How to buy a racehorse in Europe from the UAE: step by step

By the Silk Road Bloodstock team · 20 October 2026

Racehorses exercising on The Severals in Newmarket, England — Racehorses exercising in Newmarket. Photo (illustrative): David P Howard, CC BY-SA 2.0

To buy a racehorse in Europe from the UAE, set a budget that includes shipping and quarantine, agree the target races with your trainer, get a shortlist from an agent, have each horse independently vetted, sign written bidding authority with the sales company, pay through the sale's official process, then arrange export certificates and a flight with a specialist horse shipper.

1. Decide what you want the horse to do

Start with the races, not the horse. A horse for winter handicaps at Meydan, the Bahrain Turf Series or Qatar's Amir Sword Festival needs a different profile from a horse bought to breed from. Talk to your UAE trainer about the rating band, distance and ground that suit their programme. That one conversation narrows a sale catalogue of hundreds of lots to a handful.

2. Set a full budget, not just a purchase price

The hammer price is only part of the cost. Plan for:

Agent's commission. The usual rate at auction is 5% of the purchase price, often lower for large-volume buyers.
Vetting. Independent veterinary examination, X-rays and a wind (scope) check before you commit.
Insurance. Mortality and transit cover, which buyers normally arrange from the fall of the hammer at auction.
Export, flights and quarantine. Ask a specialist shipper for a written quote for your exact route. Costs change with the season and the airline.
Training fees once the horse arrives.

3. Choose where to buy

Most European horses in training change hands in three ways:

Live auctions, such as the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale in Newmarket, which runs 26 to 29 October 2026, the Tattersalls Guineas Horses in Training Sale in spring, and Arqana's sales in France.
Online auctions run by the sales companies, such as Tattersalls Online, GoffsGo and Arqana Online. Arqana Online gives buyers a vet file and an inspection window.
Private sales, arranged directly with an owner or trainer, often through an agent.

4. Get a shortlist and inspect properly

A good shortlist gives you each horse's official rating, recent form with links to the official results, pedigree notes, video, and an honest opinion. If you can't travel, ask for a live video inspection of the horse walking and trotting, and unedited footage of its recent races.

Never skip independent vetting. Ask for X-rays, a scope and, for horses moving into Gulf racing, a full medication history.

5. Sign bidding authority before the sale

This step protects everyone. At European sales the person who signs for a horse can be held liable for the price. Sales companies therefore provide purchaser authorisation and credit forms, which must be completed before bidding. If an agent bids for you, make sure your written authority is lodged with the sales company in advance. English courts have held agents personally liable where this was not done.

6. Pay through the official route

At auction, you pay the sales company on the terms printed in the catalogue. Set up your credit with the sales company at least a week before the sale. For private sales, use a written contract and keep any deposit in escrow until the vet certificate, export health certificate and identity checks are complete.

7. Export, fly and clear quarantine

Your shipper arranges the export health certificate with the veterinary authority in the country of departure, books the flight, and handles arrival in the UAE. The UAE requires an import permit, and horses go through checks and isolation on arrival. Ask your shipper for the current UAE requirements for your horse's country of departure, as protocols change. Established international shippers include IRT and Peden Bloodstock.

8. Agree everything in writing

Before any purchase, your agent should confirm in writing who they act for, what their fee is, and that they receive no payments from the seller. These principles come from the Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice, which is backed by the British Horseracing Authority. A good agent will be happy to put them on paper.

Sources

Looking for a horse in Europe?

Contact the team on WhatsApp and we will prepare a shortlist for your trainer's programme.

WhatsApp the team