Star Thoroughbreds were in hot form on Thursday with a treble of winners at Randwick in Kalino (Pierro), Achiever (Pride of Dubai) and highly progressive Zoustar filly Kiku, the full sister to Group I VRC Newmarket Handicap winner Zoutori.
All three are trained by Chris Waller, who certainly seems to have found the key to Kiku, who cruised clear for a dominant win in the Benchmark 72 event over 1400m.
Kiku had a win and four placings from her first five starts, but her two wins since resuming from a spell have given the indication much better things are in store with the Group III ATC Adrian Knox Stakes mentioned as a possible target.
A $300,000 Magic Millions purchase for Star Thoroughbreds from the Amarina Farm draft, Kiku has the overall record of three wins and four placings from seven starts with prizemoney in excess of $133,000.
She was bred by Frank Meduri and is the second winner from Atotori, a half-sister by Haradasun to Group III winner Castlethorpe from an international family that includes Epsom Derby winner and sire New Approach.
While her $1.7million earning full brother Zoutori is best known as a sprinter, he has won up to 1600m and the female family has enough depth to suggest a longer trip such as the Adrian Knox (2000m) may well suit Kiku.
Atotori died earlier last year and her final foal, a yearling filly by Divine Prophet made $80,000 at Magic Millions this year when bought by Australian Bloodstock/Lees Racing/Tasman Bloodstock.
