Devil Night and Private Harry to stand at Yulong’s new Hunter Valley base as 2026 fees released
Having acquired the Hunter Valley’s Segenhoe Stud, Yulong have revealed that their two new stallion prospects, Devil Night (Extreme Choice) and Private Harry (Harry Angel), will stand on its inaugural New South Wales roster at the culmination of their racing careers this season – with the fees for both yet to be announced.
A $1.4 million Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling, Devil Night is by the outstanding subfertile sire Extreme Choice (Not A Single Doubt) and secured his future at stud with a rousing success in the 2025 Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), becoming the first two-year-old since his great grandsire Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) to win the Blue Diamond at only their second start.
He returned at three to place at Group level on three further occasions, including a third placing in the William Reid Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) – showcasing his ability at weight-for-age level. His most recent start saw him run second behind The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m) runner-up and Surround Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m) victor Tempted (Street Boss) in the Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (Gr 2, 1200m).
“Brilliance, precocity, quality and temperament, all words I’d use to describe Devil Night,” John Hawkes, who trains Devil Night in partnership with his sons Michael and Wayne, said.
“We’ve enjoyed training him, he’s so genuine and honest. Our job has been made easy when they are natural like this bloke. I really think he’ll make a very good stallion.”
Meanwhile, fellow newcomer Private Harry also heads to the barn with a Group 1 success, having landed the 2025 The Galaxy (Gr 1, 1100m) in the fastest time recorded this century, just 0.16 seconds short of the Rosehill track record.
Also a winner of the $3 million Magic Millions Sunlight (1100m), defeating Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m) winner Lady Of Camelot (Written Tycoon), the son of Harry Angel (Dark Angel) was unbeaten at three and is the first son of his sire to retire to stud.
“These are two exceptional colts who bring different but equally valuable profiles to our roster,” Yulong’s chief operating officer, Sam Fairgray, said.
“Devil Night is a Group 1-winning two-year-old who trained on to beat elite sprinters at weight-for-age, while Private Harry offers consistency at a high level, and some of the fastest sectionals we’ve seen in recent years.
“The profile and commercial appeal of these two colts could further enhance in the coming weeks, with both looking to build on their records in Group 1’s later this Autumn.
“Both are outstanding physical types with great minds, and they represent exactly what the market is demanding – speed, precocity, and the ability to perform at the highest level.”
Headlining Yulong’s inaugural NSW roster will be Alabama Express (Redoute’s Choice), who will stand at an unchanged fee of $66,000 (all fees inc GST).
The son of champion sire Redoute’s Choice will be returning to the place of his upbringing, having been born and raised at Segenhoe’s neighbouring Arrowfield Stud.
Alabama Express’ rise through the ranks continued this season, with his star first-crop daughter Treasurethe Moment adding a fourth elite-level win in the Memsie Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m), while three-year-old McWoody claimed the Port Adelaide Guineas (Listed, 1800m), and juvenile colt Alibaba marked himself as one for the future with a win in the Blue Diamond Preview (C&G) (Listed, 1000m) and third placing in the Inglis Millennium (RL, 1100m).
Meanwhile, his progeny sold for up to NZ$850,000 at Karaka and averaged over $500,000 at Inglis Easter.
Alabama Express will be joined in the Hunter Valley by proven Group sires Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa), who will stand unchanged at $22,000, and Lucky Vega (Lope De Vega), who sees his fee reduced to $27,500 from last year’s $38,500.
Tagaloa’s progeny hit the ground running this season, with the Blue Diamond winner producing Group-winning first-crop fillies Salty Pearl and Spicy Lu, plus Group performances from four further first-crop runners and stakes placings from two-year-olds Vahvay and Miss Chanel – the latter second at Group 1 level.
Group 1-winning shuttler Lucky Vega, who was crowned Champion Victorian First Season Sire in 2025 following the exploits of his daughter Within The Law, has continued his strong start at stud. Three-year-old colt That’s Gold claimed two Group wins while juvenile filly Cherry Bomshell took out the Percy Sykes (Gr 2, 1200m) on the final day of the Sydney Autumn Carnival.
Yulong’s Nagambie base in Victoria will see stud stalwart Written Tycoon (Iglesia) remain private for the 2026 season, covering a small and select group of Yulong mares only.
Rising 24, the nine-time Victorian Champion Sire and former Australian Champion Sire has produced star Kiwi filly Well Written from his latest crop of three-year-olds, alongside Group-winning colts Grand Prairie and Tycoon Star. Among his two-year-olds to run in 2026 are the progeny of Away Game (Snitzel), the late Hungry Heart (Frankel) and a full-sibling to Tycoon Star – who sold for $1.3 million at Inglis Easter Sale.
“He’s in great shape considering his age, he still gallops across his paddock every morning with a smile on his face,” Sam Fairgray said of Written Tycoon.
“Everything is on his terms now, and the team are very attuned to that, he’s a firm favourite on the stallion unit and they do a great job keeping him a happy healthy horse.”
Also remaining alongside Written Tycoon will be Pierata (Pierro), who heads the 2026 Victorian roster at a reduced fee of $33,000.
Since his arrival to Yulong in 2023, Pierata has covered the cream of Australasia’s race mares with two-year-olds out of Belle En Rouge (Burgundy), Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock), Greysful Glamour (Stratum) and Catch Me (I Am Invincible) all expected to make their debuts this spring, and his progeny continue to prove a popular commodity at auction, being knocked down for up to $450,000.
Another new addition in Vinrock (I Am Invincible) adds elite juvenile form to the roster, as the first horse in 44 years to claim both the VRC Sires’ (Gr 2, 1400m) and ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 1, 1400m).
Breeders have already poured into the recently announced son of I Am Invincible (Invincible Spirit), who will be standing at an introductory fee of $22,000 this season.
Foundation sire Grunt (O’Reilly) continues to hold his own, as a reliable source of winners, providing George Ryder Stakes (Grunt) winner Veight from his first crop, Tulloch Stakes (Gr 2, 2000m) victor Pocketing from his second, and VRC Oaks (Gr 1, 2500m) heroine Strictly Business from his third. He drops slightly to $16,500 this season, from $19,800 last year.
Japanese import Diatonic (Lord Kanaloa) will be available at an unchanged fee of $13,750. His first yearlings sold up to a staggering $650,000, and averaged over seven-times their conception fee.
Dual international Group 1 scorer Panthalassa (Lord Kanaloa) returns to Yulong for his third season at an unchanged fee of $16,500.
The son of champion sire Lord Kanaloa (King Kamehameha) attracted plenty of admirers at the Yulong stallion parade last season and Sam Fairgray was equally complimentary on his first crop.
“One thing that stands out is the movement of the Panthalassas. They are very athletic horses, well balanced and with quality,” Fairgray said.
“Interestingly, when you look at the mares they are out of, he has dominated and stamped his progeny, all bay/brown with nice heads like their sire. They have good frames too and if they continue to develop into themselves, we will have a lovely group of yearlings by him to sell in 2027.”
Rounding out the Victorian roster are Group winners Growing Empire (Zoustar) and First Settler (Written Tycoon), both expecting their first foals in 2026 after strong support in their debut seasons.
Group 1 performer Growing Empire proved a popular addition in 2025, as Victoria’s most popular first season sire, covering 182 mares, and remains at $22,000.
Meanwhile Group 2 scorer First Settler also attracted a solid book of 142 and also sees his fee unchanged at $11,000.