Yulong’s 2024 stallion roster has a dynamic lineup of eight stallions for the upcoming season, showcasing an array of exceptional young sirepower.
“We are thrilled to present a diverse roster for 2024, headlined by our first season sires, Alabama Express and Pierata, who have started their careers brilliantly,” said Vin Cox, Yulong’s General Manager.
“Panthalassa is an exciting new addition to the lineup for this season, an exceptional global performer who has distinction of being the highest prizemoney earner to have ever stood at stud in Australia.”
“It’s been a huge 12 months for Yulong sires with exceptional progeny performances delivered by all those with runners. We are very proud of Written Tycoon who is on track to collect both the Australian and New Zealand 2-year-old sire premierships, while Grunt is building a strong profile headlined by Tony and Calvin McEvoy’s star colt Veight.”
“We have a continued commitment to support our young sires with the elite Yulong broodmare band, underpinning our dedication to set them up with the best chance for success.”
New to the roster in 2024 is the two-time international Group 1 winner Panthalassa (Jpn). With career earnings exceeding $21 million, the son of Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) holds the distinction of being the highest-earning horse ever to stand in Australia.
Panthalassa’s racing career is a testament to his exceptional ability and consistency, winning as a two-year-old before scoring a monumental victory in the G1 Dubai Turf, tying with Lord North, while beating global stars Saffron Beach, Colonel Liam, and Alfareeq, and an exceptionally tenacious win when leading all the way in the G1 Saudi Cup.
Panthalassa shuttles from Arrow Stud in Japan, where he retired with seven wins and six placings on his record, including a significant performance as the runner-up in the 2022 G1 Tenno Sho, narrowly beaten by Japanese superstar Equinox (Jpn).
He will debut on the Yulong roster at a fee of $16,500 (inc GST).
Pierata’s progeny have clearly inherited their sire’s brilliance, with almost 30 per cent of his first crop runners securing black type.
They include two Group 3-winning 2-year-olds Tobeornottobe (x Shakespearean Lass) and Coleman (x Sboog), the latter also finishing a close second in the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes. Further solidifying Pierata’s status as a sire of exceptional promise is Group 1-placed Red Sea (x Egyptian Cross) who finished second in the G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes, and stakes-performers Fearless (x Matildare) and Wave Breaker (x Ocean Tempest).
“Pierata’s first crop have certainly delivered on the excitement they promised as yearlings; his two stakes winners and five stakes horses the best of his freshman sire class. We’re pretty excited about what is in store as they enter their 3-year-old year, because he’s exceeded our expectations at every juncture so far,” said Cox.
The Group 1-winning son of Pierro will stand the upcoming season for $66,000 (inc. GST).
Flying the starting gates with his debut crop, Alabama Express has sired six black-type two-year-olds to date this season, placing him sixth on the 2YO Sire Premiership by earnings and third by winners. Among his standouts include the impressive $1 million Inglis Golden Gift victor Shangri La Express (ex Sent From Above) and G3 Ottawa Stakes winner Karavas (ex All Of Me).
“To compete with the top juvenile sires in the country off only 10 runners is a phenomenal achievement,” said Cox.
“He’s the only sire in Australia this season to have produced six 2-year-old winners from less than 15 runners.”
Alabama Express accomplished a significant milestone as the fastest first-season sire to surpass $1 million in progeny earnings, cementing his place in history. During the 2024 sales season, Alabama Express’ second-crop yearlings continued to be popular, selling for up to $400,000 and averaging ten times his service fee.
The son of Redoute’s Choice will stand for a fee of $55,000 (inc GST) for the 2024 breeding season.
Another milestone was achieved this season when foundation sire Grunt recorded his first Group 1 winner, after 3-year-old son Veight scored a tenacious victory against older horses in the G1 George Ryder Stakes.
A Group 1-winning son of Champion Sire O’Reilly, Grunt matured over the course of his racing career, winning the G1 Australian Guineas as a three-year-old and going on to take out the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at four, like turf legends Zabeel and Mahogany.
“It was great to see Veight secure a win at weight-for-age, which is a sign of a very good horse,” said Cox. “Grunt was his best at three and four, so with his oldest progeny only three-years-old, we’re looking forward to seeing what is still to come for them.”
Grunt will remain at his 2023 fee of $22,000 (inc GST).
Group 1-winning two-year-old Lucky Vega (Ire) was represented by his first yearlings this season, with progeny commanding prices up to seven times his service fee. They have headed to top stables to be trained by Annabel Neasham, Tony Gollan and Bjorn Baker.
As the only son of elite sire Lope De Vega (Ire) standing in Australia, Lucky Vega offers breeders the unique opportunity to tap into a sire line that has produced top sprinters Gytrash, Santa Ana Lane, Vega Magic and Vega One.
With an exciting first crop to run for him next season, Lucky Vega stands for $16,500 in 2024.
Tagaloa is another young sire to have his first crop well found by top judges at the yearlings sales earlier this year and all eyes will be on his first runners for his debut season.
“Tagaloa epitomises what we look for in a stallion; by an international champion and a physically striking type himself, he was a Group one Blue Diamond winner at two and trained on at three,” Cox said.
“He’s a complete outcross, which has meant we’ve been able to support him exceptionally well with our broodmare band.”
The son of Lord Kanaloa recorded a top price filly of $240,000, knocked down to top bloodstock agent Guy Mulcaster who noted that this filly is from a dam who has already left a Listed winner and “…has all the attributes to do the same…”.
The fastest Blue Diamond winner at stud, Tagaloa follows in the steps of illustrious stallions to have taken out that juvenile feature including Extreme Choice and Redoute’s Choice. He will stand the 2024 season for $22,000 (inc GST).
Diatonic is one of three sons of sprint sensation Lord Kanaloa on the Yulong roster. He served an impressive book of 131 in his first-season at stud in the Southern Hemisphere. The mares he covered in 2023 include six of Australasia’s top Group-winning and champion mares, such as 13-time Group 1 winner Melody Belle, and dual Group 1 winners In Her Time, Snapdancer and Viddora.
“The quality of a stallion’s first book at stud can have a huge impact on their career and the number of elite mares that Diatonic covered in 2023 will certainly have given him the very best opportunity to succeed.”
Diatonic will stand in his second season at stud for $13,750.
The esteemed 22-year-old Champion sire, Written Tycoon, will be serving a private book this upcoming breeding season as he delivers another year of exceptional results.
Poised to take out another Australian 2-year-old sire premiership – and add the New Zealand equivalent to his trophy cabinet for good measure, Written Tycoon’s 2023/24 season has been remarkable with Lady of Camelot clinching his second G1 Golden Slipper victory and Velocious taking out the G1 Sistema S. His 3-year-olds have also delivered, with Southport Tycoon taking out the G1 Australian Guineas.
Written Tycoon continues to serve some of Australia’s top mares and his progeny sold for up to $1.35 million in the 2024 sales season.
