Yulong has provided high-class sprinter-miler Diatonic, the son of Japan’s super sire Lord Kanaloa, with a huge head start by sending him a swathe of valuable mares to begin his exciting stud career.
And as the outcross stallion, who is also out of a daughter of the breed-shaping Sunday Silence, prepares for his second season on Yulong’s Victorian stallion roster, Australia’s breeders can capitalise on the enviable opportunity Diatonic presents.
Among Diatonic’s maiden book of 130 mares are six Group 1 winners – including New Zealand champion Melody Belle, In Her Time, Viddora and Snapdancer – while 11.5 percent of his book were stakes-winning mares and nine percent are siblings to Group 1 winners, underscoring Yulong’s belief in the stallion who stands for $13,750 (inc GST).
“As a breeder, if you’re looking with your mare this year and not quite sure what to do, Diatonic is an entry level stallion who covered quality mares who could warrant $100,000 service fees,” Yulong’s Harry King said.
“I think he’s a very astute choice but I think he’s also a nice stallion that can upgrade mares in the long-term.”
Diatonic’s sire Lord Kanaloa himself is also the sire of champion Japanese mare Almond Eye and Yulong’s new recruit, frontrunner Panthalassa and Blue Diamond winner Tagaloa.
Importantly, Lord Kanaloa’s speed traits have shone through in his progeny, with 46 of his best performers achieving black type success up to a mile.
diatonic is a prime example of the elite Lord Kanaloa sprinter-milers, with the powerfully bult second season Yulong stallion winning from 1200 metres to 1600 metres and from ages two through to seven.
Six of Diatonic’s ten victories were at Graded and Listed level including two Sho Swan Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) – a race also won by the increasingly influential Japanese shuttler Satono Aladdin.
“He’s a horse that has a very powerful walk, he moves and uses his hind legs very well. Not only that, when he does come out he takes your eye because of how good looking his head is,” King observed.
He has a great shoulder and a great hind-end, which I guess is what put him in good stead for his racing career.
“It made him very versatile, he could win from in front, midfield or the back, and he was a very sound horse and you can see why when you look at his physical attributes.”
King added: “Being 15.3hh, you’re usually used to these big Japanese horses coming out, 2000m horses, but he’s a lot sharper and he’ll suit those big Australian mares and even those ones coming over from New Zealand.”
Yulong’s vast resources also means the Victorian farm will be ensuring his first crop foals, to be born later this year, will be placed Australia’s premier trainers to given them the best opportunities of achieving on the racetrack.
“We’ve got a track record now of being able to promote these stallions for the breeders who use them and the breeders who go to sell at the sales,” King says.
“Our marketing team does a very good job in promoting these horses and helping out our clients who have supported the horses to enable them to on-sell. In terms of Diatonic himself, we’ll be getting them into these elite stables giving them every chance to put their best forward.
“You’d love to have bred one by Diatonic and be selling off the back of his first crop. I think it’ll be very profitable and certainly he’s a horse that many should consider.”
This article was written by ANZ Bloodstock News.
