Yuesheng Zhang has built up an Irish stable with enviable horsepower while shopping with a relatively modest budget over the last few years. His stable star is undoubtedly last year's G1 Keeneland Phoenix S. winner Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who looks to someday have a future at stud both in Europe and at Zhang's Yulong property in Victoria, Australia.
For now, though, connections have set their sights on the May 1 G1 2000 Guineas in Newmarket, with the colt preparing at Jessica Harrington's yard in good nick.
“I saw Lucky Vega last week and he is in great form,” confirmed Yulong's European Racing and Bloodstock Manager Michael Donohoe. “He's turned into a beautiful physical; he's after growing, getting strong and putting on nearly 40 kilos from his last race last year. Physically he's after developing a huge amount, which you like to see. We're hoping that bodes well that he will train on from two to three. Physically and in his work so far the guys are very happy with him. Shane [Foley] sat on him last week and he was very happy with him.”
“The main early season goal is going to be the Qipco 2000 Guineas in Newmarket on May 1,” Donohoe confirmed. “Rather than taking in a trial we'll probably head straight there, although that might change. No disrespect to the Irish or French Guineas–they may be an easier target–but Jessie is keen to go straight to Newmarket. Our only slight worry, and it's probably not a huge problem, is the trip. He's extremely strong and looks very much a sprinter physically, and there is plenty of speed in his pedigree. And we know Lope De Vega can get some very fast horses. He has shown a lot of speed in a couple of his races so it's just whether he gets the mile or not. We don't think he's going to stay any further than a mile with his running style.”
One of nine yearlings purchased in his crop by Donohoe for Yulong in Europe, the Kilcarn Stud-bred Lucky Vega was a €175,000 Goffs Orby yearling, having also been sold on the Co. Kildare grounds when bringing €110,000 as a foal. He broke his maiden at first asking on June 8 last year, the day Irish racing resumed after a 2 1/2-month absence in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, and though his owner was unable to travel to attend any of his races, Lucky Vega continued to go from strength to strength throughout the campaign. He was second to Law Of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}) in the G2 Railway S. in July before turning the tables on that rival and the likes of The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}) and G1 Dewhurst S. winner St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) with a 3 1/2-length win in the Phoenix. He could finish only fifth after being repeatedly hampered in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S., and regrouped to be a strong second in the G1 Middle Park S. behind Supremacy (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}).
“His win in the Phoenix, he was very good that day,” Donohoe recalled. “He was caught in a pocket and when he got out he showed some serious acceleration. The form of that race held up pretty well; Law Of Indices and St Mark's Basilica were behind him.
“You can draw a line through his run in the National S; he was extremely unlucky. It's just one of things, it wasn't jockey error, it's just racing. And then he ran against Supremacy [in the Middle Park] and was very good, and there were some proper horses behind them. We were very happy; we were very disappointed with the National S., and although we would have liked to have beaten Supremacy in the Middle Park, Supremacy is an extremely talented horse as well. It'll be interesting for them to match up again and we wouldn't mind taking him on again over six or seven furlongs. His run in the Middle Park reaffirmed our belief in him, that he's a very good horse.”
Donohoe noted that Zhang has moved his entire Irish stable, which numbers around 25, to Harrington, and that he has a handful of other 3-year-olds to look forward to.
“Aside from Lucky Vega there are a couple nice 3-year-olds that broke their maidens last year and look progressive,” he said. Those include Aussie Ace (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who broke his maiden at second asking at Cork before finishing down the field in the G2 Beresford S., and a “very nice” filly by Free Eagle (Ire) called Soaring Sky (Ire), who was bought for €15,000 from the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale. “She won her only start at Dundalk at the back end of last year and she looks like a progressive filly,” Donohoe said. “Mr. Zhang also has a nice 3-year-old by Footstepsinthesand (GB) called Deputy Sandy (Ire), and he looks quite progressive.”
Zhang added nine yearlings at the European sales last year, and with the addition of three homebreds has 11 juveniles to go into training with Harrington. Understandably, Zhang was keen to repeat the dose with Lucky Vega's sire.
“We were keeping a close eye on the Lope De Vegas and they were extremely hard to buy, but we have two nice Lope De Vega colts called Lucky Kuna and Lucky San Jore,” Donohoe said. “Lucky Kuna was bought in France at the Arqana [Deauville Select Yearling Sale for €150,000]. Lucky San Jore was bought from Book 2 in Newmarket [for 50,000gns] and he's very nice. He looks quite precocious even at this stage. I was talking to Shane Foley and he gave him a little half speed during the week and he thinks that he could be one for those early season races.”
Zhang isn't only concentrating on colts, however. His 2021 juvenile lineup includes a pair of well-bred Galileo fillies: a three-quarter sister to G1 Irish Derby winner Trading Leather (Ire) purchased for £185,000 at Goffs Orby last year and a half-sister to four-time Group 1 winner Novellist (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) picked up for 305,000gns at Tattersalls.
“With Mr. Zhang's farm in Australia he's always on the lookout for some well-bred fillies and we bought two nice Galileo fillies,” Donohoe said. “So if lightning can strike twice we'll be happy.”
Zhang's Irish stable is completed by a handful of older reliable performers like Barbados (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a 5-year-old gelding who was twice stakes-placed last year after being purchased privately from Ballydoyle; 2020 G2 Mooresbridge S. winner Leo De Fury (Ire) (Australia {GB}), who was gelded at the end of the season; and Ancient Spirit (Ger) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a listed winner and twice group placed last year at five.
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