Seventy-six thoroughbred racehorses were flown to Beijing last week in the largest ever single export of Irish racing bloodstock to China.

Workers inspect the traveling conditions of one of the 76 horses on an airplane before it leaves Ireland.??[Photo\China Daily]

Chinese businessman and racehorse owner Zhang Yuesheng, owner of Yulong Racecourse, Shanxi province, bought the animals for 2 million euros ($2.1 million), a record on Irish bloodstock, said his agents.

The airlift and associated animal welfare and shipment costs amounted to an additional 1 million euros, according to the Ireland-based bloodstock agency BBA Ireland. It is more than double the previous record shipment, and the deal has been hailed as a major leap for Irish breeders into the lucrative Chinese market.

More than 90 percent of thoroughbreds imported into China are sourced from either Australia or New Zealand and Zhang's purchase could signal further Chinese investment and interest in the costlier but higher-quality Irish market.

The horses were bought from Irish breeders, said BBA's sales director Michael Donohoe.

"Horseracing in the Chinese mainland has increased and there are more tracks opening up," Donohoe told The Irish Field. "Zhang has made a big investment in Irish horses and hopefully they will perform well."

The horses were purchased at two separate autumn sales with dealer Goffs. Most of the horses were sourced at its Sportsman Sale, a notch down from its premier level sale.

Declan Murray, managing director of BBA Ireland, told Irish newspapers: "Many of these horses might not have met the high standards of the Irish and European markets but they are still of a higher standard than the average horse currently racing in China. So, Irish breeders get a good price for horses they might not otherwise have got, the industry here further develops the emerging Chinese market and China gets a higher quality race horse. Everyone wins with this."

The horses were flown to China in a Boeing 747 cargo aircraft from Shannon airport with a team of professional fl ying grooms and a vet.

They landed late Thursday night in Beijing and the animals were transported to stables at the weekend. They will now go into training before being raced in China.

Ann Munnelly, BBA Ireland shipping director said: "We have been working on this for three months, since the horses were purchased. Many experienced hands have been involved in this and it has been one of our most ambitious projects to date. We are very excited to have completed it. It illustrates not only the opportunity in China for Ireland, but also our ability to deliver."

BBA Ireland worked with Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, the not-for-profit government-backed company that promotes Ireland as a leading source for the production and sale of quality thoroughbreds worldwide.

Yulong Investments, Zhang's investment firm, has been described as an emerging force in the global racing and breeding industry following massive purchases.