The Yulong-bred, raised and owned mare Hungry Heart (Frankel {GB} x Harlech {GB}) has claimed the title of Australian Champion 3-Year-Old Filly at the Australian Racehorse of the Year Awards on Monday night.
The awards ceremony, broadcast live via Sky Thoroughbred Central, acknowledged the performances by Australian-trained racehorses both on Australian and international racecourses from the period from 1 August 2020 to 31 July 2021.
With voting conducted by more than 70 of the country’s most respected racing media and handicappers, Hungry Heart beat 10 other Group 1-level nominees including VRC Oaks winner Personal, Flight S. and Champion S, winner Montefilia, Coolmore Stud S. winner September Run and Thousand Guineas winner Odeum.
“It is an absolute honour to accept this Award on behalf of Mr Zhang,” said Yulong Chief Operating Officer, Sam Fairgray.
“Hungry Hearty is a brilliant racehorse and her 3-year-old career was outstanding and its pleasing to have those results acknowledged in this way. As a homebred from one of Mr Zhang’s most admired stallions, she is a horse we hold dear. A huge thank you to jockey Kerrin McEvoy, trainer Chris Waller and his team for the effort and care they put in to ensure she performs at her highest ability, which is testament to her win here tonight.”
Trained by Australian Champion Group 1 and Hall of Fame trainer Chris Waller, Hungry Heart broke her maiden and claimed Group victory at only her second race start when she won the G2 Sweet Embrace S. for two-year-old fillies. Her following career starts have all been in elite Group company.
In her nine starts as a three-year-old, she was three-times second placed in the G2 Furious S., G2 Tea Rose S. and G1 Flight S., before returning in the autumn to win the G2 Phar Lap S. She showed her true ability coming from last to score in the G1 Vinery Stud S., before following up a fortnight later with a dominant victory in the G1 ATC Oaks, beating fellow Award nominees Duais and Montefilia.
Hungry Heart’s victory in the Vinery Stud S. gave Mr Zhang his second Australian Group 1 victory whilst she became the eighth horse to complete the Vinery Stud S. / Australian Oaks double.
“She is a very special filly with an international pedigree and we are very proud of her,” trainer Chris Waller told media after her Oaks win. “She has matured with age, as you would expect.”
A homebred for Yulong’s Mr Zhang, who bought Hungry Heart back when she went through the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, she is out of the Pivotal mare Harlech (GB) who was sourced by agent Sheamus Mills on behalf of Yulong at the 2016 Tattersalls July Sale. She was mated in Southern Hemisphere time to Juddmonte’s champion sire Frankel, producing Hungry Heart.
Harlech is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Maamora while Hungry Heart’s second dam is the Listed winner Zoowraa and her third dam, Beraysim, was also successful at stakes level.
A prized member of Yulong’s elite band of broodmares, Harlech has the 3-year-old colt Duty Dynasty (Snitzel), a 2-year-old Snitzel filly and is currently in foal to Yulong resident stallion Alabama Express.
