Yulong Investments did some Extreme Choice prospecting at this week’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, buoyed by the condition of the colt of his who won this year’s Blue Diamond Stakes for them.
Devil Night, who this year carried Yulong’s green and white colours to victory in Victoria’s only two-year-old Group 1 of the year in February, is back in work and building to spring.
He has not started since finishing fifth in the March 22 Golden Slipper, won by Marhoona, and Yulong’s chief operating officer Sam Fairgray is excited about what’s ahead for the John, Wayne and Michael Hawkes-trained colt.
“He looks fantastic and spelled really well,” Fairgray said.
“John said he was very raw and what he’s done was on purely ability.
“With experience and maturity, we might see a further furnished article.”
Devil Night’s only starts prior to the Golden Slipper were his Blue Diamond win and debut second placing in the Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude.
The $1.4m yearling is likely to be given the chance to emulate Star Witness and Sepoy as Blue Diamond winners to also claim the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Derby Day but what is to be decided is how he gets there.
“That’s the ultimate aim with a horse like him, but we’ll just see how he comes up,” Fairgray said.
“Obviously there’s a couple of good options also in Sydney, but John will figure out what’s best for him.
“He’s already a Group 1 winner, so it’s just a matter of looking after him and running in all the right races.”
Just five mares in-foal to Extreme Choice were offered at the National Sale and Yulong bought three of them, including Frankel mare Call Di, who topped Wednesday’s mares-in-foal section at $2.1 million.
They also paid for $1.3m for Finepoint, a daughter of Pins, and $900,000 for Ravisher, a daughter of I Am Invincible.
“Because they’re a rare commodity everybody’s looking for them,” Fairgray said of mares in-foal to the Newgate sire sensation.
“If you can get a good colt by him then I think he’s going to be very, very valuable.”
