Yulong’s famous green silks were out in force on Wednesday at Kensington, with their champion sire Written Tycoon producing a strong quinella in the 2-year-old colts and geldings maiden. Both colts are raced by Yulong and look to have bright futures.
The honours went to the Peter Snowden-trained Grand Prairie (Written Tycoon), who enjoyed a lovely run in transit before pushing into the clear at the top of the straight and holding off the fast-finishing Pictor (Written Tycoon), who came from well back in the field with a slashing late burst. The race favourite Ninja (Farnan) threaded through runners to finish third, just over a length and a half from the runner-up.
“He’s in at the right time of year and he’s ready to launch with a lot of good racing coming up. It’s up to him whether he keeps stepping up, but he’s got a great pedigree and is out of a very good mare.
“It’s a pleasure to have the Yulong horses going well. It’s not a bad race either, there is a bit of depth in that so the fact is he has won and won like that, and he’s still learning.”
Grand Prairie is the second live foal out of Viddora (I Am Invincible), a top-class sprinting mare who won nine races including the Gr.1 AJ Moir Stakes and Gr.1 Winterbottom Stakes. Yulong purchased Viddora for $2.55 million at the 2020 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale and she has made a strong start to her career at stud.
Her first foal, O’Invincible (Snitzel), has already won twice, and Grand Prairie now adds more depth to the page. Viddora has recently foaled a weanling filly by Diatonic (Jpn), and is due to foal to Pierata this spring.
Grand Prairie himself was offered through the Yulong draft at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale but failed to meet his $500,000 reserve.
Written for TTRAusNZ
