Multiple Group 1 winner Duais sold to Yulong

Yulong's haul of some of the best race and breeding mares in the country has continued with the purchase of multiple Group 1 winner Duais.

The Victorian-based breeding giant secured the Edward Cummings-trained mare this week for an undisclosed sum prior to her contesting the Group 1 Champions Stakes over 2000m at Flemington on Saturday.

Duais joins the likes of Montefilia, Forbidden Love, Snapdancer, Icebath and Isotope as recent high-profile Australian race mares heading to Yulong's Victorian operation.

"It's an exciting opportunity to train for Mr Zhang and the Yulong family, undoubtedly one of Australia's major breeding and racing operations," Cummings said.

"I thank Duais' original owners for entrusting her career with me and I look forward to the challenge of Saturday's Champions Stakes at Flemington with her."

• Melbourne Cup day tips and expert analysis

Duais heads into the Champions Stakes off an unlucky fourth in the Group 1 Cox Plate.

The six-year-old daughter of Shamus Award is a three-time Group 1 winner of the Australian Cup, Tancred Stakes and Queensland Oaks while she has also placed at Group 1 level on three occasions.

"Her former owners Matthew Irwin and the Harris family purchased a $20,000 mare by Johannesburg (USA) out of a Scone sale, mated her with Shamus Award and bred a horse that became one of the best stayers in the country," Cummings said.

Punting Form Data from The Cox Plate:

– Romantic Warrior -17.8 All Average Benchmark figure ????
– Race was run -8.2 lengths quicker than the class average to the 600m mark ⏱️
– Gold Trip the fastest L400 and 200m of the race ????https://t.co/FGllFVKc0Rpic.twitter.com/wExp9ONdcH

— Punting Form (@PuntingForm) October 30, 2023

"It was a passion project of two families that love their racing and she took them on the ride of their life.

"In an age of big money imports, they've proven it's still within reach to breed a local stallion over an Australian-bred mare and get an amazing result."

• Mark Guest‘s race-by-race preview for Melbourne Cup day at Flemington

Duais will be ridden by Damien Oliver on Saturday and he galloped the mare at Flemington on Tuesday morning.

"She worked really well, and Ollie gave her the thumbs up," Cummings said.

"I feel she's ready to run another great race on Saturday."

Duais is the $6 equal second favourite with Prowess for the Champions Stakes at TAB.com.au behind West Wind Blows, the $3 favourite in the pre-field market.