Yulong Investments have furthered their position among New Zealand’s racing ranks this week with the purchase of eye-catching Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) winner Ohope Wins.
The Australian-based racing and breeding operation, owned by Zhang Yuesheng, has made a play for some of the country’s top three-year-old fillies this season, and they have been rewarded through the success of Group One winner Well Written, who will put her unbeaten record on the line in tomorrow’s $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) at Ellerslie.
The Stephen Marsh-trained filly is a dominant favourite for the mile feature, as well as the $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) in March, and the purchase of Ohope Wins now gives Yulong a key hand in some looming Classic targets.
Bred by Gartshore Bloodstock, Ohope Wins stormed home to capture the Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, which catapulted her into joint favouritism for next month’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and prominently in the TAB’s futures market for the Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) on Champions Day.
Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have welcomed Yulong onboard as new clients to their Matamata-based operation and are hoping they continue to invest in the New Zealand thoroughbred.
“It is good to see them (Yulong) wanting to be a part of the racing down here as well and not just Australia,” O’Sullivan said.
“Going forward we are hoping that they take a real interest in us here in New Zealand because it is going to give a lot of people great opportunities and the good thing is that we know our horses are very capable of holding their own at the highest level.”
O’Sullivan said Ohope Wins will remain in their care for at least the next six weeks, and he is excited to tackle some Classic assignments with her.
“She stamped herself as a staying three-year-old (when winning the Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes), she was very impressive,” he said. “She is progressive and she is only going to keep getting better.
“She will stay here in New Zealand until after either the Oaks or Derby, we will just have to wait and see. All going well, she will be running in the New Zealand Oaks, that’s our plan.”
Ohope Wins debuted her association with Yulong when carrying their silks in an 1100m Group and Listed trial at Matamata on Friday where she pleased O’Sullivan with her hit-out.
“She trialled beautifully, I couldn’t be happier,” he said.
Meanwhile, O’Sullivan is looking forward to heading to Ellerslie on Saturday where Wexford Stables will line-up a quintet of runners at the twilight meeting.
“The fields are very strong and we have got five horses going there that we are happy with,” he said. “They are sound, they are well and we are going to have a crack.”
The stable will have a two-pronged attack in the $1.04 million Gr.3 Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m) courtesy of Smart Love and Checkmate, and O’Sullivan is pleased with both horses heading into the race.
Checkmate placed at the track on New Year’s Day when third in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) and his trainers expect a similar performance, while Smart Love will be looking to bounce back to winning form, although O’Sullivan said the wet weather could negate her ace draw.
“Checkmate races well at Ellerslie, he likes the track and he certainly hasn’t taken a step backwards (since the Rich Hill Mile),” O’Sullivan said.
“We don’t know if it (draw) is an advantage or disadvantage (for Smart Love), we have just got to wait and see how it is riding on the night. She has the addition of blinkers to her gear and we can’t fault her, she looks great. She has come a long way in a very short time, but she is in good condition.”
Group Three performer L'Aigle Noir will face a stiff task against a strong line-up in the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m), and O’Sullivan said it will be a good learning experience for the lightly-raced three-year-old.
“It is an exceptionally strong field, he is still learning his craft, but he is going to be a nice horse going forward,” he said.
The stable will also be represented by debut winner Dashing Dixie in the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and Tristar in the HKJC World Pool Jo Giles Stakes (1400m).
“This is a big step up for Dashing Dixie, she probably lacks the experience of some of the others that she is going to be up against,” O’Sullivan said.
“We didn’t want to treat this as her grand final, we have seen in enough years that a lot of horses after this race don’t seem to kick on quite as well as expected. We are just treating it as another race.
“That field (Jo Giles Stakes) has come up a lot stronger than we anticipated, but Tristar is well and her work has been very sound. If the track has a bit of give in the ground, which no doubt it will, it will be a good assist to her.”
Wexford will also head to New Plymouth on Saturday with a quartet of runners, including Clara Bow and Acer in the Listed Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude (1800m), with the latter to be ridden by former stable employee Erin Leighton.
“Erin has been a big part of Wexford for the last few years and it is great to have her onboard,” O’Sullivan said. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
