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Dubai's ruler to merge racing and breeding under top British trainer

DUBAI (Reuters) - Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, one of the world's top race horse owners, plans to merge his global racing and breeding operations in the New Year, United Arab Emirates state news agency WAM reported on Wednesday.

John Ferguson, currently a top trainer in Britain and bloodstock adviser to Sheikh Mohammed, will move to become chief executive and racing manager at the ruler's Godolphin stable, which will be reorganised and streamlined, WAM said.

The best horses at Ferguson's Bloomfields stable will join Godolphin, and staff at Bloomfields will be invited to do so. Godolphin will incorporate Sheikh Mohammed's Darley breeding operation, and the Darley name will be used solely as a brand to promote stallions.

"Our long-term objective is to improve on Godolphin's results on the racetrack," WAM quoted Ferguson as saying.

Godolphin has about 2,000 horses in training worldwide as well as 2,500 breeding stock, and it employs 1,500 staff, WAM said.

(Reporting by Andrew Torchia; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)