On Saturday night in South Melbourne, the Victorian breeding and racing community rallied together to support the Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria (TBV) annual awards celebration.
The TBV ceremony honours and celebrates the achievements of Victorian-based breeders, stallions, and employees, as well as the Victorian-bred stars of the racetrack, in the 2023/24 season across several award categories.
Tycoon Champion of Victoria for the ninth time
Saturday night proved a good one for Yulong. Its General Australian Champion Stallion, Written Tycoon, was crowned the Champion Victorian Sire, sponsored by FlyIRT, for the ninth time.
Written Tycoon, who is serving a private book in the upcoming season, had yet another outstanding season on the track. His daughter, Lady Of Camelot, joined her paternal brother, Capitalist, as winners of the G1 Golden Slipper.
Meanwhile, in Victoria, Southport Tycoon claimed the G1 Australian Guineas.
Yulong was also acknowledged as the breeders of the Belmont Bloodstock Agency-sponsored 2023/24 Champion Victorian Bred 3-Year-Old: Veight (Grunt {NZ}).
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained runner is a son of Yulong’s foundation sire, Grunt (NZ). Veight was offered by Yulong at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Weanling Sale, where he sold for $100,000 to Sledmere and Cangon. Veight won the G3 McNeil S. and the G2 Australian S., ending the season by beating the older horses in the G1 George Ryder S.
Coleman pride of Kulani Park
Rhys and Chloe Smith, operators of Kulani Park, were represented through the deeds of Coleman (Pierata), who was crowned the Champion Victorian Bred 2-Year-Old, sponsored by Inglis Sales.
Bred by Kulani Park, the son of Pierata was presented by the farm at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was purchased for $550,000 by Matt Laurie Racing and Justin Bahen.
Coleman won the G3 Chairman’s S. this season, was the first colt home in the G1 Golden Slipper, and was also placed in the G1 Sires’ Produce S.
This article was written by Keely Mckitterick for TTR AusNZ.
