Yulong Investments acquire Steve Parkin’s Newmarket-based stallions Soldier’s Call and Shaquille
Group 1 Commonwealth and July Cup winner Shaquille and exciting third-season sire Soldier’s Call have been purchased by Yulong Investments to continue their stud careers at Dullingham Park.
The ownership of the Newmarket stud farm has been the subject of much speculation, with both Yulong and Kia Joorabchian of Amo Racing said to be in talks to acquire it from Steve Parkin, but Yulong Investments on Friday made no mention of the sizeable property, only the two stallions.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to welcome Shaquille and Soldier’s Call into the Yulong fold,” said Paul Curran, Yulong’s European representative.
“Yulong Investments is deeply passionate about breeding elite racehorses and spares no effort in ensuring its stallions are positioned for greatness. These two exceptional sires will be supported by an elite broodmare band, giving them every opportunity to succeed and leave an enduring mark on future bloodlines.”
In recent years, Yulong has developed a significant stallion base around Nagambie, in Victoria, Australia, where its Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner Lucky Vega stands the southern hemisphere season.
His first Australian-conceived crop are two-year-olds and includes the Group 2 winner Within The Law. The venerable Written Tycoon heads their Australian stallion roster, while Lucky Vega shuttles to the Irish National Stud for the northern hemisphere season and will be represented by his first European runner on Sunday.
Dullingham Park was purchased by Parkin and placed under the stewardship of Ollie Fowlston, recruiting the 2023 dual Group 1 winner Shaquille as its first stallion ahead of the 2024 season.
Soldier’s Call, a multiple Group-winning sprinter for Parkin’s Clipper Logistics who was also placed in the Prix de l’Abbaye at two, was relocated by Parkin from Joe Foley’s Ballyhane Stud, where he had begun his stallion career, to stand alongside Shaquille for the 2024 breeding season.
Parkin and Foley have been engaged in a legal dispute that has resulted in both parties taking action against each other in the High Court in Dublin. Last month Parkin’s injunction to have Sands Of Mali removed from Ballyhane to Starfield Stud pending the outcome of a case over the legal ownership of the Group 1 winner was rejected by the High Court. Sands Of Mali remains at Ballyhane Stud.
Earlier this year it was reported that Dullingham Park was on the market, with both Yulong and Joorabchian mentioned as potential buyers. However, the communication from Yulong referred only to the horses and not the farm itself.
Curran, however, said: “The team at Dullingham Park are open to discussing mares for both of their exceptional stallions. They invite interested breeders to get in touch.”
He added: “This move underscores Yulong’s long-term ambition to be at the forefront of the global breeding industry. With strategic planning and a commitment to excellence, we’re confident these stallions will leave a lasting legacy.
”This acquisition reinforces Yulong Investments’ commitment to elevating the standards of breeding and racing, solidifying its presence as a powerhouse in the international thoroughbred industry.”
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