Yulong has completed a stud deal for group 1 winner Private Harry, buying 50% of the unbeaten 3-year-old colt in a transaction understood to be worth more than AU$8 million.
Zhang Yuesheng's burgeoning empire and Private Harry's owners Kurrinda Bloodstock signed off on the deal March 28, pending vet checks. Private Harry will stay with his young trainer Nathan Doyle under a sale clause keeping the horse with the Newcastle conditioner for life.
ANZ Bloodstock News understands the deal values Private Harry at a base figure of slightly more than AU$16 million, with performance kickers on top of that. Yulong are keen for the colt to fill their slot in the AU$20 million weight-for-age Everest (G1) at Randwick in October, before he joins their stallion barn at a later date.
The sale represents a huge windfall for the colt's band of 19 mainly small-time owners, who bought into the son of Darley shuttler Harry Angel after Kurrinda purchased him with Doyle for just AU$115,000 at the Inglis Classic Sale in 2023. He is out of the winning Congrats mare Happy Pilgrim.
Yulong beat out other stud farms in a race to sign Private Harry following his breakthrough elite victory in the March 22 Galaxy (G1) at Rosehill. Newgate Farm was understood to have been the closest rival stud to securing the colt but balked at matching Yulong's ultimately successful offer.
That Galaxy win has taken Private Harry's Timeform rating to 119, putting him equal-sixth among current Australian 3-year-olds. Coolmore Stud Stakes (G1) winner Switzerland tops the list at present at 125, ahead of Growing Empire, Lake Forest, and Linebacker at 121, and Broadsiding at 120.
Private Harry is scheduled to contest the April 5 TJ Smith Stakes (G1) going 1,200 meters at Randwick, for which he's currently a AU$4.50 second favorite behind Joliestar.
The colt has had a rapid rise to fame since debuting less than five months ago. He first appeared with a 3 1/2-length win in a Newcastle super maiden going 900 meters Nov. 2, before benchmark wins at Hawkesbury—by seven lengths—and Rosehill.
Private Harry then took a major step up in January by contesting the inaugural edition of AU$3 million Queensland slot race the Sunlight 3YO Plate, and won that by 2 1/2 lengths beating Golden Slipper (G1) winner Lady of Camelot and million-dollar earner Arabian Summer.
After two barrier trial wins, he then won the Galaxy by three-quarters of a length, as a AU$3.50 favorite.
He'll ultimately join Yulong's stallion band, which currently numbers nine, headed by the 22-year-old Written Tycoon, along with young barnmates including Alabama Express and Grunt. Yulong also added two stallions to their collection earlier this month, having purchased Shaquille and Soldier's Call in Britain.
