab Emirates, has the Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard.
Sheikh Mansour is married to the eldest daughter of Sheikh Mohammed, owner of Godolpin.
Plans for the new building have not been announced.
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