Tony and Calvin McEvoy have plans to tackle Black Type races with promising Zoustar colt Prestar, who scored his second win from just five starts at Randwick on Wednesday.
The three year-old was unplaced on debut in the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate last spring behind Tycoon Star before reappearing in May to bolt in at the Sunshine Coast by nearly five lengths as favoruite.
Unplaced at his next run in a stakes race and then a close third in a very strong Saturday race on Caloundra Cup day, Preset always looked well placed in a Benchmark 64 event over 1150m.
He sat outside the leader for Ash Morgan and skipped away turning for home before holding off a challenge from the race favourite Johnny to win by half a length.
“That was really nice, he’s a really impressive young horse. A horse we've got a lot of time for, and he's still working it all out, so I thought he was fantastic today,” said co-trainer Tony McEvoy.
“I think he is a Black-Type horse. After his maiden win, I went straight to the Black Type, and I asked him to do something that he couldn't quite do. He just got it all wrong and didn't have the experience, and you get exposed pretty quickly at Listed level.
“So we went back in grade, and he ran super on Caloundra Cup day in a very strong race, and then he's come here today.
“So I'll talk to Ash to see where he thinks he'll fit, whether we stay here and run in another race like a Run to the Rose (G2) or whether we should be running a bit lower than that.”
A $150,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Lucas Bloodstock draft for McEvoy Mitchell Racing/Belmont Bloodstock Agency, Prestar holds an entry for the Group I ATC Golden Rose and runs for an all ladies syndicate that look set to have plenty of fun with him.
Bred by Phoenix Thoroughbreds, Prestar is the fourth winner from four foals to race from Precautions, a winning half-sister by Lonhro to stakes-winner Knoydart from Group I STC Coolmore Classic winner Regal Cheer.
Precautions had a filly by another of the Widden sires last spring in Jacquinot.
Prestar looks another progressive 3YO for reigning champion sire Zoustar, who has swept to an early lead on the Australian Sires List becoming the first sire this season to hit $1million in earnings.
