Yulong promised he would come and despite speculation, Yulong boss Zhang Yuesheng has arrived on the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions Sale and spent his Sunday inspecting yearlings.
There had been rumours surrounding Mr Zhang after he failed to appear in Australia during the spring for Via Sistina’s second Cox Plate and missed Gewan winning the Dewhurst Stakes in England.
It forced Zhang’s son-in-law and Yulong’s general manager, Jun Zhang to send out a text message to industry participants in October refuting suggestions his father-in-law had been detained in China.
“I just wanted to take a moment to address the recent rumours about Yulong, they’re completely untrue,” Jun wrote in the text.
“Thank you all for your concern and support. I’m sorry this kind of talk has been circulating and causing some unnecessary distraction. Let’s stay focused on what really matters, which is enjoying the racing season and continuing the great work we’re all doing together.”
Yulong has become a major force in the Australian industry in the past decade, starting from nothing to have more than 600 broodmares, stallion and racing stock, including horse of the year, Via Sistina.
Their expansion has driven the bloodstock market in that time so it made the industry nervous when Mr Zhang was rumoured to not be returning.
Magic Millions general manager Barry Bowditch was always confident Mr Zhang would be on the Gold Coast.
“It is his favourite week of the year, and he has been a great friend of Magic Millions,” Bowditch said. “He is a major vendor and buyer, it was great to see him at the sales yard on Sunday.”
“He has some of the best lots in the sale in the Yulong draft, with a couple of Frankels that will draw a lot of interest.”
