Troy Stephens excited to return to Yulong

New Zealand-born Troy Stephens will return to Yuesheng Zhang’s powerful Yulong operation in January.

The Mangalore, Victoria-based operation has cemented itself as a premier organisation, with extensive investments across all sectors of the industry and paddocks filled with some of the most sought-after bloodstock in Australasia.

Stephens will be a welcome familiar face to Yulong, having initially joined the team in 2021 as the burgeoning operation's racing, sales and nominations manager. After two years of working for Yulong, Stephens took a hiatus to begin his own spelling and pre-training business, Palm Equine, in Victoria’s Macedon Ranges alongside his partner Alanna Richards.

However, Stephens was given the opportunity to rekindle his association with Yulong, who also recently welcomed Vin Cox to a young and dynamic team. The opportunity to work for such an emerging global superpower again was too good for Stephens to pass up, and he has grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

“My partner Alanna Richards and I have been running our own thoroughbred education and pre-training business for the last 12 months. We leased David and Jenny Moodie’s Yungaburra property, which was truly fantastic,” Stephens told The Thoroughbred Report.

“We pre-trained many horses, for trainers such as Chris Waller, Grahame Begg and all of Contract Racing’s horses. It was a great year, and we enjoyed our time at Palm Equine. But the opportunity came to rejoin Yulong, and I couldn’t pass it up.

“It’s an organisation I know very well, having worked there for two years, and I’m also extremely passionate about Yulong.”

Returning to the fold

Stephens worked at Yulong in the early stages and was vital in launching the careers of their exciting young sires Tagaloa and Lucky Vega (Ire), who will have their first yearlings offered next year at the major sales. He also saw the arrival of the Champion Sire Written Tycoon, along with young guns and Alabama Express and Grunt (NZ).

The boys are firing on all cylinders. Alabama Express, has made a meteoric start and has the early favourite for the G1 Golden Slipper - Shangri La Express, alongside Grunt (NZ), who has several exciting prospects, including the classy Veight.

Gallery: Some of the stallions standing at Yulong

Written Tycoon continues to lead the charge with quality runner after runner. They are supported by a new cast in Pierata, who has also made a superb start with his first runners and Diatonic (Jpn), a son of Lord Kanaloa (Jpn).

“I was at Yulong in the early stages and sold nominations for the likes of Tagaloa and Lucky Vega and so forth in their first seasons. The opportunity is really too good to turn down. Mr Zhang’s investment in all sectors in the past few years has been virtually unrivalled, alongside the passion and drive of the operation.

“They have a strong and dynamic team at Yulong that will be great to be part of again. The team and investments in broodmares and stallions strengthen and reinforce what Mr Zhang is trying to achieve.”

Rare diamonds

As a horse lover and racing enthusiast, Stephens is excited to be a part of the farm, whose paddocks are filled with high-class mares such as Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}), Snapdancer (Choisir) and Hungry Heart (Frankel {GB}) among countless others.

“Yulong is going to have strong representation this year and the following. It’s going to be really exciting to see those first yearlings out of all those blueblood mares coming through the system. Not only am I looking forward to the mares, but we will be showing and selling the first yearlings by Lucky Vega and Tagaloa.

Gallery: Some of the high-class mares owned by Yulong, images courtesy of The Image Is Everything

“A lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes to launch these young stallions initially. I was invested in these stallions when they retired, so returning and rekindling the relationship with those two boys at this stage in their careers is incredibly fulfilling.

“Then Yulong has Alabama Express and Pierata, and you really couldn’t fault the starts they have made. Their progeny have hit the ground running, which bodes well for the future. We also proudly stand Written Tycoon, our elite statesmen and proven source. He’s been a flag-bearer for Victoria and Yulong for the last couple of years. So, it’s an operation I am extremely passionate and excited to be representing once again.”

Gold Coast first port of call

Stephens will take up the racing and bloodstock manager role in January, with one of his first roles to travel up to the Gold Coast with Yulong’s draft for the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

“Yulong has a growing racing team that I’m thrilled to manage. We obviously have a highlight horse in Alcohol Free, but plenty of exciting stock is coming through. Mr Zhang is as passionate about racing as he is about breeding, so I look forward to working alongside him and building upon our presence on Australian racetracks.

“I think if you’re passionate about racing and want to be in the industry, the dream is to work for the best and be part of a team with the same vision Yulong has. It’s also a growing operation; there’s just so much scope there, and everything is heading in the right direction.

“The growth Yulong has had globally in a relatively short period is already amazing, and it’s great to get back on the team and do my part. I’m really looking forward to being on the Gold Coast in January; it will be busy but so exciting.”