Imported mare Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never is likely to run for her owner, Yulong Investments, in this year's The Everest, assuming she bounces back to form.
The multiple Group 1 winner failed at her only Australian start in the autumn, finishing 10th in the G1 Queen of the Turf S. at Randwick in April. The 6-year-old looks set to resume in the G2 Sheraco S. at Rosehill on Sept. 9.
“At this stage she is going to head towards an Everest campaign,” co-trainer Adrian Bott told Sky Sports Radio. “A positive run in that race and I think we can link into a race like the Premiere S. as a lead up to The Everest.
“So, the timing will work well but that first-up race will be crucial as to whether we stick to a sprinting campaign or look to stretch her out a little bit later in the preparation.”
BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe purchased Alcohol Free for 5.4 million gns at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale last year.
Yulong will sponsor the G1 Pretty Polly S. at the Curragh in 2023, the racecourse announced on Thursday.
Scheduled for Saturday, July 1, the second day of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival, the race–restricted to fillies and mares–will now be worth €300,000. Owned by Yuesheng Zhang, Yulong will also present a free nomination for 2024 to juvenile Group 1 winner Lucky Vega (Ire) to the owners of the first three placed horses.
Sam Fairgray, COO Yulong Investments said, “Following on from Yulong Stud's involvement in Ireland with Lucky Vega, we are extremely happy to support the Irish racing and breeding industry and look forward to many years of collaboration ahead.”
Zhang's green and white colours have been carried to victory at the Curragh by Magical Lagoon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Irish Oaks in 2022, as well as by current Irish National Stud stallion Lucky Vega, who won the 2020 G1 Phoenix S.
Evan Arkwright, Racing and Sponsorship Manager the Curragh said, “We are very grateful to Mr. Zhang for selecting the Curragh for his first sponsorship in Ireland and appreciate his support of one of the most prestigious races in the Irish racing calendar. The association will further highlight the leading position that Yulong plays on the world's racing stage.”
Offered by Newgate Consignment, Forbidden Love (Aus) (All Too Hard {Aus}) (lot 568) topped Day 1 of the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, selling to Yulong Stud for $4.1 million on a strong day of trade.
The three-time Group 1 winner was one of 35 mares snapped up by the racing and breeding entity, whose total spend was A$19,031,000 on Tuesday. Three other millionaires–there were nine during the first session overall–also made their way into the Yulong fold.
Dual top-level winner Snapdancer (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}) (lot 645), from the Sullivan Bloodstock draft, was acquired for A$3.2 million, while lot 575, Isotope (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), out of a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Yankee Rose (Aus) (All American {Aus}), made A$2.3 million from the Eureka Stud consignment. Yankee Rose's daughter Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) landed her second Classic, the G1 Japanese Oaks, on Sunday. Rounding out the quartet of million-dollar mares for Yulong was Promise Of Success (GB) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 620). The Rosemond Stud draftee won at Group 2 level in Australia, and Yulong shelled out A$1.35 million for the bay from the family of Urban Sea (Miswaki) et al.
Joseph O'Brien has an array of talent to look forward to this season, headed by G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hope Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Group 1 winner Above The Curve (American Pharoah) and smart additions to the stable in Jumbly (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Mooneista (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and Ottilien (Fr) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).
But a yard as big as Owning Hill needs a conveyor belt of youngsters coming through the ranks and O'Brien can boast just that.
Last season's stats back up such a statement. With 31 juvenile winners on the board in that campaign, O'Brien recorded a tally better than every other trainer bar his father Aidan, who was out on his own on 55.
O'Brien has a typically-strong batch of youngsters to look forward to this term and welcomes quality owners like Al Shaqab Racing, Yuesheng Zhang and Kia Ora Stud to the roster.
He commented, “Every year we are trying to increase the quality of horses we have in the yard. The way to do that is by having owners who have the same lofty ambitions that we have. Our owners want to compete at the top level and we are very lucky to have the support of some ambitious and successful people. Hopefully we can justify their support in us.”
O'Brien will not be represented in the opening 2-year-old maiden of the year at the Curragh on Saturday but describes himself as happy with the progression his youngsters are showing at home on the gallops and says that he expects them to be ready to rock and roll in the coming weeks.
He explained, “I think we are pretty much where we usually are with our 2-year-olds. We usually have our first runners in the mid to second half of April and will be aiming to have them in full swing for the summer. We like to think that our 2-year-olds would be better on their fourth run than on their first run and we like to get them to progress throughout the season.”
