Matings mix: ‘I think ultimately getting to 800 mares would be the number’

Cover image courtesy of Yulong

Yuesheng Zhang - the owner of Yulong - grew up in a small village in Shen Xi near Inner Mongolia and this is where his love for the horse commenced. A young Zhang would tend to the family’s livestock, which included horses.

Over time, his passion and marvel for horses developed, and, following a visit to Ireland in 2010, the now-successful businessman bought his first thoroughbred, the Edward Lynam-trained mare Yulong Baoju (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}).

In 2013, Zhang made his maiden voyage to Australia and was in the stands at Flemington when Damien Oliver partnered the Gai Waterhouse-trained Fiorente (Ire) to Group 1 glory in the Melbourne Cup. This experience enhanced his love of the animal and the sport, including the breeding industry, and, in 2014, he acquired the first property for Yulong’s Australian operation - Yulong Park - a 170-acre complex located in Bayles (75 kilometres south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District).

Given the rapid expansion of the business, in particular Yulong’s broodmare band, Zhang has since purchased other farms, including Yulong Stud (formerly Limerick Lane).

The size of the broodmare portfolio sits at around 760 and there are loose plans to cap it at around 800 (approximately 80 of those are based in Ireland).

“I think ultimately getting to 800 mares would be the number. Then, each year, we would reassess the broodmare band. There may be some we decide to sell.

“We have a lot of racehorses coming through as well; we’ve got 160 just-turned 2-year-olds, so hopefully there’ll be fillies coming off the track to the stud. And we’ve got quality mares, the likes of Magic Lagoon, Going Global, Alcohol Free and Sigh; they’re racing at present but will end up in the broodmare band down the track,” Yulong’s Chief Operating Officer, Sam Fairgray, told The Thoroughbred Report.

Coming up with mating plans for more than 750 broodmares isn’t a small task, but said it is a collaborative approach and one the team enjoys.

“All of the senior managers have input into the matings, including what they like physically and might suit pedigree-wise, and then we put it together and chat to Mr Zhang about the matings. He ultimately has the final say,” Fairgray said.

“He really enjoys the nicks and crosses that have worked. He’s quite amazing, his knowledge and observations of the industry, whether it be which ones by certain stallions are good and what broodmare lines have nicked with stallions, he’s across all of that.

“He’s very, very passionate about it and it’s not just a farm where he comes to and drives around; he gets out there and looks at the horses, he’s involved in the design of the farm, he’s on a tractor and he really enjoys being part of it.”

Zhang has spent hundreds of millions of dollars globally and his substantial investment has resulted in him owning one of the biggest and best bloodstock portfolios in the world, one that includes a broodmare full of Group winners and stakes producers, as well as stallions and racehorses.

Highlighting Yulong’s expansion and desire to become a leading commercial breeding and racing operation in Australia and other regions throughout the world, it paid 5,400,000gns (AU$11 million) for the four-time Group 1 victress Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) at last year’s Tattersalls December Mare Sale.

Then, in May of this year, Yulong spent $33.4 million at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. This figure was 31.17 per cent of the total gross spend across all buyers at the sale. Some of Yulong’s purchases here were Forbidden Love (All Too Hard), who was bought for $4.1 million from the Newgate Consignment, Snapdancer (Choisir), who was offered by Sullivan Bloodstock and made $3.2 million, Isotope (Deep Field), who Yulong bought for $2.3 million from the Eureka Stud consignment, and Macroura (Snitzel), who was in foal to Deep Field and fetched $1.5 million when offered by Vinery Stud.

It was a similar story earlier that month at the 2023 Inglis Chairman’s Sale, with Yulong going to $3.4 million for Montefilia (Kermadec {NZ}) from the Newgate Consignment.

It also picked up Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) from the Newgate Consignment for $2.3 million, the Bhima Thoroughbreds-consigned Berimbau (Shamardal {USA}) - in foal to I Am Invincible - for $1.8 million, and the Holbrook Thoroughbreds-offered Inspirational Girl (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) for $1.1 million.

Gallery: Some of the star-studded mares Yulong has purchased in the past 12 months

Yulong has been an active user and buyer at the various digital sales. Multiple Group 2 winner Jamaea (Headwater) topped the Inglis Digital July (Late) Online Sale at $1.025 million, while the Listed victress Another Award (Shamus Award) made $1.2 million at the Inglis Digital July (Early) Online Sale. Blue hen mare Baggy Green (Galileo {Ire}) was a NZ$1.75 million Gavelhouse Online purchase in June 2022 from the Valachi Downs Dispersal Sale and Yulong went to NZ$900,000 to secure Group 1-winning mare Entriviere (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) on Gavelhouse Plus last September.

