Winner of the Listed Bendigo Golden Mile earlier this year in April, five year-old Zoustar gelding Regal Zeus found winning form again on Sunday to take out the $200,000 Listed Kilmore Cup (1600m).
Trained by John McArdle and ridden by Daniel Stackhouse, Regal Zeus was well rated in front and duly kicked away down the running to win by a commanding four lengths.
The resounding victory took his overall record to nine wins and six seconds from 30 starts with prizemoney topping $850,000.
A $150,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Regal Bloodstock / Blue Grass (FBAA) / Redgum Racing from the Edinburgh Park draft, Regal Zeus was bred by Ian Smith and is the best of two winners from Group III placed Quiet Kitten (USA), a grand-daughter of stakes-winner Darling Alice, whose daughters have had plenty of success in Australia producing Group II winner Glenfiddich and stakes-winning $2.4million earner Eleven Eleven.
Quiet Kitten was sold in the Edinburgh Park Dispersal at Magic Millions National in 2023 with Kingstar Farm picking up the mare for $120,000.
They sold a Zoustar yearling colt from her at Inglis Classic this year for $200,000 and after missing in 2023, Quiet Kitten was covered last year by Zoustar’s Group I winning son Ozzmosis and produced a three-quarter brother to Regal Zeus this spring.
Regal Zeus is the fifth Australian stakes-winner this season for reigning champion sire Zoustar.
