On Saturday, the $1,000,000 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick kick-starts the 74 Group 1 races in Australia this season, with Chris Waller sending out half of the 12-runner field.
With all the big spenders that have come and gone over the years it's doubtful that any, other than the powerhouses Coolmore and Godolphin, have made a bigger splash in the sale ring as Yulong's Yuesheng Zhang.
Two of Yulong's big-ticket items, Via Sistina and Place du Carrousel made an instant impact when finishing 1-2 in the Group 1 ATC Ranvet Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill at their Australian bow in March.
Odds-on to keep her record perfect in her adopted homeland, Via Sistina chased home Pride Of Jenni in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, where all jockeys lost sight of the daughter of Pride Of Dubai highballing it out in front.
Via Sistina is a remarkable success story. Bred by Laundry Cottage Stud Farm in a foal share with Coolmore Stud, the daughter of Fastnet Rock was consigned by Jamie Railton to the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale, where she was a 5,000 guineas purchase for Stephen Hillen Bloodstock on behalf of Stephen and Becky Hillen.
After winning at Goodwood and Newmarket in six starts for Joseph Tuite, Via Sistina bloomed under George Boughey, winning the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes by two lengths, romped to a 6-length triumph in the Group II Dahlia Stakes over Shadwell's Dubai mare Al Husn who would win her next three highlighted by the Group 1 Nassau Stakes, was beaten a nose in the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet, and was runner up in the Quipco Champion Stakes.
The daughter of Fastnet Rock was sold to Evergreen Equine on behalf of Yulong at the 2023 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, fetching 2.7 million guineas, the second highest-priced mare at the sale.
Via Sistina is a daughter of the unraced Galileo mare Nigh, who Yulong purchased for 200,000 guineas from the same sale Yulong acquired her star daughter.
Nigh is a half-sister to the remarkable sprinter Kingsgate Native.
The Cheveley Park Stud-owned son of Mujadil was a rare winner of the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at two and won the Golden Jubilee Stakes at three, defeating the Australian-bred, South African star, War Artist (Orpen), with Takeover Target back in fourth.
Returned to training after proving infertile, Kingsgate Native continued to race successfully as an 11-year-old. When stumps were pulled, he won eight and placed in 16 of his 60 starts.
Nigh's granddam La Pellegrina is a half-sister to the English 1000 Guineas winner Las Meninas a descendant of the influential Irish Oaks winner Djebellica, the dam of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (2,000 Guineas) winner Cambremont and Dewhurst Stakes winner Torbella and a sister to French Oaks heroine Montenica.
Fastnet Rock had covered five books of mares in Australia before shuttling to Coolmore Stud, Ireland, for the first time in 2010. His 52 stakes-winners bred north of the equator include the elite level performers, 2015 Pretty Polly Stakes winner Diamondsandrubies, dual Group 1 winner Fascinating Rock, Moyglare Stud Stakes winner Intricately, three-time Prix de la Foret winner One Master, Epsom Oaks heroine Qualify, Racing Post Trophy winner Rivet Delight, Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Pizza Bianca, and Man O'War Stakes winner Zhukova.
Fellow Fastnet Rock import Buckaroo takes his place in the Winx Stakes, where he vies to become the 44th Group 1 winner for the recently retired champion son of Danehill.