The 29-year-old has identified 31 juveniles below that have been showing up well at home on the world-famous gallops ahead of the new season.
Al Riffa: a major Classic contender | Racingfotos.com
2-Year-Old Colts Unnamed Pedigree: Acclamation {GB}) colt out of Ramone (Ire) (Marju {Ire}) Bought by: Qatar Racing and China Horse Club from Lynn Lodge Stud for €190,000 at Goffs Orby Owner: Qatar Racing and China Horse Club Comment: Looks a pretty mature horse and shows plenty of pace. We think he will be one of our earlier colts to run this year.
Unnamed Mehmas (Ire) colt out of Box Of Frogs (Ire) (One Cool Cat) Bought by Joseph O'Brien from James O'Mahony from Springwell Stud at Tattersalls Book 2 for 95,000gns Jassim Bin Ali Al Attiyah
A hardy colt who came from Book 2 at Newmarket. He's owned by Jassim Bin Ali Al Attiyah and was purchased by Khalifa Bin Ahmed Alattiyah, so it is the same ownership as Al Riffa, who we are really looking forward to this year. Again, he'd look to be one of our earlier types at this stage and we're very happy with him. We've had a few by the stallion, the best of which was Magnanimous (Ire), who won the Glencairn S. for us before being sold to Hong Kong. I wouldn't have had a lot of horses by Mehmas but he was quite a good one and achieved a rating of 111 over here before doing well in Hong Kong, where he [now called Circuit Stellar] actually won again a couple of weeks ago.
Unnamed Magna Grecia (Ire) colt out of Byron Bay (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) Bought by Stride Racing at Goffs Orby for €65,000 from Camas Park Stud Stride Racing
This horse is owned by Stride Racing, which was founded by Johne Murphy. He is showing us plenty at the moment. He'll run in the first half of the season and looks a nice six/seven-furlong type. Magna Grecia's first runner was a winner in France on Thursday. There hasn't been as much chat about his juveniles compared to some of the other first-season sires but I certainly couldn't fault anything we have seen from them and I think this horse in particular looks to be a pretty smart and mature colt by the stallion.
Unnamed Gleneagles (Ire) colt out of Apache Storm (GB) Pivotal {GB}) Bought by Joseph O'Brien from Moyns Park Stud for 55,000gns at Tattersalls Book 2
We've been very lucky with Gleneagles and this guy is out of a Pivotal mare. We're pretty impressed by what we have seen from him to date. He could be a nice horse for a seven-furlong maiden.
Celestial Reign (Ire) Zoffany (Ire) colt out of Sarawati (Ire) (Haafhd {GB}) Bought by Jim Cockburn and Richard Ryan for €200,000 from Pigeon Park Stud at Goffs Orby Teme Valley
We've obviously had a very successful partnership with Jim and Richard Ryan of Teme Valley over the past number of years and we're hoping that this guy could follow in the same footsteps of some of the good horses we've had for them in the past.
Unnamed Frankel (GB) colt out of Midnight Crossing (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) Bought by BBA Ireland off Kirtlington Stud for 330,000gns at Tattersalls Book 1 Yuesheng Zhang
It's nice to have a horse for Mr. Zhang and the Yulong team. He was bought by Mick Donohoe and will be a horse for the second half of the season but we're very pleased with him. He's our first horse for them and it's great to have a well-bred colt for them. Hopefully we can have some success together.
Al Mudhaffar (Ire) Wootton Bassett (GB) colt out of Fairly Fair (Fr) (Sinndar {Ire}) Bought by Joseph O'Brien for 145,000gns off Corduff Stud at Tattersalls Book 2 Al Shaqab Racing Partnership
He looks a nice colt and is one of the first runners I have for Al Shaqab which is exciting. I have a couple more for them so it's great to have that support. We're excited about the season ahead with them.
Unnamed Ten Sovereigns (Ire) colt out of On Ice (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) Homebred Coolmore partnership
A very nice homebred. We have been impressed by what we have seen of the progeny of Ten Sovereigns and this guy in particular looks to be smart. He is a brother to the stakes-winning Galleria Borghese (Ire) (Caravaggio) and is exciting. I have a bunch of horses by Ten Sovereigns and I'm quite impressed by them. They appear to have plenty of pace and look as though they will get six and seven furlongs. This is just one that I picked out by the sire but there are quite a few by him who are working nicely. This guy is going to be 16.1hh, he's a big strong horse.
