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Yulong purchase share in Group 1 winner Alabama Express.
Yulong Investments have purchased a significant share of Group 1 winner Alabama Express (Redoute's Choice) and he will retire to stand at the Victorian stud at the end of his racing career.
Trained Mike Moroney, Alabama Express will be out to add a second elite level race to his CV in the Australian Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) on Saturday having emulated his sire Redoute's Choice (Danehill) in taking out the CF Orr Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) on February 8 - becoming the first three-year-old to land the Group 1 since All Too Hard (Casino Prince).
The colt is raced in a partnership which includes Rupert Legh and he will continue to don his navy and gold silks including in Saturday's Group 1. Yulong is no stranger to doing deals with Legh having secured the 2018 Australian Guineas and Makybe Diva Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Grunt (O'Reilly) as the operation's foundation stallion in 2018.
Yulong's chief operating officer Sam Fairgray said this newest acquisition showed Yulong's owner Mr Zhang's ever-expanding commitment to the Victorian-breeding industry.
"Investing in a colt the quality of Alabama Express highlights the commitment of Mr Zhang to develop the strength of the Yulong stallion roster and the Melbourne breeding industry," said Fairgray.
"Redoute's Choice is an Australian phenomenon, he is peerless in his achievements at stud and continues to build his legacy through exceptional sons and daughters. We couldn't be more delighted to secure a Group 1 WFA-winning son, who is built in the mould of his Champion sire.
"Alabama Express is out of an Encosta De Lago mare, the same cross as exceptional sire Beneteau," Fairgray said. "This Australian sire-power is complemented by his quality international female family which should suit the local broodmare population."
Bred by Jonathan Munz's GSA Bloodstock, the colt was purchased by Paul Moroney for $280,000 at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and he expressed his delight at the news the stallion has found a place at stud.
"He was just a cracking athlete and he had a lot of quality, with a great mind," said Moroney. "He had a lot of his dad, Redoute's Choice, about him. He was a great moving horse and to me, he was a standout on class.
"He's obviously taken that quality of his looks across to the racetrack and he's proven himself as a high-quality racehorse. He's got all the hallmarks of making a great stallion prospect - he's a Group 1 winner, he's athletic, he's a standout on type and he's got a lot of his dad about him.
"We've always thought that he was a miler, so I'm excited to see him step up to that distance this weekend. We thought that from the day we bought him as a yearling."
Alabama Express has won four of his seven career starts so far which has seen him accumulate $534,750 in career prize-money.
The colt is out of Encosta De Lago (Fairy King) mare Lago Ovation, who is herself a half-sister to Group 2-placed Rekindled Power (Redoute's Choice) and Group 3-placed Shuffle Up (Redoute's Choice).
Further back this is family of Group 2 winner Rekindled Interest (Redoute's Choice), Group 3 winner Where We Left Off (Dr Devious) and Listed scorer Porticcio (Lomitas).
