Written by Paul Vettise
Group 1 winner Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice) is enjoying a good break before he returns to work to prepare for a final campaign ahead of a career at stud.
Following the 3-year-old’s defeat of the older horses in last month’s G1 CF Orr S., a significant holding in the colt was purchased by Yulong where he will stand his first season later in the year alongside dual Group 1 winning foundation stallion Grunt (NZ).
The Michael Moroney-trained Alabama Express tailed the field home in his next appearance in the G1 Australian Guineas and exhaustive veterinary tests found him to be suffering from a viral infection.
“He came home on Friday and all is going well. He’s bright and everything is back to normal by the looks of it so they’re good signs,” Yulong Chief Operating Officer Sam Fairgray said.
“The plan is to spell him and the likelihood of him going back into work in June, depending how he spells. We’ll be guided by the horse really.
“The plan is to spell him and the likelihood of him going back into work in June, depending how he spells.” – Sam Fairgray
“We’ll see how he goes and we would hope that he’ll have another campaign.”
Alabama Express has won four of his eights, he also claimed the G3 Gothic S. in the spring, and was initially secured by Moroney’s brother Paul for $280,000 out of Arrowfield Stud’s draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Alabama Express as a yearling
“Redoute’s Choice is an Australian phenomenon, he is peerless in his achievements at stud and continues to build his legacy through exceptional sons and daughters,” Fairgray said.
“We couldn’t be more delighted to secure a Group 1 weight-for-age winning son, who is built in the mould of his champion sire.”
Slipper candidate
Soon after acquiring its interest in Alabama Express, Yulong went back into the market to purchase a controlling stake in the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), whose profile could be given another significant boost on Saturday.
The colt, who is trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, will run in the G1 Golden Slipper S. following a sound lead-up performance when runner-up in the G2 Todman S. on a rain-affected track at Randwick.
“It’s all systems go for him and reports have been positive, he’s bright and well,” Fairgray said.
Tagaloa (centre)
Mr Yuesheng Zhang’s rapidly-growing Yulong will hold a strong hand in the Slipper with the homebred and raced Hungry Heart (Frankel {GB}), who guaranteed herself a berth with her last-start victory.
The filly had finished runner-up on debut before the Chris Waller-trained youngster finished powerfully to win the G2 Sweet Embrace S.
