Autumn Carnivals in Sydney and Melbourne are in full swing as we head to the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale (April 6,7) and it’s been a rising tide of success for Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar, who produced a new G1 winner last Saturday and hit the top of the Australian General Sires List by earnings, so let’s take a look at their Easter yearlings.
Zoustar has produced $18.7million in seasonal earnings to poke his nose in front of Pride of Dubai with 11 stakes-winners to his credit including a Group double last weekend.
Sunlight’s exciting three year-old full sister Clean Energy made a scintillating return to form to win the Group III MVRC Typhoon Tracy Stakes (1200m) after missing the spring racing. Bred and sold by Widden, the three year-old daughter of Zoustar was bought by Yulong for $2.6million at the Gold Coast and is the only horse to have beaten Lady Shenandoah, having bested the triple G1 winning three year-old twice last season at two.
Rosemont Stud and the Victorian Stallion Alliance have always been big fans of Zoustar and were duly rewarded when their four year-old stallion Schwarz landed a valuable victory in the $1million Group I MVRC William Reid Stakes (1200m).
Purchased for $1.25million, Schwarz in particular was a phenomenal result for Widden Stud as he was bred and raised in the ‘Valley of Champions’ and Widden will offer his full brother at Inglis Easter as Lot 198.
Schwarz is the first living foal of Group II winner Summer Sham and her two subsequent foals, also by Zoustar, have sold for $800,000 (Silver Wedding filly) and $1.55million (Tuscany colt) and the colt coming to Riverside Stables this year is every bit as good.
Summer Sham traces back through Shantha’s Choice on her tail female line to legendary matriarch Dancing Show (USA), who is also the fourth dam of Golden Slipper winner Marhoona, so this most revered of female families is showing no sign of slowing up having delivered two new Group I winners last Saturday.
Outside of the show-stopping full brother to Schwarz, the Widden draft for Inglis Easter features 22 youngsters that include seven by Zoustar and a solid representation from champion sires Snitzel, I Am Invincible, Written Tycoon and Extreme Choice, plus young guns Too Darn Hot (GB) and Wootton Bassett (GB).
It’s hard to narrow it down to just a few highlights, but we’ll have a go!
Lot 40 Colt Snitzel x Madam Rouge, by Zoustar
Second foal of Zoustar’s $1.4million earning multiple Group winner Madam Rouge, who also placed in a Group I BRC Stradbroke and this stunning colt has three lines of the blue hen Dancing Show in his pedigree as does Schwarz.
Lot 57 Colt I Am Invincible x Meuse, by Snitzel
Second foal of stakes-winner Meuse, a daughter of Group III winner Precious Lorraine from the Monsoon Wedding branch of the Shantha’s Choice family going back to Dancing Show.
Lot 144 Filly Zoustar x Seattle Dancer, by Redoute’s Choice
Second foal of a sister to G1 placed SW Zamzam from the family of G1 Australian Derby winner Levendi, G1 SAJC Australasian Oaks winner Tully Thunder and Group winners Thunder Lady, Wu Gok and Marcel from Madrid. She’s another youngster by Zoustar with a double up of Redoute’s Choice in the pedigree which has produced eight SW’s headed by G1 winner Schwarz.
Lot 217 Filly Zoustar x The Actuary, by Sebring
Three-quarter sister-in-blood to triple G1 winner and $2.6million earner Zougotcha, ATC Flight Stakes, Coolmore Classic and Queen of the Turf Stakes. Second foal of SW The Actuary, also half-sister to SW Persuader from the family of Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily. First foal is Algorithmic (2c Zoustar), who has been fourth in Listed ATC Lonhro Plate and fifth in G2 VRC Sires Produce Stakes from just three starts.
Lot 296 Colt Written Tycoon x Bella Vella, by Commands
First foal of outstanding sprinter Bella Vella, 11 wins and nearly $1million in prizemoney with G1 SAJC Robert Sangster Stakes the highlight. From an international Black Type family bristling with stakes-winners. Bred on similar Written Tycoon x Commands cross to G1 winner Captivant and this season’s G3 winner Public Attention.
Lot 310 Filly Zoustar x Bryony, by Fastnet Rock
Full sister to G1 SAJC Robert Sangster Stakes winner and $1million earner Climbing Star and half-sister to dual G3 winner Sansom. Dam has done a super job with five foals to race all winners and she is a sibling to G1 winners Triple Honour and Heroic Valour. The Zoustar x Fastnet Rock nick has produced seven SW’s headed by G1 winners Joliestar, Zougotcha and of course Climbing Star.
