YLANG YLANG BLOSSOMS IN GROUP 1 FILLIES' MILE
YLANG YLANG (GB) secured her first Group 1 victory today in the bet365 Fillies’ Mile on day one of the Dubai Future Champions Festival at Newmarket.
The two-year-old dug deep as she overhauled the two in front of her inside the final furlong to win by half a length. The favourite SHUWARI was second with a further three-quarters of a length back to SEE THE FIRE (GB) who faded into third.
The daughter of FRANKEL (GB) was bred at Graham Smith-Bernal’s Newsells Park Stud in partnership with Craig Bennett’s Merry Fox Stud who purchased the dam, SHAMBOLIC from Highclere Stud for 800,000 guineas at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale in 2019.
Ylang Ylang is the first offspring bred out of the mare and made 1,500,000 guineas when selling to MV Magnier and White Birch Farm at the 2022 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1.
Juddmonte Farms stallion Frankel has now sired 27 Group winners in 2023 and remains the top stallion in the world. He has sired three of the last five winners of the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile and Ylang Ylang becomes his 33rd top-level scorer.
Speaking to Great British Racing International, Julian Dollar, General Manager of Newsells Park Stud said:
“It is very exciting, she is the first foal and Shambolic is a young mare. We try to set the bar high and breed Group 1 winners, but we had not bred one for nearly two years so from the stud’s point of view, it almost feels like a relief, we felt we were overdue one.
“It was special for Graham [Smith-Bernal] because it was the first Group 1 winner to come out of the farm since he purchased the stud. It’s special for him and Craig [Bennett] as they get along very well and it is the first one they bred in partnership. Craig is very passionate about his racing and breeding, so to have two guys who have such a love for the sport and a passion for breeding is lovely.”
Last week, Newsells Park Stud were leading consigner at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 for the sixth year in a row. They sold the half-brother to Ylang Ylang by KINGMAN (GB) to Qatar Racing and China Horse Club for 425,000 guineas.
Dollar commented:
“Being leading consignor is not something we look to achieve. We are lucky to bring such nice yearlings to the sales. The Kingman colt is a bit bigger, he is a beautiful horse. I am delighted he went to a great home. We don’t want him to be known as an expensive yearling, we want him to be known as a Group performer or winner, that is what it is all about for us. We need the sale because it keeps the engine turning, but we are most proud of breeding good horses and that’s what makes afternoons like today the most special.”
On Frankel’s continued success as a sire at the very highest level, Dollar added:
“Frankel is just phenomenal. This year is arguably his best year so far. What a great horse he was to watch racing and what a stallion he now is. Newmarket is so lucky to have operations like Juddmonte standing stallions like Frankel and Kingman and also HH Sheikh Mohammed having Darley and their great stallions, plus Cheveley Park Stud and Lanwades Stud. We must be grateful for them all.”