Ad Treasurethe Moment ridden by Damian Lane wins the HKJC World Pool Wakeful Stakes during 2024 Penfolds Victoria Derby Day at Flemington in 2024. (Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

A moment to treasure

29 January 2025 Written by Michael Manley

When it comes to Group 1 winners at Flemington during the 2024 Melbourne Cup Carnival, few names have been as fitting as Treasurethe Moment.

Yulong Investments’ owner Mr Yueshang Zhang was so swept up in the euphoria of the Corwn Oaks win that he led Treasurethe Moment back down Patterson Avenue and to the winner’s stall. 

Trainer Matt Laurie was momentarily at a loss for words during his post-race interview after the win. For the 44-year-old Laurie, this marked his third Group 1 victory, but it held special significance as his first during the Melbourne Cup Carnival, and in a time-honoured event no less. 

“It’s pretty exhilarating to take a horse from the educational stage to winning a race like the Crown Oaks. It’s special. Some of these boys train Group 1 winners regularly, but for many of us, it’s not that way at all,” Laurie said. 

“It is 20 years of work really, trying to achieve something like this. I’m just so grateful to my team at home and to Team Yulong. They are great for the industry, and to have them in my corner with this homebred, and to watch her progress to win a Group 1, is incredible. I feel very privileged.” 

Laurie reflected that even weeks after the win, he was still coming to terms with the events of the day. 

“I still look back. It was a big achievement by the stable, and I’m very grateful to Yulong for their support. It was wonderful to win for them in Mr Zhang’s colours,” he said. 

Laurie expressed his gratitude to Yulong Investments’ Sam Fairgray and former bloodstock manager Luke Wilkinson for giving him an opportunity. A significant moment in their partnership came in 2019 when Laurie trained Utzon, a striking white galloper, to a maiden victory at Bairnsdale, helping to solidify their relationship. 

“We didn’t have her long, and they wanted to get a win with her before she went to stud, so I was able to do that for them, which was important. From there, we built up a pretty good relationship with Sam, and we were given a few more tried horses. We made a good start and it went from there. We didn’t do anything special but won some races,” Laurie said. 

Mr Zhang supported his stallion Alabama Express by using his own broodmares and, to help establish the stallion, retained some of his progeny to race. These young horses were then sent to various trainers in Victoria. 

“He dished out some young stock and we were luckily allocated Treasurethe Moment,” Laurie said. 

The horse is all the more special, considering she was part of the group of young horses caught up in the floods that engulfed Yulong in 2022. Located in Mangalore, just 10 minutes from Nagambie, Yulong faced devastating conditions during the October floods, which claimed the lives of two foals. The volume of water was overwhelming, with nearly half the farm submerged under depths reaching 1.6 to 1.7 metres. 

As they educated Treasurethe Moment, Laurie said it became apparent she had talent, but winning a Group 1 was not initially on his radar. 

“We were happy that she was showing promise, and we thought we had a horse who would win races. She was always quite leggy and on the narrow side, but she was always an attractive filly who moved well.” 

Trainer Matt Laurie (left) poses with Yuesheng Zhang of Yulong Racing (middle) after winning the Crown Oaks at Flemington on November 07, 2024. (Reg Ryan/Racing Photos)

Treasurethe Moment made her debut at Geelong on June 6 and finished second to Oodnadatta over 1200m. She then returned to that track and won a maiden over 1312m on June 21. 

“She didn’t scream to me she was a sprinter, yet she was running well over that distance. I started to think ahead.” 

“That second-up run over 1400m at Sandown, when she kicked back on the rail and had to fight hard to win, she was only hitting her straps on the line,” Laurie said. 

Laurie next sent Treasurethe Moment to Caulfield for a three-year-old Benchmark 78 over 1600m, where she claimed an authoritative victory. From there, he stepped her up in distance to the traditional Crown Oaks lead-in, the Wakeful Stakes. 

Confident in her ability based on her trackwork, Laurie believed she was well-suited to Flemington, especially as he felt Caulfield didn’t play to her strengths. 

Treasurethe Moment claimed the Wakeful Stakes with authority before making history as the 39th horse to complete the double with a victory in the VRC Oaks. 

Laurie has made an impact in the racing world from the outset, securing two Group 1 wins with Escado in 2013 and Portland Sky, who dead-heated in the Oakleigh Plate in 2021. Now, he hopes to build on his Group 1 tally with Treasurethe Moment, describing her as a rare talent, saying, “Horses like her don’t grow on trees.” 

Treasurethe Moment, who has impressively won her last four starts, has a carefully planned four-race campaign ahead. It begins with the G2 Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 22, followed by the G2 Kewney Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on March 8. From there, she will head to Sydney to contest the G1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 29. 

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