Zhang honoured for profitable purchase at Irish owners' awards

Chinese-based businessman Zhang Yuesheng collected the trophy given for best value purchase at the sales, in association with Goffs, at the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners awards on Saturday.

The award honoured Zhang buying the Casamento filly Whitefountainfairy for just €3,000 at last year's Goffs Sportsman's Yearling Sale and reselling her to King Power Racing for €300,000 at the Goffs London Sale after she won a Fairyhouse maiden in taking style in June.

Zhang was at the awards in person to collect his prize, presented by Goffs chairman Eimear Mulhern.

He said: "I'm very thankful for this award and for all the support I've been given, especially from Goffs, Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, BBA Ireland and all the Irish companies and individuals who have helped develop YuLong and the thoroughbred industry in mainland China."

Zhang, who races under the name YuLong Investments, is in Ireland to support the Goffs Horses in Training Sale and Open Yearling Sale, which takes place from Tuesday until Thursday, with guidance from Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland.

“It's great to see Mr Zhang recognised by the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners and Goffs with this award," said Donohoe.

"When he first came over to Ireland, we picked up around 40 yearlings from across the Sportsman's and Horses in Training Sales and had been lucky to have plenty of success with a number of them.

"He's over here this week to support the sales again and the plan will be to assess each individual after purchase before deciding whether they remain in training here in Ireland or if they are shipped to China in due course.”

Among Zhang's other purchases in Ireland has been Yulong Gold Fairy, a two-year-old Mount Nelson filly bought for €8,000 at last year's Sportman's Sale and trained by Dermot Weld to win the valuable Foran Equine Irish EBF Auction Race Final at Naas this month by an impressive six lengths.

Goffs Group chief executive Henry Beeby said: "Mr Zhang's support of Goffs and Irish Bloodstock in recent years has been enormous, and the industry is in his debt. I was delighted to visit his Yulong Racecourse earlier this year and was very impressed with the entire set-up as well as the very high standards he has ensured in every area. The horses looked magnificent and the racing was exciting and competitive, while I was made to feel extremely welcome".

Mr Zhang, owner of Yulong Racecourse in the Shanxi province on mainland China, is also developing a sales complex with state-of-the-art stables and facilities being shipped from Ireland.

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