A new record price has been set at Flanders Foal Auction (20 September, 2025) with the sale of C-Bra Van Het Bokt, who has become the most expensive jumping foal ever sold through the auction at €402,000 (£350,916).
The eye-catching spotted foal boasts excellent jumping bloodlines through his sire, the Appaloosa jumping stallion J-Nius V.V. Z, and his dam, Come and Get Me VK Z (Conthargos x Clinton), whose dam Anoeska van de Ruitershoeve has bred seven horses competing at 1.50m, 1.55m, and 1.60m grand prix.
An Olympic rider from the United Arab Emirates is C-Bra Van Het Bokt’s new owner. The foal was consigned by vet Steven Dhondt from Pelt, Belgium, who breeds around 10 foals a year. Mr Dhondt said: “Secretly, I had hoped C-Bra would bring between €100,000 and €200,000, but €402,000, I would never have dared to dream of that.”
While having a horse with good bloodlines is certainly a good place to start in equestrian sport, buying the most expensive horse in the world does not automatically ensure you a path to the top, as some of the stories below bear out, so we look forward to seeing what the future holds for this special individual.
Most expensive Flat racehorse
Selling for a cool $70 million (£53.7 million) to the racehorse breeding powerhouse Coolmore Ireland in 2000, Fusaichi Pegasus currently holds the title of the most expensive horse in history. Foaled on 12 April 1997 and trained by Neil Drysdale, this Thoroughbred stallion had a successful racing career, racking up earnings of $1,994,400 and winning the Kentucky Derby in 2000. However, his stud fee dropped from $150,000 to a mere $7,500 in 2017, and he was retired from stud duties at Coolmore’s Ashford Stud in Kentucky in 2020. He was put down on 23 May, 2023, aged 26, after spending his retirement at Ashford Stud.
Most expensive dressage horse
No prizes for guessing who receives this accolade! That’s right, the stunning black Dutch Warmblood stallion Totilas sold for an estimated whopping €11m to German trainer Paul Schokemohle. “Toto” and his Dutch rider Edward Gal cleaned up at the 2010 World Equestrian Games, winning three gold medals, and were the first partnership to score over 90% at grand prix level. However, Toto never regained those dizzy heights under his new rider Matthias Rath, and his later career was dogged by injuries. He was retired to stud in 2015 and died as a result of colic in December 2020.
Most expensive National Hunt horse sold at auction
Caldwell Potter and Jack Kennedy after winning the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice hurdle at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival in December 2023.
History was made at Tattersalls Ireland in February 2024 when Caldwell Potter achieved a world record selling price of €740,000 (£632,000); the most ever paid for a National Hunt horse at public auction. Anthony Bromley of Highflyer Bloodstock secured the impressive six-year-old on behalf of John Hales, Ged Mason, Sir Alex Ferguson and Peter Done, and the horse is in training with Paul Nicholls.
Most expensive draught horse
McIlrath’s Captain Jim is listed by Guinness World Records as the most expensive draught horse ever sold. The then two-year old Belgian stallion went for $112, 500 (£69,400) at the Mid-America Draft Horse Sale, Gifford, Illinois, USA on 20 February 2003. His (comparatively) high price was due to his impeccable blood lines — but his price tag is pocket money compared to animals sold through the sport horse and racing worlds.
Most expensive failure
A descendent of the legendary Northern Dancer, great things were expected of The Green Monkey — as reflected by the $16 million (£12 million) the Thoroughbred colt fetched at auction in 2006. However, The Green Monkey only raced three times before he was retired, and his highest placing was third. He lived on a stud in Florida, servicing mares for $5,000 a shot before he sadly died, aged 14 in 2018 due to laminitis.
- To stay up to date with all the latest sports horse news, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website
Liked this? You may also enjoy reading these…
‘A certain amount of relief’: world’s most expensive jumps racehorse makes British debut
‘Most expensive horse ever sold’ at young horse auction wins on his 5* debut at Royal Windsor
Rio showjumper sold for record-breaking price
'He has given my family, friends, owners and the Irish horse world something to be very proud of', his former
10 of the most expensive dog breeds in the world – how does your pooch measure up?
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
