Yulong acquires Segenhoe, Devil Night and Private Harry to launch on Hunter roster

Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything

Yulong Investments have announced their acquisition of Segenhoe Stud in the Hunter Valley, where they will expand their stallion operation to offer five stallions, headlined by G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Devil Night (Extreme Choice) and G1 Galaxy Handicap winner Private Harry (Harry Angel {Ire}), in the 2026 season.

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The operation will stand 13 stallions across their two-state operation, with flagship stallion Alabama Express heading north to lead the New South Wales roster at an unchanged fee of $66,000 (Inc. GST).

Table: Yulong's 2026 stallion services fees, inclusive of GST

The natural progression to New South Wales

Segenhoe has long established itself as one of the country’s leading nurseries. The property has been in operation since 1908, and has produced 18 individual Group 1 winners in the last 15 years, including the likes of Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai), Joliestar (Zoustar), Merchant Navy, King Colorado, Oohood (I Am Invincible), In Secret (I Am Invincible), and Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni {Fr}).

Yulong intends to continue the legacy, while expanding the operation’s capabilities with the construction of a 10-horse stallion barn and appropriate covering facilities.

“Natural progression and expansion of our colt purchases, both as yearlings and racehorses, has led to us now focusing on developing a stallion facility in New South Wales,” said Yulong's Chief Operating Officer Sam Fairgray.

“We have a beautiful property and facilities in Victoria, along with some regally bred bloodstock, and this operation will continue to remain a strong focus for us. Our stallion barn however filled very quickly so to expand the operation to both states was the next logical step in Yulong’s development.”

“This is not simply an expansion of our footprint, but a reflection of our confidence in the future of the Australian thoroughbred industry,” said Yulong’s General Manager Jun Zhang.

“We believe Segenhoe provides an outstanding foundation to build a world-class stallion operation in New South Wales, and we are committed to investing in its people, its horses and its long-term success.”

Kevin Maloney, Chairman of Segenhoe Stud, is proud of the legacy the stud has cemented during the past 15 years of stewardship, and looks forward to that legacy continuing with Yulong taking over the ownership.

“Segenhoe has been run as a family enterprise and the family is pleased to welcome Yulong as the new owners, particularly given the professional approach it has demonstrated with its other racing interests,” he said.

Five Yulong stallions will stand at the stud in its inaugural breeding season later this year, comprising three established sires and two stallions just kicking off their careers in Devil Night and Private Harry.

“Standing stallions that we believe will work with the Australian broodmare population is what we set out to achieve, and we welcome breeders to call and discuss mating plans with any of our team,” said Fairgray.

Popular sirelines head to the Hunter

Bound for stud at the close of their racing careers, Devil Night and Private Harry will be joined by Alabama Express, Lucky Vega (Ire), and Tagaloa at Yulong’s new Hunter base in 2026.

A $1.4 million Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase for Yulong from the draft of Kingstar Farm, Devil Night was second on debut in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (colts & geldings) before taking out the headline Group 1 at just his second start, emulating his great grandsire Redoute’s Choice and defeating subsequent two-time Group 1 winner Tentyris in the process. He went on to run fifth in the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes in the same preparation.

After a mixed spring where his best performance was fourth in the G2 Schillaci Stakes to Giga Kick (Scissor Kick), Devil Night returned to form in the autumn with three smart placings, including third by half a length in Jigsaw’s (Manhattan Rain) G1 William Reid Stakes and second to boom filly Tempted (Street Boss {USA}) in the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint.

“Brilliance, precocity, quality and temperament, all words I’d use to describe Devil Night,” said co-trainer John Hawkes, who has had a hand in the race track careers of stallions of the calibre of Lonhro, All Too Hard, and Ole Kirk.

“We’ve enjoyed training him, he’s so genuine and honest. Our job has been made easy when they are natural like this bloke. I really think he’ll make a very good stallion.”

Private Harry burst onto the scene in a Newcastle Super Maiden in November 2024, and remained unbeaten in his first five starts. He knocked off a high calibre field in the $3 million Sunlight at start number four, including Slipper victress Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon), before defeating a field of quality older horses in the Galaxy - among them, fellow Yulong sire Growing Empire and G1 TJ Smith Stakes winner Briasa (Smart Missile) - at his next start to remain unbeaten at three.

In the run, he recorded the fastest time for Randwick’s 1100 metre this century, just 0.16s shy of the record.

“These are two exceptional colts who bring different but equally valuable profiles to our roster,” Fairgray said. “Devil Night is a Group 1-winning 2-year-old who trained on to beat elite sprinters at weight-for-age, while Private Harry offers consistency at a high level, and some of the fastest sectionals we’ve seen in recent years.”

Fairgray hinted that both would have more opportunities to enhance their records before their retirement to stud; Private Harry will resume in the G2 Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday, while the next goal hasn't been announced yet for Devil Night.

“The profile and commercial appeal of these two colts could further enhance in the coming weeks, with both looking to build on their records in Group 1s later this autumn,” he said. “Both are outstanding physical types with great minds, and they represent exactly what the market is demanding - speed, precocity, and the ability to perform at the highest level.”

