Quannaozi Village, population 120 and situated on the China-Mongolia border in the Gobi Desert, is hardly the first place that comes to mind as the birthplace of a modern horse racing dynasty.
Around one thousand years since Genghis Khan and Marco Polo traversed the Mongolian Steppes, the region has now inspired Quannao native Zhang Yuesheng, whose Yulong operation is fast emerging as an international outfit to match big guns like Coolmore and Godolphin.
Earlier this week, it was reported that three of North America’s best mares – Canadian Horse of the Year Moira along with Full Count Felicia and Anisette – were bound for Australia. They will join Yulong’s rapidly expanding stable, which already includes the world’s best mare Via Sistina and exciting three-year-old Growing Empire – both set for their 2025 debuts on Saturday.
Such has been Zhang’s success in just 17 years since he established the Yulong Group in China that he is among a small coterie of prolific global owner-breeders who have been granted Hong Kong Jockey Club ownership permits. Zhang and South African doyenne Mary Slack were granted the first non-resident permits in 2022 and it has only been expanded to a handful of others, like Germany’s Dr Andreas Jacobs or Sir Peter Vela from New Zealand.
Zhang, 55, has had three Hong Kong runners so far, all trained by Mark Newnham: Happy Valley winner Show Respect, Hong Kong Mile runner Ramadan and Australian stakes placegetter Alsonso, who steps out at Sha Tin on Sunday.
By any measure, it has been a rapid rise for the self-made Chinese billionaire. So where did it all begin?
Zhang grew up in Quannaozi, Zhaozi County, where horses were an agricultural necessity and a mode of transport rather than a sport animal. His ambition soon drove him south to the larger city of Datong at 18 where he first became a taxi driver before beginning work as a coal transportation officer.
By 2000, Zhang had established a coal mining business that quickly expanded into other industries with 14 subsidiaries across sectors like renewable energy, property and petrochemicals. His conglomerate was named Yulong after the ‘white dragon horse’ of Chinese mythology, immortalised in the 16th century epic Journey To The West.
A return to his roots was only natural and in 2008, he established Yulong Horse Group, based at Yulong Horse Park in Youyu – just west of Datong and not far from Quannao. Two years later, he bought his first thoroughbred abroad – an Irish filly named Yulong Baoju, trained by Edward Lynam – but it was being trackside at Flemington for Fiorente’s 2013 Melbourne Cup success that inspired his global vision.
The Yulong colours – jade green and white, because ‘Yu’ (玉) also means jade in Chinese – have since been seen in most major jurisdictions around the world. However, it is Australia where they now have the greatest impact, reaching its zenith with Via Sistina’s Cox Plate win last year.
It has marked quite a turnaround down under. It was only five years ago that the fledgling Yulong operation was seen as a flash in the pan, racing many high-priced yearlings with little success. Like so many big spenders before him, it was expected that Zhang would peter out and his involvement would cease.
Now, Yulong is the biggest breeder in Victoria, building a broodmare band that is the envy of the world and a stallion roster befitting any major stud. Their trophy cabinet is filling up rapidly and their racing stable is becoming even more powerful.
Importantly, though, Zhang is contributing to a new era of globalisation that is making the racing world smaller than ever before. Mares like Via Sistina or Moira would never have raced or gone to stud in Australia previously and the blend of international formlines and pedigrees is a positive for the sport’s future.
It may not be Genghis Khan levels of global domination, but Zhang is well on his way to changing the face of international racing ∎