Unnamed Teofilo (Ire) colt out of Alnaas (GB) (Dansili {GB}) Bought by Joseph O'Brien for 300,000gns from Pier House Stud at Tattersalls Book 2 Lloyd Williams
A nice horse and one for later in the season. He's owned by Lloyd Williams and obviously he has been lucky with Teofilo, most notably with Twilight Payment (Ire). This looks to be another nice colt and is one for the second half of the season.
Unnamed Camelot (GB) colt out of Wholesome (Lemon Drop Kid) LECH Racing and Annus Mirabilis Racing
He's a lovely, quality horse. Being by Camelot, he'll be a seven furlong to a mile type of horse and we've been quite pleased by what we have seen from him. We've had lots of winners over both codes for LECH Racing and Annus Mirabilis Racing so hopefully this is another to do them proud.
Unnamed No Nay Never colt out of Height Of Elegance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) Bought by Philip Antonacci and Joseph O'Brien for €235,000 from Glenvale Stud at Goffs Orby Euro Liny Syndicate
He's a brother to Queenship (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}), a filly who did well for us a few years ago, and Shadowed (Ire) (Caravaggio), who runs at the Curragh on Saturday. He's owned by the Euro Liny Syndicate and is a very nice colt.
Unnamed Churchill (Ire) colt out of Summerseat Flyer (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}) Bought by Stride Racing for €50,000 from Camas Park at Goffs Orby. Stride Racing
This looks a lovely colt. He's going to start off over seven furlongs and we really like what we are seeing from him. He'll be ready to run in May or June.
Unnamed Invincible Spirit (Ire) colt out of Uleavemebreathless (GB) (Tiger Hill {Ire}) Bought by MyRacehorse from Lynn Lodge Stud for €100,000 at Goffs Orby MyRacehorse
He could be a six/seven-furlong type and we're quite pleased with everything we have seen of him.
Unnamed Wootton Bassett (GB) colt out of A Mist Opportunity (Aus) (Foxwedge {Aus}) Bought by Blandford Bloodstock and Joseph O'Brien at the October Yearling Sales at Arqana for €135,000 Nick Williams and partnership
He was bought with Stuart Boman in Arqana and looks a nice colt for the first half of the season. He's trained up nicely.
Unnamed Wootton Bassett colt out of Zalia (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) Bought by Alex Elliott for €165,000 Nick Williams and partnership
He came from Baden-Baden in Germany and was bought by Alex Elliott. Again, he is owned in a partnership with Nick Williams and is a nice colt for the second half of the season.
Joseph O'Brien | Tattersalls
2-Year-Old Fillies Unnamed Advertise (GB) filly out of Treeline (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) Bought for €300,000 by Dan Hayden for Blue Devil Racing from Rathbarry Stud at Goffs Orby Blue Devil Racing
This is a very nice filly and was bought by Dan Hayden for Mark Holiday of Blue Devil Racing at Goffs. She was an outstanding physical and, at the moment, looks pretty smart. She's going to be an early filly.
Sioux Me (Ire) Sioux Nation filly out of Emerald Isle (Fr) Exceed And Excel {Aus}) Bought by Bronson Racing for €72,000 from Mountarmstrong Stud at Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale Bronson Racing
We've had some success with Sioux Nation already and this is a particularly forward filly by him. She shows lots of speed and is owned by Bronson Racing, which is Neil Sands and family, so it would be great if she turns out to be nice for them. She will be one of our earliest fillies.
Unnamed Zoustar (Aus) filly out of Madernia (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}) Bought by Kia Ora Stud for 110,000gns at Tattersalls Book 2 Kia Ora Stud
It's great to have horses for Kia Ora Stud. She will run in the first third of the season. We had a nice colt called Alexis Zorba (GB) by Zoustar last season and hopefully this filly can show up well as the season goes on.
Unnamed Karakontie (Jpn) filly out of Kodiak West (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) Bought by Justin Casse for $75,000 off Gainesway at the Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale Magnolia Racing
She looks a pretty forward type of filly. She's a Karakontie out of a Kodiac mare which is an interesting cross and we're looking forward to her this season.
