Yulong Stud

The last piece of Everest puzzle has fallen into place with news Yulong will  fill their slot for the $20million sprint on October 19 with three year-old Zoustar colt Growing Empire.

Two promising colts, First Settler and Reserve Bank, trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, fought out the finish of Saturday's Group II Danehill Stakes (1100m at Flemington and are expected to face off again in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Exciting Zoustar colt Growing Empire ticked another box when stepping out on rain affected ground for the first time at Flemington on Saturday and showed a brilliant change of gear to lead home previously unbeaten colt First Settler to give Yulong a quinella in the Listed VRC Poseidon Stakes (1100m)

Exciting Zoustar colt Growing Empire showed the promise of good things to come last season when he won two stakes races from just three starts and the Yulong flagbearer returned in scintillating form on Saturday at Caulfield to win the Group III MRC McNeil Stakes (1200m) eased down.

Yulong’s striking Written Tycoon colt First Settler kept his record at a perfect two-for-two with a hard-fought win in the VRC Member Russell Dawson Plate (1000m) down the Flemington straight.

There seems to be a weekly unearthing of promising 2-year-olds by Written Tycoon, and First Settler added his name to the mix when making a hugely impressive debut in Saturday’s Sportsbet Photo Finish Refund Hcp (100m) at Caulfield.

After five jump-outs dating back to last October, the wraps come off the Written Tycoon colt First Settler in Saturday’s Sportsbet Photo Finish Refund Hcp (1000m) at Caulfield.

The Zoustar colt Growing Empire continued on a rapid upward trajectory and will head to a winter break after a four-and-a-half length romp in Saturday's Group III Breeders' Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville.

Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar racked up a milestone on Saturday at Moonee Valley posting his 50th stakes-winner when talented colt Growing Empire scored a stylish victory in the Listed MVRC Valley Pearl (1200m) carrying the Yulong colours.

Te Akau Racing’s unbeaten filly Captured By Love is set to face her sternest test to date when she heads to Ellerslie on Saturday to contest the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m).

The $1,100,000 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale topper Crosswinds made a winning start to his career when outclassing three opponents in the Pipe Pro Directional Drill Maiden (1100m) at Ballarat on Tuesday.

Winless in six starts since capturing the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes nearly twelve months ago, the three-year-old Lord Kanaloa colt Tagaloa was back to somewhere near his best in Saturday's Group III CS Hayes Stakes at Flemington.

Trained by the Victorian-based New Zealanders Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, conceived in Japan and ridden by former champion New Zealand jockey Michael Walker, the Lord Kanaloa colt Tagaloa repelled the challenge of the favourite Hanseatic in Saturday’s $1,500,000 Group 1 Neds Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield.

More than likely another stallion stall will be cleaned out at Arrowfield Stud to house the progressive colt Alabama Express who became the first three-year-old since All Too Hard in 2013 to claim the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, a race won 20 years ago by his legendary sire Redoute's Choice.

Woodside Park Stud received a nice update for the Written Tycoon colt they will be offering at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale when his two-year-old full brother Marnix made an impressive winning career debut over 1250 metres at Geelong on Friday.

Five heats for juveniles at Randwick on Thursday produced plenty of interesting winners including an expensive I Am Invincible colt carrying the China Horse Club Colours and a blue-blooded colt by Written Tycoon.

Patience was a virtue for Hugh Bowman on the Written Tycoon gelding Hightail who spent the first half of Friday’s Listed Gosford Guineas (1200m) dawdling near the rear of the field before being given a wake-up at the 300 metres to chase down his stalemate Battleground.

With the $500,000 Inglis Nursery taking centre stage at Randwick on Saturday, Magic Millions contenders had to look further afield with impressive debut winners at Kembla and Morphettville no doubt harbouring dreams of a trip to the Gold Coast next month.