WHAT a collection of quality mares that is being assembled to visit Lucky Vega who will stand at the Irish National Stud next year. The son of Lope De Vega won the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at two before being placed in the both the Group 1 2000 Guineas and Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes at three for owner Yuesheng Zhang.

Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland said: “Mr Zhang was in Ireland last week and saw Lucky Vega, and is keen to support him next season and determined to give him every chance.”

Among the select list will be the unraced Galileo mare Shining Bright, knocked down to BBA Ireland and the Lucky Vega Syndicate for 450,000gns. The daughter of the Grade 2 winner Lady Lara is a full-sister to Changingoftheguard, winner of this year’s Group 2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Consigned by Barton Sales, she was offered in foal to Starspangledbanner. Their two-year-old own-sister is called Galileo’s Compass and was bought by BBA Ireland/Yulong Investments last autumn.

Donohoe and the Yulong team, headed by Yuesheng Zhang and accompanied by COO Sam Fairgray, also signed for Footprints at 340,000gns and Sweet Whisper for 260,000gns.

A daughter of Galileo, Footprints was part of The Castlebridge Consignment and is a full-sister to the Group 2 Futurity Stakes winner Armory who was also placed in six Group 1 races. She was sold in foal to Wootton Bassett.

The team had secured the Dubawi three-year-old filly Sweet Whisper a few lots earlier from Godolphin. The half-sister to the European champion and successful sire Farhh is out of the Group 1 winner Gonbarda.

Another on the shopping list was the unraced Frankel four-year-old Wild Intrigue, carrying to Ten Sovereigns, and she cost 180,000gns. Her dam is a stakes-placed sibling to five-time Group 1 winner Fame And Glory.