It looks set to be another magic year for team Yulong, with the fruits of Mr Zhang’s global investment into quality bloodstock paying dividends at the recent 2025 Gold Coast yearling sale. With a gross of just under $10 million and average of $375,846 for the 26 lots sold, the farm also reached a significant milestone selling not one, but two million dollar lots, both by resident Champion sire Written Tycoon.
Lot 185 – Written Tycoon x Away Game (Snitzel), filly – $1,800,000
Ciaron Maher was rather nostalgic after partnering with John Stewart’s Resolute Bloodstock to secure the regally bred daughter of Champion Sire Written Tycoon out of his former star mare Away Game (Snitzel).
After a successful career on the track, which included multiple Group 1 placings and victory in the R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, Away Game was sold to Yulong Stud for $4 million at the 2022 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Maher was overjoyed to be partnering with American John Stewart, sighting similarities between Away Game and her daughter.
“I’m rapt, I thought clearly she was one of the fillies of the sale,” Maher said.
“Away Game took her and her owners – who were from the States as well, funnily enough – on a great ride and hopefully this filly can take John and Chelsey on a similar ride.
“She’s a beautiful filly, (from a) great farm and hopefully she can be as good as her mum.
“There is similar movement (to Away Game). She probably has a little more substance than Away Game, who was relatively neat. She was an over-achiever on the track, and it looks like she is going to be an over-achiever in the breeding barn as well.”
Away Game foaled a full brother to Lot 185 this season and was served by fellow Yulong stallion Pierata.
Lot 505 – Written Tycoon x In Her Time (Time Thief), colt – $1,800,000
Anticipation was high for Lot 505, a colt by Champion Sire Written Tycoon and out of the exceptional dual Group 1-winning mare In Her Time (Time Thief). He certainly met expectations, selling for a remarkable $1.8 million to Coolmore’s Tom Magnier, marking his third seven-figure purchase for the week.
This colt, bred by Yulong Investments, is the third foal of In Her Time, who was acquired for $2.2 million at the 2022 Inglis Chairman’s Sale. The mare’s first two foals, a colt by I Am Invincible and a full brother to this colt, fetched $800,000 and $750,000, respectively. The latter was also purchased by Magnier and is currently in training with Chris Waller, where he is reportedly demonstrating significant potential.
Lot 505 – Written Tycoon x In Her Time (colt) sold for $1,800,000 to Tom Magnier| Images courtesy of Magic Millions
“We’re very happy to get this horse,” Magnier said.
“Obviously, we got the brother last year for the syndicate as well, again we’re very lucky to have the people we have in this syndicate, and everybody was very keen on the horse.
“Everybody liked him and you could see again from the bidding the good judges were on this horse.
“I think Chris has an opinion of the brother, which probably gave us the confidence to come back this year.”
Over the past several years, Yulong has sought-after and established a top-tier broodmare lineup, with over 60 individual Group 1 winners or producers now belonging to the stud. Magnier sees it as an opportunity not to be missed.
“It’s a very good page, Mr Zhang and their team have gone out and bought some lovely mares, as we have, and the progeny of that stock is coming through,” Magnier said.
“It’s a very good pedigree, he’s a nice individual and Chris really liked the horse, as did all the team, so we’ll know our fate this time next year but just delighted we got him.”
In Her Time foaled a filly by Diatonic (JPN) in September and also visited Pierata this season.
