DERBY winner Authorized was sold on Thursday to Sheikh Mohammed as a future stallion but will continue to race this season for his Kuwaiti owners and his trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam.

The details of the sale were announced after the conclusion of negotiations between Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar, and Sheikh Mohammed`s Darley Stud operation.

Under the terms of the deal Al Homaizi and Al Sagar will lease back the colt for the remainder of his racing career, which may not extend beyond this season.

Sheikh Mohammed`s purchase of Authorized means he now controls the breeding rights of both this year`s Derby and Kentucky Derby winners, having also acquired Street Sense as a future stallion. It also gives him possession of a prime source to the bloodline of Montjeu, the sire of Authorized and one of Coolmore`s prized stallions.

Darley said in a statement: "Authorized has been bought by Darley as a future stallion. The horse has been leased back to the current owners Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar. He will continue to be trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam and managed for the owners by Mr Tony Nerses." Authorized, who was bred by a group including jockey Mick Kinane, has won three of his four career starts including the Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at two before last weekend`s Epsom triumph in which he beat Eagle Mountain by five lengths and provided jockey Frankie Dettori with his first Derby victory at the 15th attempt.

The purchase seems to have settled any uncertainty over the colt`s next target with Darley confirming that Authorized will step back to 1m2f and be aimed at the Coral-Eclipse Stakes on July 7, in which he would bid to become the first horse since Nashwan in 1989 to win both the Sandown feature and Derby in the same year.

It could also enable Dettori to commit permanently to Authorized as Sheikh Mohammed, who released the jockey from his Godolphin commitments to ride in the Derby, now has a financial involvement in the colt.

Sheikh Mohammed`s bloodstock adviser John Ferguson said no decisions had been made as to whether Authorized will race on as a four-year-old or where he will eventually stand.

Darley Stud has not stood a Derby-winning stallion since Lammtarra, who retired at the end of the 1995 campaign, but own Mark Of Esteem, sire of last year`s Derby winner Sir Percy.

Ferguson said: "Very few Derby winners have been available for sale and the most recent, Motivator, went to the Royal Stud."

Racing Post