Photo: Race Images
The curtain has been drawn on the racing career of multiple Group One winner Grail Seeker (NZ) (Iffraaj), with the daughter of Iffraaj to join the broodmare band at Yulong following her private sale.
The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained mare was crowned New Zealand’s Champion Sprinter/Miler in season 2024-25 following victories in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) and Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m).
The lightly raced five-year-old won four of her 16 starts and boasts a victory in the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) in addition to being four-times stakes placed, signing off with a third placing in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) in January.
A granddaughter of Group One winner Stella Cadente, Grail Seeker has likely run her last race.
“We will probably send her to stud I would think,” Yulong’s Chief Operating Officer Sam Fairgray said.
“She is a good looking mare and a fast Group One winning mare. If she leaves foals like herself, they will be very popular at yearling sales.”
Photo: Race Images (Kenton Wright)
Meanwhile, Fairgray is looking forward to seeing the Yulong-owned Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park) race for the first time on Australian soil when she steps out in the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
The last start Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner transferred from the O’Sullivan-Scott stable to Chris Waller and finished sixth in a trial over 1050m at Randwick last week.
“She trialed very well, seems happy and has settled in well,” Fairgray said. “James McDonald was very complimentary of her after the trial and will take the ride this weekend.
“Chris has been happy with her. She is very relaxed around the stables, and he is very positive about the weekend.”
While the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner will continue her preparation, ownership mate Autumn Glory (NZ) (Ocean Park) will likely head to the spelling paddock.
Winner of the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m) and runner-up in both the New Zealand Oaks and Derby, Autumn Glory will join the stable of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.
“Autumn Glory has arrived in Australia,” Fairgray said. “She will head out and have a break and we will get her ready for the spring.
“She had done a lot in this preparation. She ran in the Oaks and the Derby and we just felt it best to give her some time out now while it is still warm and let her furnish further and she is a filly that is going to be progressive in the spring.”
Yulong also share in the ownership of the Stephen Marsh-trained Well Written (Written Tycoon), who narrowly won the $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie earlier this month with the unbeaten filly now enjoying a well-deserved break.
“She has still got so much upside as she is not the complete professional racehorse just yet,” Fairgray said.
“She is having a little break in New Zealand and Stephen Marsh will get her back in and plot a plan through the spring.”
The A$10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Randwick on October 31 shapes as the logical target for rising four-year-old.
“I think it has got to be a target for her for the spring,” Fairgray said. “When it is restricted to age group and worth that sort of money, you have got to be headed that way.”
The Chris Wood-trained That’s Gold (Lucky Vega), who sported the Yulong bottle green and white for the first time when a gallant sixth in the New Zealand Derby is likely to continue his racing career in Hong Kong.
The gelded son of Lucky Vega ran out a ready winner of the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) and looks ideally suited to next season’s four-year-old series.
“Things can change, but Hong Kong is the likely plan for him at this stage,” Fairgray said.
