The Black Book: China Horse Club unearth a new industry player and 2YO talent

By Anthony Manton

The Black Book will identify race performances around Australia particularly worth following in the future. These may be high profile runners at trials and smaller tracks, or eye-catching performances, we'll aim to give you a horse to add to your pedigree or performance black book for the future.

The powerful China Horse Club have teamed up with a new player to the game, Yitai Racing. On Monday morning at Wyong trials Yitai Racing had only their second horse step out publicly with Yitai Synergy (Dissident) showing ability.

China Horse Club have become a major racing figure over the last few years with Group I success in Australia and abroad. Founded in 1997, Inner Mongolia Yitai Coal is one of the largest coal enterprises in China, and this year made their first venture into horse racing alongside China Horse Club.

Purchased by Snowden Racing for $260,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions Yearling Sales, Yitai Synergy had her first public trial Monday morning displaying professionalism and talent in the 845m event.

Ridden by Corey Brown, Yitai Synergy began well possessing tactical speed. She was balanced around the tight Wyong circuit to easily win her heat under a strong hold.

Brown was impressed with his first look at the daughter of Dissident.

“I gave her a squeeze when the barriers opened and I got a fright, she went like a rocket. She was running on fear a bit early but came back underneath me mid trial, railed well and did everything right”.

Yitai Synergy quickened nicely down the short home straight and stopped the clock at 34.25 seconds for her last 600 metres under no pressure, the fastest of the four 2-year-old heats and one of the quickest sectionals of the morning from the seventeen heats.

“She’s got great early speed which is a huge asset in 2-year-old racing and she handled the Wyong track perfectly. It’s always good to give them a look at the track before those features races,” said Brown.

Yitai Synergy will make her debut in eight days in the $200,000 Magic Millions 2-year-old Classic over 1100 metres at Wyong on December 12 and ultimately be aimed at the Gold Coast $2,000,000 Magic Millions Classic over 1200 metres.

Bookmakers reacted to the trial by posting Yitai Synergy at $26 for the Magic Millions 2-year-old Classic at the Gold Coast on January 12.

Yitai Synergy is the second foal of Longing, a Lonhro mare who only raced three times but her grand dam Hinting (Danzero) was Group 1 placed. She is a close relation to multiple stakes winner Lucky Secret (Rubiton), a fourteen-time winner who was unbeaten in her first seven starts.

Yitai Racing also race a colt by Wandjina with China Horse Club, trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, purchased at the 2018 Magic Millions Yearling Sales for $360,000. Named Yitai Loyalty, his only public appearance was in a Cranbourne trial in October finishing third.