Written by Trent Masenhelder
Cover image courtesy of Tattersalls
The eighth China Horse Owners Alliance (CHOA) conference was held last week, with Yulong owner Yuesheng Zhang re-elected as Chairman.
Zhang delivered a 20-minute speech to the participants at the Yulong International Hotel on August 31. He outlined plans to introduce Graded races and increase prizemoney.
“This year’s prizemoney is 20 million RMB (Chinese Yuan) (AU$4.2 million) and next year’s is 30 million RMB (AU$6.4 million). That means we will have completed the three-year plan for the Chinese-bred Thoroughbred series regular races. However, we will strive towards a prizemoney of 40 million RMB (AU$8.6 million) next year and plan to introduce Graded races. This is also the reason why CHOA has launched the ‘Three-Year Chinese-bred Thoroughbred Series Regular Races’, step by step promoting the growth in the number of domestic horses.”
Tom Reilly | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Via a pre-recorded video, Tom Reilly, CEO of Thoroughbred Breeders Australia, announced TBA’s online horse course targeting Chinese horse lovers, and a certificate will be awarded to participants once the course is finished. The course is free and in Chinese.
“Mr Zhang outlined how racing in China should be developed and that is by supporting Chinese-bred thoroughbreds. There is a three-year plan to support that and this is the second year,” Wen Li - founder of chinesehorseracing.com - told The Thoroughbred Report.
“Participant numbers are increasing and there are new owners coming in every year.”
“Participant numbers are increasing and there are new owners coming in every year.” - Wen Li
Meanwhile, the Yulong Autumn Sale, organised by Yulong and Zhongxin Auction, was held on September 1 and the sale-topper was a yearling colt by Sohool - a five-time winner by Street Cry (Ire), who raced in Australia between 2015-2018. Sohool’s dam is the Group 1 scorer Rewaaya (NZ) (Singspiel {Ire}). The colt made 450,000 RMB (AU$97,000).
This mixed sale is one of two held each year, with the other taking place in May.
On September 2, the Chinese mainland’s richest raceday was held. A host of international dignitaries were in attendance, including Eddie Fitzpatrick (Coolmore Stud Manager), Jason Singh (Marketing Manager of Tattersalls) and Charles O'Neill (CEO of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing).
Wen Li
“It was a very good race meeting and there was a good crowd in attendance,” Wen Li - a journalist with chinesehorseracing.com - told The Thoroughbred Report.
The CHOA Breeders’ Cup (1200 metres), a race worth 3 million RMB (AU$645,000) and open to Chinese-bred 2-year-olds, was won by Du Ju Feng Cai (Chi). The colt is a son of the 2015 G1 Railway S. hero Good Project - a son of Not A Single Doubt.
“The winner of the big race (the CHOA Breeders’ Cup) was by the Australian sire Good Project. He is one of a few Australian stallions here, Tickets and Chivalry are others,” said Li.
“The winner of the big race was by the Australian sire Good Project. He is one of a few Australian stallions here, Tickets and Chivalry are others.” - Wen Li
Irish-bred gallopers took out two out of seven races on the card. Yin Ling Shi Shang (Ire) - a 2-year-old colt by Inns Of Court (Ire) - won the 1000-metre Coolmore Cup S., while 5-year-old Baton Rouge (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was too good in the Tattersalls Cup S. (1800 metres). Baton Rouge is a brother to the Coolmore homebred Group 1 hero Magician (Ire).
“We have some nice horses here, some of them are well-bred. There’s progeny of Galileo, Camelot, Churchill, Astronomer Royal, etc,” Li explained.
