Ace Stud sweeps top two Godolphin lots at Tatts July sale

Ace Stud, the UK-based breeding operation run by Harris Li and Yuefang Zhang, emerged as the leading buyer from Godolphin’s draft when securing the Tattersalls July Sale’s top two lots on the opening day for a combined 900,000 guineas (Aus$1.82 million).

It struck first for Renaissance Lady, who topped the session at 500,000 guineas, before returning to purchase Wild Angel for 400,000 guineas, underlining its commitment to acquiring elite international broodmare prospects.

Renaissance Lady, an unraced three-year-old by Pinatubo, brought one of the most coveted pedigrees offered at the sale.

Bred by the late Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, she is a daughter of blue hen mare Reem Three and a half-sister to Group 1 winners Triple Time and Ajman Princess, whose son Inisherin captured the Commonwealth Cup.

“Renaissance Lady is exactly what we’re looking for and is something of a collector’s item,” said Ace Stud’s Paul Curran. “Pedigrees like this are just so hard to buy and they don’t come onto the market very often.”

Ace Stud’s second major purchase, Wild Angel, is a winning daughter of Too Darn Hot offered carrying her first foal by Pinatubo. The four-year-old is a three-quarter sister to three-time Group 1 winner Space Blues and a half-sister to Group 2 winner Shuruq.

Reflecting on the pair of acquisitions, Curran noted the shared Pinatubo connection.

“We have probably two of the best fillies/mares connected to Pinatubo, with Wild Angel in foal to him and Renaissance Lady being probably one of his best pedigreed daughters,” he said.

Zhang and Li are the daughter and son-in-law of Zhang Yuesheng, the man behind Yulong. Newmarket-based Ace Stud was previously known as Dullingham Park before being purchased by family interests last year.

The racing arm of Ace Stud is now known as Forz Europe.

Elsewhere, Enchanted Queen sold to Clacton Thoroughbreds for 180,000 guineas, while Verse Of Love was purchased by Ger Morrin’s Kelly Equine for the same price.