Unnamed Dark Angel (Ire) filly out of Summer Daydream (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) Bought by Hanshen Tham of Pattern Bloodstock for 85,000gns from Grangemore Stud at Tattersalls Book 2 Hanshen Tham
She was bought by Hanshen Tham, who had Thornbrook (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) with us last year and is obviously a very good judge. We've had quite a bit of success together and hopefully this filly can continue that. Thornbrook will run in the Guineas trial at Leopardstown on Apr, 2, all being well.
Unnamed Zoffany (Ire) filly out of Kiss Me Daily (Fr) (Reliable Man {GB}) Bought by Badgers Bloodstock for 75,000gns from Ballyhimikin Stud at Tattersalls Somerville Sale Dean Reeves and Sven and Carina Hanson
She looks to be very nice and is very natural in her training. She will be a mid-summer filly but she is doing things particularly easy.
Grand Job Justify filly out of Sure Route (GB) (Ishiguru) Bought for $105,000 by Fergus Galvin off Four Star Sales at Keeneland September Yearling Sale Coolmore partnership
This filly is showing up well and is showing a lot of pace. We won't run her too early but we like what we see from her.
Unreasonable (Ire) No Nay Never filly out of Silent Thoughts (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) Newtown Anner Stud
She is a sister to Neptune Rock (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), who won a stakes race for us last year. She was bought by PJ Colville on behalf of Newtown Anner Stud for 375,000gns at Tattersalls Book 1 and is a very natural filly. She's done everything very easily and looks pretty smart at this stage.
Promptly (Ire) Kingman (GB) filly out of Amser (GB) (Frankel {GB}) Homebred Scott Heider
She is a homebred of Scott Heider's, who we have had a lot of success with. Ted Durcan and David Lanigan bought the mare in foal to Kingman for 160,000gns and it's a lovely Juddmonte pedigree. She is a filly for the mid-season but has done her training very nicely to-date.
Bonbon (Ire) Footstepsinthesand (GB) filly out of Under Offer (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}) Glamour And Glory Racing
She's a sister to Basil Martini (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), who is a smart filly for us. She is owned by the Glamour And Glory Syndicate, which is headed by Tamso Doyle. This is a forward type and could be one of our first fillies to run this year. She shows plenty of speed.
Kelbelle (Ire) Inns Of Court (Ire) filly out of Ziggy's Secret (GB) (Sakhee's Secret {GB}) Bought by Highflyer Bloodstock for €100,000 off Tally-Ho Stud at Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale Simon Munir and Isaac Souede
She was bought by Anthony Bromley for Simon Munir and Isaac Souede who we have had quite a bit of luck with. Anthony is a great judge and this is a lovely filly. She will be a mid-season type but looks a lovely prospect.
Unnamed Invincible Spirit (Ire) filly out of Faay (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) Made 80,000gns from Whatton Manor Stud at Tattersalls Book 2 Shapoor Mistry
Bought by Anthony Stroud for Shapoor Mistry, who we had a lot of success with courtesy of Thundering Nights (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). We also have a nice 3-year-old filly for them as well. This is a nice prospect for them.
Unnamed Kodiac (GB) filly out of My Brunette (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}) Bought by Philip Antonacci from Wardstown Stud for €32,000 at Goffs Orby EuroLindy Syndicate
She looks quite forward and gets into those auction races as well. She looks an early runner and is precocious.
Unnamed Kessaar (Ire) filly out of Chellalla (GB) (Elnadim) Bought by John McCormack for €110,000 off Galbertstown Stables at Goffs Orby Healthy Wood Company, Ltd.
She is a lovely filly and will be one for the middle to second half of the season. We've been lucky with John before and we're looking forward to seeing what she can do in the second half of the season. I have two Kessaars this year, the first I have had by the stallion, so we will be learning about them this year.
Unnamed Starspangledbanner filly out of Balakera (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) Bought for €330,000 off Glenvale Stud at Goffs Orby John Oxley
She was bought by Justin Casse for Mr. Oxley, who owned Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) with us. She looks to be a pretty forward type of filly and shows plenty of pace. She will run in the first half of the season and we like what we have seen from her.
Unnamed Exceed And Excel (Aus) filly out of Sa Mola (Ger) (Dabirsim {Fr}) Bought by Justin Casse from Killourney Mor Farm at Goffs Orby for €130,000 Eric Long
This filly is owned by Eric Long, who also owns Zoinnocent (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) with us. She is another nice-moving filly who we are excited about. She'll be out in the first half of the season.
