All the latest news and reviews from the world of Yulong
| 2025 Golden Slipper: Written in the stars or will Luck strike at Rosehill? |
Although in the twilight of his career, Written Tycoon is showing no signs of relinquishing his title as a leading source of juvenile talent, with last Saturday’s devastating Gr.3 Pago Pago Stakes winner Skyhook the latest two-year-old to throw his hat into the ring for the 2025 Golden Slipper. Second in the Gr.2 Skyline Stakes to Rivellino on his previous start, Skyhook made light work of his rivals last week at Rosehill, skipping clear to win by 3.25 lengths. The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained colt now looks to become the fifth horse in history to achieve the Pago Pago-Slipper double, last achieved by current Coolmore sire Shinzo two years previous.
Among his rivals are two further progeny of Victoria’s nine-time Champion Sire. Yulong-owned Tycoon Star, himself an eye-catching third in February’s Gr.1 Blue Diamond behind fellow Slipper entrant and Yulong colt Devil Night, and Bennett Racing’s Military Tycoon are both also engaged in Australia’s premier juvenile contest. The latter, a filly bred by Merricks Station, turned plenty of heads a fortnight ago, with a gritty front-running performance in the Gr.3 Ottawa Stakes at Flemington. She bids to become the second daughter of Written Tycoon to claim Slipper honours following Lady Of Camelot in last year’s edition.
But could a young pretender in Yulong’s stallion barn upstage the old master with an unassuming yet extremely talented first-crop filly? Yulong-bred Within The Law, by our own Gr.1-winning two-year-old Lucky Vega, looks to become the first top-flight winner for her young sire. Her extraordinary debut season that has seen her claim three Stakes victories, including the Gr.2 Sweet Embrace Stakes, whilst narrowly denied in a fourth. Bjorn Baker has made no secret that the $30,000 Inglis Classic bargain purchase has a slightly casual approach to her work at home, but it is her ability to come alive on race day that may play into her favour in the electric atmosphere at Rosehill tomorrow.
Whatever the outcome, it is a huge achievement for the stud to have four runners by our stallions (five including first emergency Alabama Magic (Alabama Express)), the most of any other stallion farm in the country!
| YU do the math – the answer is Pi |
Another week, another flurry of winners for Gr.1 All Aged Stakes winner Pierata. The best-performed son of Pierro continued his fantastic streak, adding a 32nd winner to his tally on Thursday afternoon with Eclair Awesome getting off the mark at Albury for trainer Matthew Smith.
In fact, since the start of 2025, no other second-crop sire has produced more winners than Pierata, bettering Too Darn Hot, Zousain and barn mate Alabama Express
| Spicy Lu makes it two for Tagaloa |
First-crop two-year-old Spicy Lu added a second career win to her tally on Thursday, with a tenacious win at Albury. Bred by the Esplin family, the daughter of Gr.1 Blue Diamond winner Tagaloa was purchased by her trainer Nick Olive at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast sale when offered by Vinery Stud. Spicy Lu is the third winner for the Charge Forward mare All Salsa and hails from the family of five-time European Gr.1 winner and multiple Classic victrix Salsabil.
There is plenty to look forward to with the progeny of Tagaloa over the coming months, with daughter Meisho (interestingly also out of a Charge Forward mare) narrowly denied on her last start by subsequent multiple Stakes winner Shining Smile, and his second-crop yearlings outselling his first at this season’s yearling sales.
Spicy Lu (Tagaloa) adding her second career win at Albury on Thursday
| All eyes on Magic Millions Adelaide |
With Inglis Premier wrapped up, it was a short turn around for the Yulong team as they headed to South Australia for the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale. It was a pleasing end to our penultimate yearling sale of the season, with a Written Tycoon filly out of the Dubawi mare Saaryaa (IRE) topping day one and another Written Tycoon filly, out of Stakes winner Blue Morpho, the second highest lot on day two.
Fortune also continued to favour the stock of Lucky Vega, with three six-figure lots sold across the two days by the red-hot first-crop sire, including a colt out of Just Like Fire (NZ) for $110,000, offered by Noorilim Park on behalf of breeder Julie Clements.
Yulong ended the sale as leading vendor by average, with 9 lots sold for an average of $105,778, some $50,000 above that of the sale, and were also the only vendor to have two lots in the top 5.
Once again, thanks goes to our entire yearling team both on farm and at the sales, as well as all of our valued buyers. Next stop – Inglis Easter!
Top 3 lots:
1. Lot 109: Written Tycoon x Saaryaa (IRE) – $260,000 to Wei Jiaoqi
2. Lot 273: Written Tycoon x Blue Morpho – $200,000 to Ridegeport Holdings/ Clarken Bloodstock/ Suman Hedge Bloodstock
3. Lot 333: Alabama Express x Dundeel Star – $140,000 to Summer Dickson
Lot 109 – Written Tycoon x Saaryaa (IRE) – Image courtesy of Magic Millions
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