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Operation’s purchases headed by Group 1 winner Unforgotten.
Yulong made their presence felt at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on Monday, parting with $4 million for three top-class mares on day one, with the trio headed by 2018 Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) winner Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock) who they paid $2.75 million for.
Offered by Julian Blaxland's Blue Sky Premium Consignment and catalogued as, Lot 92 Unforgotten has won six of her 21 career starts and as well as winning the Australian Oaks she also took out the Phar Lap Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m) and Chelmsford Stakes (Gr 2, 1600m), while she also finished in the placings at elite level on four occasions which saw her accumulate $1,563,895 in career earnings.
Purchased by Waller for NZ$360,000 at the New Zealand Premier Yearling Sale from the Curraghmore draft in 2016, daughter of Fastnet Rock (Danehill) is out of Galileo (Sadler's Wells) mare Memories Of You, who is herself out of Listed-winning and Group 1-placed mare Most Precious (Nureyev).
Most Precious is the dam of four winners, including Grade 1 winner Matiara (Bering), Group 2-winning pair Pyrus (Mr Prospector) and Marathon (Desis) and Listed winner Precious Ring (Bering), while she is also the grandam of Warrnambool Cup (Listed, 2350m) winner High Church (High Chaparral).
Yulong's bloodstock manager Luke Wilkinson said he and Marcus Corban were both very taken with the daughter of Fastnet Rock during the inspections and were pleased Mr Zhang was able to secure her.
"Marcus Corban and I looked at all the race fillies and mares and she was right up there for us with Sunlight, perhaps just a touch below, and we loved them both," said Wilkinson.
"Mr Zhang is bidding online, so we weren't aware which leg he was on and we didn't know until the phone rang afterwards from his son-in-law, so after that we knew that we'd secured her."
Given her great race record and stand out pedigree, Wilkinson said he had valued the mare around the $2.5 million mark.
"It is Mr Zhang's money and his call what he wants to do," said Wilkinson. "We can only give our advice, but she's well worth it with her international pedigree and being a Group 1 winner and a multiple Group 2 winner, so she wasn't far off what we thought she was worth.
"She's a great mover, great joints and you can see why she was such a good racehorse. Chris Waller has done a great job managing her and she looked good enough to put back into work.
"I added another $500,000 in my head after Sunlight (went through) and I still think with that pedigree that she was fantastic buying and well done Mr Zhang."
A date to Yarraman Park stallion I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit) could now be on the cards for Unforgotten.
"I have put down a nomination to I Am Invincible for her," said Wilkinson. "I have spoken to Harry Mitchell and he said once the dust settles and things are settled, there is a slot for her, but it's something Sam Fairgray, Mr Zhang, Marcus and myself will have a chat about."
Blaxland was delighted with the result and described the mare as 'one of the best' he has ever had to deal with.
"It was a wonderful result for Chris Waller and his owners, Peter Tighe and all the other owners," said Blaxland. "She is a beautiful mare. We've had her at Newington Farm for the last ten weeks and they really have something about them, these star quality mares and she is the best horse I have had hands on experience with for some time. I am delighted for the owners and just rapt they trusted us to sell her.
"I was pleasantly surprised with the price-tag, but I have been going to broodmare sales all over the world for 20 years and she had a truly international pedigree and she had form around Winx - the best mare in the world, so in one way I was surprised and in another way I think she was well worth the money."
Later on in the afternoon, Yulong delivered Blaxland's Blue Sky Premium Consignment, another great result when they paid $700,000 for last month's Premier's Cup (Gr 3, 2200m) winner Another Dollar (Ocean Park).
Catalogued as Lot 114, the mare also finished second in the 2018 Queensland Oaks (Gr 1, 2200m) and she is out of dual-winning Pins (Snippets) mare Make A Wish, who is herself a daughter of dual Group 3 winner Starcent (Centaine).
Starcent is the grandam of Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Strike The Stars (Savabeel), while further back this is the family of Group 2 winner Adelaide Ace (Savabeel) and Listed winner Delta Girl (General Nediym).
Blaxland said the mare was the second most popular mares in his draft and was happy to see her garner the attention of a farm like Yulong.
"Another Dollar is a beautiful racemare and she was almost our most popular horse after Unforgotten on parades," said Blaxland. "She has recent racing form and I think she is finding her best form now. It is wonderful that she has gone into the Yulong system. I am not sure whether she will race again but I really hope they do, she is a quality mare and we are very thankful to Yulong."
Yulong also parted with $550,000 for juvenile-winning Snitzel (Redoute's Choice) mare Evening Slippers, who was catalogued as Lot 144 and offered as part of the Arrowfield Stud draft.
Even Slippers is out of Group 3-placed mare Flidais (Timber Country), making her a sister to The Galaxy (Gr 1, 1100m) winner Sweet Idea and dual Group 2 winner and now Arrowfield Stud resident Showtime, while she is also a half-sister to Listed scorer Rush (Charge Forward).
Blue Sky Premium Consignment finished the day as leading vendors by aggregate, selling 18 mares for an aggregate of $5,013,000 at an average of $278,500 and Blaxland, who has only been consigning at this sale for three years was happy with the progress Blue Sky Premium Consignment has made in a relatively short space of time.
"There is a big team effort that goes into preparing for a sale like this," said Blaxland. "We are delighted with the way it has gone and this is what we have been shooting for to try and build a brand selling these race fillies and mares for trainers and owners.
"It is a niche market, breeders love to come here and buy fillies and mares straight off the track and every year we try and get the best draft we can and this was certainly the best draft we've had for the last three years. To have trainers like Chris Waller putting their faith in us to sell their horses, it's great to get the results for them."
Blaxland said it was encouraging to see the such brilliant results at Monday's auction, especially given the hit the global economy has taken in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
"Coolmore have been great supporters of Australian racing and breeding," said Blaxland. "They have been here for a long time and they have brought wonderful stallions down here. Yulong are great supporters as well.
"Luke Wilkinson and Marcus Corban have been here all week and they bought two of our big mares. It is wonderful the international investment here and they are integral parts of the Australian racing and breeding landscape now.
"I think in the light of recent events and the global economy this is a fabulous result for Magic Millions and is a great example of the thirst for Australian racing and breeding stock.
"If you were in any other country in the world and you received results in a sale ring that you saw here today, you would be very envious of Australian breeding and racing industry. Despite what is going on in the world, it was very strong."