Yulong has seven stallions on its roster for 2023, headlined by the 2020/21 Australian Champion and multiple Group 1-producing sire, Written Tycoon. His barnmates are Grunt (NZ), Tagaloa, Pierata, Diatonic (Jpn), Lucky Vega (Ire) and Alabama Express.

Fairgray explained that Yulong hopes and intends to breed its stallions over time.

“Definitely. With a lot of the nice mares that we have bought, that’s the idea, is to try and get some good colts. If Written Tycoon can leave us a couple of nice colts that we could keep and race and then hopefully we will see them return to the stallion barn,” he said.

“With these really nice, quality mares, it’s about giving our stallions every opportunity to prove themselves at stud in those first couple of years, so that in three or four years’ time, hopefully we’ve got a few really nice, high-profile stallions.”

And at Tuesday’s Strawberry Hill Stud Unreserved Dispersal Sale, which was hosted by Magic Millions, Yulong, under the Highway Farm banner, spent $8.98 million on 15 horses at an average of $598,667, including star mares Miss Fabulass (Frankel {GB}) and Mokulua (Redoute’s Choice) who sold for $1.85 million and $1.6 million respectively.

Gallery: The top-selling mares Yulong purchased from the Strawberry Hill Unreserved Dispersal Sale

“It was great to buy into some of these fantastic families. A couple of the mares are older mares but if we can get a few fillies out of them and keep those families going, that would be great,” Fairgray said.

“We bought two mares in foal to Frankel and Miss Fabulass who is by Frankel, so that was very good.”

A star-studded book for the kingpin

Now 21, Written Tycoon is in the twilight of his career. Yulong will look to maximise his ability before he enjoys his well-earned retirement, whenever that is.

The sire of Group 1 winners including Booker, Capitalist, Coolangatta, Ole Kirk, Pippie and Written By will stand at a private fee in 2023.

“He’s really fit and healthy and well, but as we know with stallions as they get older their fertility can start to waver a bit. For us now, it’s a matter of trying to manage him through,” said Fairgray.

“We will look after him and hopefully we will have him going for another couple of years.

“He will have a lot of our best mares again this year, he will get the cream of them. As I said earlier, if we can get a couple of nice colts that can go on and perform, they’ll come back as stallions.”

Written Tycoon’s book features the Group 1 winners Entriviere, Forbidden Love, Hungry Heart (Frankel {GB}), Icebath, Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands), Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) and Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock).

A quality acquisition

Pierata - a Group 1-winning son of Pierro - will stand his first season at his new home at a fee of $44,000 (inc GST).

His progeny have been popular in the sales ring, with 96 yearlings selling in 2023 at an average price of $136,307.

One of the stakes-winning mares Pierata will serve is the Group 2 victress Greysful Glamour (Stratum).

“Pierro and Redoute’s Choice has worked really well, so that’s why we thought we would try and get that cross with her,” said Fairgray.

“She’s had a couple of Written Tycoons now and both have been nice foals.

“We’ll switch and give her a turn with Pierata.”

Japanese blood

Yulong has two stallions that boast Japanese bloodlines - the 2020 G1 Blue Diamond S. hero Tagaloa, as well as the three-time Group 2 winner and Group 1 placegetter Diatonic. Both are by the brilliant racehorse-turned-sire Lord Kanaloa (Jpn).

“Mr Zhang has observed how strong the Japanese racing is and how competitive they are worldwide, so he’s keen to tap into some of that blood here to see if we can help strengthen bloodlines. And it also opens up new bloodlines for the Australian industry, should they become successful,” said Fairgray.

Tagaloa, who covered 148 mares in his first season, then 214 last year, will stand for $27,500 (inc GST). His booked includes the imported mares Amicable (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) - a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Checkandchallenge (GB) (Fast Company {Ire}), from the family of the dual Group 1 scorer-turned-sire Russian Camelot (Ire), and Great Vibes (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) - a half-sister to the Group 2-winning sprinter James Garfield (Ire).

The 6-year-old stallion will also serve the Deep Impact (Jpn) mare Da Capo (Jpn), who Yulong bought in foal to Frankel for $725,000 from the Yarraman Park consignment at the 2023 Inglis Chairman’s Sale. She is from the Group 3 scorer Daltaya (Fr) (Anabaa {USA}).

