Last season’s Champion New Zealand Two-Year-Old Velocious will join the star-studded broodmare band at Yulong in Victoria after being purchased by the farm off Inglis Digital for A$1.625 million. 

Bred by Inglewood Stud, Velocious was initially purchased out of their 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft by Go Racing for $190,000, who entrusted the filly to the care of Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh.  

The daughter of Written Tycoon went on to win four of her six starts as a juvenile, headlined by victories in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), and Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m). 

She returned as a three-year-old where she put in a couple of subpar runs and subsequently underwent a wind operation, then returned to the track in March where she won first-up at Te Aroha and added another win to her record at Te Rapa in May, which sealed her ticket to the Queensland Winter Carnival. 

She was unplaced in the Listed Queensland Day Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm and the decision was made to retire the filly, who won $980,550 from 13 starts. 

“She debuted at Te Rapa at long odds and came out and won,” Go Racing General Manager Matt Allnutt said. “When she won that race our eyes were firmly on the Karaka Million and to go there and win that race was exceptional, and to win the Group One was the icing on the cake. 

“Her two-year-old season was phenomenal, Stephen Marsh did a fantastic job, it was almost a perfect campaign. 

“She won two handicap races here (as a three-year-old following her wind operation) and we thought we were back on track. After her win at Te Rapa, we took her to Australia and unfortunately after her race over there we had her scoped and saw that things were all starting to pack up again. 

“We tossed up whether to operate again, but we had done it once and it had failed, so we did the right thing and retired her.” 

Velocious was subsequently offered on Inglis Digital where she attracted substantial interest, but it was Yulong Investments that came out on top with their final bid of A$1.625 million. 

“Mr Zhang (Yulong Investments principal) has followed her for a few months now to see what was happening with her and when she finally came onto the market, he was very keen to explore those options,’’ Yulong’s Sam Fairgray said.  

“Velocious was a high class two-year-old, we own the mare (Parmalove) and she’s carrying a full sibling to her now, so it’s great to have Velocious joining the farm as well. 

“I think she’ll (Velocious) likely visit More Than Looks, it appears to be a really nice mating there.” 

Allnutt was rapt with the result and said it far exceeded their expectations. 

“It was bittersweet, having to cut her career short and sell her, but it was a really good result for the syndicate,” he said. 

“We thought she would make A$1 million and were optimistic that she would make A$1.5 million, but we didn’t really see her going past that level. 

“Once she reached the reserve, and the bidding really got underway, it was great viewing. When she went past A$1.5 million I thought ‘where is this going stop?’ We were rapt with the result. 

“Her mother, Parmalove, is there (Yulong) now and Written Tycoon (sire) is there as well, so it is quite fitting that is where she is going.” 

It was Go Racing’s second high-profile sale this year after their Group One darling Atishu was also purchased by Yulong Investments at Magic Millions’ National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast in May for A$2.7 million. 

“The syndicate made the decision (to continue racing her for another season) and the decision paid off,” Allnutt said. “She won another Group One and had another couple of Group One placings.  

“While her value may have gone down through racing her for another season, I think the thrills, excitement and fun the syndicate got out of racing her was something money can’t buy. 

“That syndicate has formed some fantastic friendships through Atishu’s career and it is great to see people come together for a common cause and enjoy their time together.” 

Allnutt has been rapt with the way the season has gone for the New Zealand-based syndicator, who has a major presence in Australia, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. 

“This season we have sold two superstars in Atishu and Velocious, but we have got a really nice team of young horses coming through,” he said. “We are well over 50 winners for the season and returning $10 million in earnings back to our syndicates. 

“Our UK side of the business is going from strength-to-strength. We had another really impressive winner up there overnight with Omni Man winning at Goodwood. 

“It was some win by Omni Man, he showed such a good turn of foot over 2400m, and he looks to be really exciting. I was speaking with Albert (Bosma, Go Racing) and he put him in the same bracket as Atishu at the same stage of her career. 

“Before tonight, our last seven runners up in Ireland we had six winners. We have formed a great relationship with Joseph O’Brien and Stuart Bowman from Blandford Bloodstock.” 

Allnutt said Go Racing has a good pool of exciting young horses and he is looking forward to seeing what they can do on the track in the new season. 

“We have got more two and three-year-olds than we have ever had, which is exciting, and I am really looking forward to the season ahead,” he said.