Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov has purchased Dubai World Cup candidate Gitano Hernando in a deal thought to be worth about US$4 million.  

Gitano Hernando (5h Hernando – Gino´s Spirits by Perugino) is trained by Marco Botti and a condition of sale was that he runs for the Newmarket trainer in the World Cup before joining Herman Brown.

Last week, Kadyrov bought USA colt Sweet Ducky (Pulpit) to run in the G2 UAE Derby.  The Chechen president also has Bankable (Medicean) being aimed at the G1 Dubai Duty Free on the World Cup support card.

Gitano Hernando was raced by Team Valor to a G1 win in the 2009 Goodwood Stakes at Santa Anita two years ago and he last saluted in the G3 Diamond Stakes at Dundalk in October.  “I will be sad to lose Gitano Hernando because he is the stable star and has taken us all over the world,” Botti said.  “He will still run for me in the Dubai World Cup and I’m certainly very happy with him.”

Bred in Britain by Newsells Park Stud, Gitano Hernando was sold as a yearling in Deauville for US$53,964.  Team Valor’s Barry Irwin bought the chestnut following his maiden win at Wolverhampton in November 2008.

Kadyrov bought Coolmore Stud’s G3 Queen’s Vase winner Mikhail Glinka (Galileo) last year.  He was runner-up to stablemate North Stream (Giant’s Causeway) in the 2010 Russian Derby and will return to the Royal meeting this year for a crack at the Ascot Gold Cup.