Yulong’s Kiwi investment set to pay off on Champions Day

Burgeoning thoroughbred giant Yulong Investments has made a splash in New Zealand this season, buying up the nation’s top three-year-olds, and while they have already been rewarded with instant success, they are favoured to have plenty more on Champions Day at Ellerslie on Saturday.

Zhang Yuesheng’s Victoria-based operation has purchased a quartet of Kiwi three-year-olds in the last six months, and they have tasted topline success courtesy of Well Written in the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Ohope Wins, who led home a Yulong quinella in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) last month.

While Ohope Wins has crossed the Tasman in a bid to add to her elite-level tally under leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller, New Zealand Oaks runner-up Autumn Glory and Well Written have remained in New Zealand to contest the Group 1 HKJC World Pool New Zealand Derby (2400m) and $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) respectively on Champions Day.

Autumn Glory will be joined in the Derby by That’s Gold, who will carry Yulong’s silks for the first time after they purchased him following his dominant victory in last month’s Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m).

That’s Gold and Well Written have a particularly close connection with Yulong, with the pair being by resident stallions Written Tycoon and Lucky Vega respectively, while That’s Gold was bred by the farm.

Well Written was purchased by Yulong’s sales and nominations manager Harry King as a weanling in Australia on behalf of his brother Benji.

She was subsequently sold through Brighthill Farm’s 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Online Yearling Sale on Gavelhouse Plus to trainer Stephen Marsh and Dylan Johnson Bloodstock, and the King brothers have been enjoying watching her meteoric rise as a three-year-old.

Harry King had the pleasure of purchasing a share of her back, on behalf of his employer, ahead of her New Zealand 1000 Guineas success last November, and she continued on her upward trajectory, subsequently winning the Group 2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) and $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), and capturing the attention of racing enthusiasts on both sides of the Tasman.

She now heads into The NZB Kiwi on Saturday, representing TAB’s slot, as a dominant $1.20 favourite.