Yulong Farm has been enjoying a busy season, continually upgrading the broodmare band whilst welcoming inaugural stallion, the Australian Guineas-Gr.1, 1600m and Makybe Diva Stakes-Gr.1, 1600m winner Grunt to the fold.
We had a chat with Yulong’s Chief Operating Officer Sam Fairgray in the lead-up to the 2020 Magic Millions…
What appeals to you most about the MM sales and race series?
The quality of the horses and a buying bench which has really taken off over the last five years, it has really become an international sale. Magic Millions have done a fantastic job creating a great atmosphere with the sales, the racing, the polo. It is a great sale to start off the season.
How would you sum up your farm and the service you offer?
Yulong is growing at a fast rate, heading towards being a large thoroughbred breeding enterprise. We have 160 mares across Australasia and this year we stood our first stallion Grunt who proved very popular, we had a great response to him with over 170m mares and his fertility is outstanding.
Who are your best known mares?
The Group One winner Foxplay (Queen Of The Turf Stakes-Gr.1, 1600m), she has had an I Am Invincible filly whilst Erato, the dam of this year’s Blue Diamond Stakes-Gr.1, 1200m winner Lyre, has had a Russian Revolution colt. We also have Better Alternative, the dam of four times Group One winner Preferment and Group Three winner Rezoned as well as a number of very nice race mares such as Gregers (dual Group Three winning sprinter), Gypsy Diamond (triple Group winner) and Soriano (New Zealand two times Gruop One winner).
How would you summarise your draft this year?
They are racehorses, a nice, athletic group of yearlings with only one being by an unproven stallion (the exciting Extreme Choice); we have horses by Fastnet Rock, Lonhro, Not A Single Doubt, Snitzel, I Am Invincible, Zoustar and Exceed And Excel; all the sexy stallions!
Lot 53 bay filly by Fastnet Rock from Zauberflote (by Singspiel): her dam, who impressively won her first three starts, hails from a strong international family whose members include the Group One winners Irish Prize, Hatoof and Trading Leather.
Lot 117 brown colt by Lonhro from Banuelo (by Street Cry): his three times winning dam is a half-sister to the Group Three galloper Generalife from the family of fast stakes winners Northeast Sheila, Celebrity Girl, Kablammo and Dashing Granada (his third dam).
Lot 238 bay colt by Not A Single Doubt from Descent (by Street Cry): first foal for a daughter of the speedy Group Two winner Downhill Racer from the family of stakes winners Schubert, Happy Giggle, Livelihood, Idol Worship, Cult Figure, Recast, Gonski and Pinezero.
Lot 292 chestnut filly by Not A Single Doubt from Extremely (by Hussonet): sister to the dual Group One winning young stallion Extreme Choice and the stakes placed Raise No Doubt.
Lot 344 bay filly by I Am Invincible from Gold And Diamonds (by Fastnet Rock): the first foal for a member of the wonderful Eight Carat family, she is closely related to the Group Two winner Gift Of Power. Her third dam is Diamond Lover.
Lot 359 bay filly by Snitzel from Gypsy Tucker (by Zabeel): 3/4 sister to the triple Group winner Gypsy Diamond and the metropolitan winner Not A Gypsy from the prolific Fanfreluche family.
Lot 504 bay colt by I Am Invincible from Mamwaazel (by Exceed And Excel): second foal (her first also by I Am Invincible is with Lindsay Park) for a Group Three winning mare whose dam is a half-sister to the Group Two winner Always Divine.
Lot 580 brown/grey filly by Exceed And Excel from Next Meeting (by Street Cry): dam is an imported half-sister to the UK two times Group winner Raffle Prize and daughter of the Group Three mare Summer Fete.
Lot 693 bay filly by Exceed And Excel from Rockzel (by Zabeel): out of a half-sister to the durable Group Three winner Platinum Command from the family of Group One gallopers Vengeance Of Rain, Danelagh, Dizelle and Pinot.
Lot 743 chestnut colt by Extreme Choice from Seeking Susan (by Flying Spur): dam is a city placed half-sister to the four times Group One winner Divine Madonna (dam of Listed winner Maternal) and the Group Three sprinter Blessum.
Lot 799 chestnut colt by Zoustar from Splat (by More Than Ready): out of a winning half-sister to the stakes placed Imvula and African Rainbow. Third dam is the AJC Oaks-Gr.1, 2400m winning prolific broodmare Savana City.
What would you choose as your animal sidekick if you were in a movie?
A Chimpanzee.
What is your favourite saying?
“Good as gold.”