“We’re trying to tap back into that Sunday Silence blood,” said Fairgray.

“She’s a mare that physically suits Tagaloa.”

Diatonic, who is set to stand his first season at Yulong Stud at a fee of $13,750 (inc GST), will cover a quality book of mares that includes the Group 1 winners Snapdancer and In Her Time (Time Thief). He is also likely to serve another elite-level scorer, More Joyous (More Than Ready {USA}), as well as Deedra (Zabeel {NZ}) - the dam of the G1 Vinery Stud S. heroine of 2015, Fenway (High Chaparral {Ire}).

Gallery: Yulong sires with Japanese bloodlines

“Snapdancer was a fast mare and so was Diatonic. Physically, I think this will be a really good match. She’s a big, strong, strapping mare and he’s a medium-sized stallion, so I think it will be good,” Fairgray explained.

“More Joyous and Deedra are both likely to go to Diatonic. With More Joyous, she’s got Sunday Silence in the pedigree, and with Diatonic, he’s out of a Sunday Silence mare, so we’re doubling up. Deedra is a mare with a lovely pedigree, so we think that breeding her to Diatonic we will get a nice foal.”

An Express pass to success?

The 2020 G1 CF Orr S. hero Alabama Express will again have good support, having already covered 318 mares across three seasons at stud.

Like Pierata, his progeny were well sought-after at the 2023 yearling sales, averaging $115,052.

The son of the legendary Redoute’s Choice will cover a host of quality mares, including Tycoon Humma (Capitalist) and Zenaida (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).

“He’s had some lovely yearlings and the reports from the trainers his progeny have gone to, while only days, has been positive,” Fairgray explained.

“It’s encouraging that he’s had such great physical types and once again, he will be given a good opportunity with some really nice mares.”

A winner in Listed company, Tycoon Humma is from the very good producer Humma Mumma (Bel Esprit), making her a sister to the Listed scorer Tycoon Humma (Capitalist) and a half-sister to the Group 3 victress Humma Humma (Denman).

Yulong Stud paid $975,000 for Tycoon Humma from the Widden Stud draft at the 2023 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

Zenaida, who has thrown the Group 1 heroine Sunshine In Paris (Invader) and Macroura, was a $1.4 million purchase from the Three Bridges Thoroughbreds consignment at this year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

Plenty of power for two-time Group 1 hero

Grunt, who triumphed in the G1 Australian Guineas and G1 Makybe Diva S. both in 2018, has done a good job in his fledgling career at stud. He already has a stakes winner, that being this year’s G2 VRC Sires' Produce S. victor Veight, and his yearlings averaged $71,139 in 2023.

Set to embark on his fourth season at stud at a fee of $22,000 (inc GST), his book includes the Group 3 winner Neena Rock (Fastnet Rock) - the dam of Veight, as well as Gypsy Tucker (Zabeel {NZ}) - the dam of the Group 2 scorer Gypsy Diamond (Not A Single Doubt).

Shuttle stallion back for another season

Lucky Vega - a son of the outstanding stallion Lope De Vega (Ire) - returns from the Irish National Stud for his third season at Yulong, having covered 119 mares in 2021, before 148 last year.

His book includes the Group 2 winner Promise Of Success (GB) (Dansili {GB}), who was purchased by Yulong for $1.35 million from the Rosemont Stud draft at this year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. Her second dam, Measured Tempo (GB) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}), is a three-quarter sister to the great Galileo (Ire).

“She’s by Dansili, so there’s some nice international blood that we’re trying to mix,” Fairgray said.

“It’s a very nice physical mating. She’s a big strong mare, he’s a compact, very Australian-type sprinting horse.

“She’s out of a Street Cry mare and we think that will work well Lope De Vega.”

Lucky Vega’s fee is $16,500 (inc GST).

Non-Yulong sires

While Yulong is committed to supporting its own stallions, it will occasionally go elsewhere, usually to Frankel, who Zhang is very impressed with. And don’t be surprised to see a couple of other global superstars used in the coming years.

“We’re going to send a couple of mares to Baaeed to Southern Hemisphere time and we will also have some mares going back to Frankel, and Lord Kanaloa, we will send a couple of mares to him on Southern Hemisphere time,” Fairgray commented.

Table: Some of the matings Yulong is planning for the 2023 season