Kia Joorabchian Dismisses Any Talk Of Split With Long-Time Ally Robson Aguiar 

Kia Joorabchian has poured cold water on any potential severing of ties between trainer Robson Aguiar after the Brazilian native claimed he had lost at least 10 Amo Racing-trained runners on Monday. 

The Amo boss went as far as saying he was “shocked” by the trainer's comments and refuted any talk of grumblings between the pair during racing at Naas on Sunday. 

It was suggested that Aguiar was informed of Joorabchian's decision to take horses away from the stable shortly after the trainer enjoyed a one-two in the five-furlong conditions race at Naas, where Your Song, owned in partnership with Kerri Radcliffe and Arthur Hoyeau, chinned the seemingly better-fancied and Amo Racing-owned What A Girl Wants. 

Explaining the situation on Monday evening, Aguiar said, “Bull Shark, Ocean Club and Blixen Force are going to California, where they should win plenty of races, and What A Girl Wants, Force Noir and Blanc De Blanc are some of the horses who will go to Freemason Lodge [to be trained by Kevin Philippart De Foy]. We still have horses that Amo owns in partnerships but, the majority of the horses that they own one hundred per cent, they have been moved.”

He added, “We have had some great days with Amo Racing and I wish Kia the best at Royal Ascot and for the future. Some of our best horses are still here, though. We have Edward Thatch, Immortal Guard and Power Blue is still here as well. There are also a number of very good unraced fillies that we are looking forward to running.”

Joorabchian denies any disagreement arose between the pair following What A Girl Wants' defeat on Sunday. He maintains that he provided Aguiar, his long-time ally, with friendly advice. 

He said, “It's absolutely incorrect. We have not moved 10 horses, we have moved mares that are in foal and they have gone to stud farms. We also moved three horses that Robson suggested should go to America and we have moved three other horses, one of which is injured and is going for rehabilitation, and the other two, it was always planned for them to continue their careers in Britain.

“Maybe Robson got upset on Sunday because the only advice that I gave him was that, as a trainer, owning and having ownership of horses, and then running them against his other owners, it is going to create a conflict of interests. Currently, in Robbie's yard, 60 to 70 per cent, his wife [Giselle] has some form of ownership of those horses. That is a dangerous game when you are training for other people. That is the only piece of advice that I have given him. But I have lived with that.”

Asked if he was annoyed about the fact his Amo-owned What A Girl Wants was turned over by a horse that Aguiar's wife Giselle part-owned, Joorabchian added, “No, I was not annoyed with that. Not at all. I have constantly lived with that. I have always supported him and bought everything that he has had to sell. I have always given him full support and we continue to do so. We did not move 10 horses out of his stables. We moved three. I have bought at least 30 horses from Robson and am the biggest owner and investor in his yard.”

Aguiar has indeed been a part of the Amo Racing team from the very beginning and, in his role as assistant trainer to Adrian Murray, was instrumental in providing Joorabchian with a breakthrough Group 1 success when Bucanero Fuerte stormed to Phoenix Stakes glory at the Curragh in 2023.

Further big-race riches were recorded through G1 Flying Five Stakes winner Arizona Blaze and last year's G1 Phoenix Stakes winner Power Blue, who remains in training with the County Westmeath-based handler. Even his first winner as a fully fledged handler came courtesy of the Amo Racing-owned Bryant at Dundalk in November.