Last year’s winner of the $1million Group I ATC Queen of the Turf Stakes (1600m) was looking to go back to back at Randwick on Saturday, but gallant Savabeel mare Atishu could not quite catch her stablemate Zougotcha with just a short half head separating the pair at the post.
Chris Waller certainly has knack with his older mares and while six year-old Atishu heads to the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale next month, four year-old Zoustar mare Zougotcha looks set for a long and fruitful career.
She won the Group I ATC Flight Stakes at three, the Group I ATC Coolmore Classic last start and added a third Group I victory her CV with this latest triumph under James McDonald.
"Zougotcha has done a good job," Waller said.
"We gave her a decent break after she didn't come up in the spring. We didn't panic and we allowed her to be a racehorse.
"We gave her a proper break and she's won three from three this prep.
"We just had to put her in the right races and she's gone bang, bang, bang. Tough mare."
A $500,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Widden Stud draft for Chris Waller Racing / Mulcaster Bloodstock, Zougotcha runs for a syndicate of stable clients with her breeders Widden Stud and Robert Anderson retaining an interest.
Zougotcha has eight wins from 15 starts with prizemoney just of $2.4million.
Zougotcha is a full sister to stakes-winner Persuader and half-sister to stakes-winner The Actuary being the fourth winner from stakes-placed Fast Talker, a half-sister by Fastnet Rock to stakes-winner Crystal Dreamer.
Fast Talker comes from the family of Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily and her yearling colt by Written Tycoon was sold at Inglis Easter for $500,000 to MG Price Racing & Breeding / D Farrington.
Fast Talker missed in 2022, but appears to now be back in foal to Zougotcha’s sire Zoustar.
