Cover image courtesy of Inglis
For Sam Fairgray, this year’s round of yearling sales is the culmination of a process that has been a few years in the making for Yulong, the new conglomerate in Australian bloodstock.
Yulong has a draft of just under 70 yearlings heading to this weekend’s Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
It follows drafts of around 40 on the Gold Coast and 20 at Classic, with 25 in Adelaide and 34 at Easter still to come.
Fairgray, who is Yulong’s chief operating officer, has been with the business for the past six years and has seen horse numbers grow, properties increase and the arrival of some of the best-performed mares in the country.
It’s the acting out of an ambitious vision of Mongolian businessman Yuesheng Zhang, whose love of the thoroughbred was sparked by a visit to Ireland in 2010 and further cemented when he watched Fiorente (Ire) win the 2013 G1 Melbourne Cup for Gai Waterhouse.
Yuesheng Zhang | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
That prompted him to start investing in Australian racing and breeding and the purchase of his first property in Australia, Yulong Park in Bayles, Victoria.
The growth over the past few years has been nothing short of eye-watering. The last two years in particular has seen the acquisition of an array of (multi) million dollar mares.
At last year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, Yulong made 60 purchases for $33.4 million.
Away Game with the Yulong team at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The broodmare purchases across all sales have included, but are not limited to Forbidden Love (All Too Hard) ($4.1 million), Away Game (Snitzel) ($4 million), Montefilia (Kermadec {NZ}) ($3.4 million), Snapdancer (Choisir) ($3.2 million), Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) ($3.1 million), Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) ($2.6 million), Isotope (Deep Field) ($2.3 million) and Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) ($2.3 million).
Of the stallions, Written Tycoon is the flagbearer and he’s now joined by Grunt (NZ) with progeny on the track, Pierata, who has made a big start to his stud career from his previous home at Aquis Farm in Queensland and now Alabama Express, who is second on Australia’s Leading First Season Sires’ list this season.
Written Tycoon | Standing at Yulong
Tagaloa and Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) have first crop progeny at the sales this year.
Japanese Group 2 winner Diatonic (Jpn) was added to the roster in 2023 and covered 131 mares.
“When we started we had one property and a few mares, now it’s spread over three or four properties and it’s a big operation,” Fairgray said.
“Each year we have grown in numbers, as well as the stallions coming on board.
Vin Cox and Sam Fairgray | Image courtesy of Inglis
“It is great to be able to work with the quality of mares we have and their offspring. They all get treated the same, but it’s just great to see the great race mares and their foals being born and what eventuates.
"It’s the same with the stallions.”
It’s all about teamwork
Yulong has split its Inglis Premier Yearling Sale draft in two – colts and fillies – to help streamline the busy sales process. There will be a team of 31 wearing the Yulong uniform as the process of selling the huge draft is carried out.
Fairgray says having the investment of staff in the vision for Yulong is a vital part of the process.
“It’s not just the one sale, because these horses are starting their prep when we are selling on the Gold Coast and at Classic and we’re also preparing other horses for Adelaide and Easter,” Fairgray said.
“It’s not just the one sale, because these horses are starting their prep when we are selling on the Gold Coast and at Classic and we’re also preparing other horses for Adelaide and Easter.” - Sam Fairgray
“There’s a big number of yearlings involved.
“It’s a huge job the staff has done. It’s just getting the systems in place and if everyone can follow the system, nothing gets missed.
“It is a big process and we’re very lucky with the staff we have. Everyone works as one unit, they all want to be achieving the results.”
Another new Acquisition
Vin Cox is the most recent addition to the Yulong team, coming on as general manager after previously serving as the head of both Magic Millions and Godolphin Australia.
He’s been to sales all around the world and conceded the Yulong draft for Premier this week ranks among the biggest he can recall.
“It’s the biggest draft ever at Premier for one consignor, it’s a big draft anywhere around the world,” he said.
“It’s the biggest draft ever at Premier for one consignor (Yulong), it’s a big draft anywhere around the world.” - Vin Cox
“Full credit to our staff. They’ve been under the pump, but handled the pressure and the horses look great.
“The staff have a smile on their face, they are working hard and the feedback on the horses being positive keeps them up and about.”
A Yulong yearling being paraded at Oaklands Junction on Wednesday | Image courtesy of Inglis
Before joining the Yulong team, Cox watched on from his post at Godolphin as Mr Zhang went about his buying spree.
“The Yulong stamp has been quite extraordinary, not only Australia, but the world over,” he said. “Certainly the elite part of (the broodmare band) is very, very strong.”
“Levelling” of the market
So what is the next move for Yulong?
There will be a slight change to what has happened in recent years, but the ambition for the racing team and the quest to find the next big stallion remains as strong as ever.
“There will probably be a little bit of consolidation. You might see us selling a lot more weanlings going forward, just refining the numbers a little bit and giving people the opportunity to get in on our horses and hopefully trade into yearlings the following year,” Cox said.
“You might see us selling a lot more weanlings going forward, just refining the numbers a little bit and giving people the opportunity to get in on our horses and hopefully trade into yearlings the following year.” - Vin Cox
“We are always on the lookout for stallion opportunities. We have the ability to cater for more so if the right horse comes along … we hope we might have one in our backyard with Straight Charge.
“We’ve been having a really good run with our racing team. We are pretty excited about our 2-year-olds.
“The model is to try and keep producing stallions and finding stallions to put on the roster.”
“The model is to try and keep producing stallions and finding stallions to put on the roster.” - Vin Cox
Having watched results from the first few yearling sales of the year, Cox feels the bloodstock market has moved into a different phase in 2024 after the dizzying growth of the past few years.
“I think the market is in a state of levelling out,” he said.
“There isn’t that just complete mass hysteria to buy horses, it’s a little bit more considered. As a consignor or vendor, you just have to tread a little bit more warily.”
