Yulong purchase Caught U Looking set to follow similar path to superstar mare Via Sistina in Australia

Via Sistina was purchased at the same Tattersalls December Sale last year and Yulong are hoping they’ve found another top class galloper in 2024.

Vin Cox splashed out for another promising European import at the Tatts December Mares Sale. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Yulong’s hunt for the next Via Sistina has seen it splash out a massive seven-figure sum at the renowned Tattersalls December Mares’ Sale at Newmarket for a high-class filly that will follow a similar path to Australian racing’s biggest star.

The racing and breeding powerhouse, shopping under the Willingham banner, were big spenders on day one of blue-chip sale after forking out 1.8 million guineas (AU$3.7m) for well-credentialed three-year-old Caught U Looking.

Yulong snapped up Via Sistina at the same sale last year for 2.7 million guineas (AU $5.5m) before sending her to Australia to be conditioned by champion trainer Chris Waller.

Via Sistina has risen through the ranks to become Australia’s No.1 galloper and one of the best in the world.

While Caught U Looking doesn’t boast the same elite resume at the same stage of her career, there are high hopes she can have a similar impact in Australia.

The three-year-old daughter of Harzand is already twice a black-type winner, capturing the Group 3 Weld Park Stakes (1408m) at Curragh last year and this year’s Listed Bluebell Stakes (2,414m) at Naas.

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Dropping in class for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Bluebell Stakes, it's Caught U Looking who bolts up in the hands of @ctkjockey for @tuvastables 🚀 pic.twitter.com/2ODjNyG01M

— Naas Racecourse (@NaasRacecourse) October 13, 2024

“She is a well-performed filly,” Yulong general manager Vin Cox told Tattersalls from the sale.

“A three-year-old filly that we think has a pretty good profile to race on with.

“Our ambition at this stage is probably to send her to Australia and put her on a path not dissimilar to Via Sistina, who we obviously had a lot of success with over the past 12 months.

“We are not suggesting this filly is going to be Via Sistina but we’d love her to (be).

“You have to keep your feet on the ground and hopefully she can win some nice races further down the line.”

Via Sistina has thrived over the past 12 months, claiming five Group 1s including this year’s Cox Plate.

She was rated the best mare in the world and top turf galloper in the latest Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings released last month, rating 127.

It’s a successful formula Yulong hope to follow.

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Via Sistina winning the Cox Plate during the spring. Picture: Vince Caligiuri-Getty Images

“It’s no secret that staying horses in this part of the world perform exceptionally well in Australia,” Cox said.

“This filly is already stakes performed, she can retire to stud irrespective of what happens in Australia and hopefully we can add to her CV and profile.

Cox said there were currently no firm targets for Caught U Looking nor had a trainer been chosen for the filly when she arrives in Australia.

“We will sit on that for a little while yet,” he said.

“James Ferguson did a wonderful job with Via Sistina last year.

“We will probably send her to James, he can look after her for the short term and then we will put her on the plane to Australia.”

Yulong had an abundance of Group 1 successes sharing their talent around to multiple stables during the carnival with Chris Waller, Gary Portelli, Matt Laurie and Anthony and Sam Freedman all training majors for the breeding powerhouse.

Originally published as Yulong purchase Caught U Looking set to follow similar path to superstar mare Via Sistina in Australia