Fees will be announced for the two closer to the season.

Alabama Express steams into the Hunter Valley

Australia’s joint busiest sire in 2025, Alabama Express will retain his fee of $66,000 (inc GST) in 2026 in recognition of the continued feats of his offspring.

His star daughter Treasurethe Moment added a fourth Group 1 win in the Memsie Stakes, while 3-year-old McWoody claimed the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas and juvenile colt Alibaba marked himself as one for the future with a win in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (colts & geldings) and a luckless third in the R. Listed Inglis Millennium.

He posted a strong average of over $500,000 at the recent Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, and sold for up to NZ$850,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale earlier in the year.

It will be somewhat of a homecoming for the son of Champion Sire Redoute’s Choice, who was raised and grazed at Arrowfield Stud, 10 minutes down the road from Yulong’s new base.

Completing the Hunter Valley roster are proven Group-producing sires Tagaloa and Lucky Vega, standing at $22,000 (inc GST) and $27,500 (inc GST) respectively. The former remains at the same fee as 2025, while the latter takes a slight step down in fee.

Also born and bred at Arrowfield, Tagaloa had a flying spring with a stakes performer emerging every weekend for six consecutive weeks, led by now G2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic winner Salty Pearl and multiple stakes winner Spicy Lu. His 2-year-olds were led by the smart stakes performers Vahvay and Miss Chanel, the latter running second in the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes, splitting boom colts Campione D’Italia (Snitzel) and Fireball (Snitzel).

Lucky Vega earned the title of Champion Victorian First Season Sire in 2025 following the exploits of his millionaire daughter Within The Law, and his ability to produce sharp horses has continued with seven stakes performers recorded so far this season.

His daughter Cherry Bomshell took out the G2 Percy Sykes Stakes on the last day of the Sydney autumn carnival, and across the Tasman, 3-year-old That’s Gold has scored two Group victories this season.

Breadth and depth key to Victorian roster

Eight stallions will remain on Yulong’s Victorian roster; residents Written Tycoon, Pierata, Growing Empire, Grunt (NZ), and First Settler will once again be joined by shuttle stallions Diatonic (Jpn) and Panthalass (Jpn), plus the addition of Vinrock for his debut season in 2026.

A son of Champion Sire I Am Invincible and the first winner of both the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes and the G2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes in 44 years, Vinrock debuts at $22,000 (inc GST).

A stalwart of the Victorian stallion barn, Written Tycoon will remain private again in 2026. The rising 24-year-old, whose headline act this season has been the unbeaten NZ$2.6 million earner Well Written, will serve a select book of Yulong mares.

“He’s in great shape considering his age, he still gallops across his paddock every morning with a smile on his face,” said Fairgray. “Everything is on his terms now, and the team are very attuned to that, he’s a firm favourite on the stallion unit and they do a great job keeping him a happy healthy horse.”

G1 All Aged Stakes winner Pierata will stand for a reduced fee of $33,000 (inc GST) in 2026, down from $55,000 (inc GST). His first Yulong-bred yearlings went through the ring this sales season, reaching top prices of $450,000. His 49 winners so far this season have already exceeded his previous seasonal prizemoney record, having banked over $4.1 million to date with three months of the racing season still to go.

Foundation sire Grunt holds firm at $16,500 (inc GST) and has been rewarding owners and trainers this season with horses like G1 VRC Oaks heroine Strictly Business and G2 Rose of Kingston Stakes winner Miraval Rose. Strictly Business hopes to extend her record this coming weekend with a run in the G1 South Australian Derby.

Panthalassa and Diatonic will stand for unchanged fees of $16,500 (inc GST) and $13,750 (inc GST) respectively; international Group 1 winner Panthalassa will be represented by his first weanlings at the coming sales, while Diatonic enjoyed popularity in the ring with his first yearlings selling for up to $650,000, averaging over seven times his service fee at conception.

Gallery: Other stallions with unchanged fees for 2026, images courtesy of Yulong Stud

“One thing that stands out is the movement of the Panthalassas,” said Fairgray. “They are very athletic horses, well balanced and with quality.

“Interestingly, when you look at the mares they are out of, he has dominated and stamped his progeny. (They are) all bay or brown with nice heads like their sire. They have good frames too and if they continue to develop into themselves, we will have a lovely group of yearlings by him to sell in 2027.”

Growing Empire and First Settler round out the Victorian roster as they head into their second seasons at stud. Both will remain at their debut fees of $22,000 (inc GST) and $11,000 (inc GST) for 2026.

Gallery: Other stallions with unchanged fees for 2026, images courtesy of Yulong Stud

Multiple Group 1-performed sprinter Growing Empire was Victoria’s most popular first season sire in 2025, covering a book of 182 mares - making him the fifth most popular stallion in Australia for that season. Likewise, G2 Danehill Stakes winner First Settler was well received in his first season, covering 142 mares in his first book.