Zoustar is not a sire we think about when looking for potential Derby contenders, but if anyone can turn that thinking on it’s head it will be Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
They produced a promising three year-old staying type at Moe on Friday in Zoumon, who holds an entry for the Group I VRC Victoria Derby.
Zoumon won his debut at Kyneton in September over 1212m and was then fourth at Mornington over 1500m.
Stepped up to 2050m for a Benchmark 70 event at his third start, Zoumon led all the way for Lewis German to win by a length and a half making light of the heavy ground.
A $360,000 Magic Millions purchase for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing/Mt Hallowell Stud from the Element Hill draft, Zoumon has won two of three starts and is the third winner from stakes-winning Monsun mare Monblue (GB), who was successful up to 1800m.
A half-sister to two stakes-winners, Monblue is from Germans takes-winner Salonblue, who won up to 2000m and comes from a family packed with stakes-winning European stayers.
Widden Stud's champion sire Zoustar has never sired an Australian stakes-winner beyond 1600m, but Zoumon might be the horse to change that.
