Back in 2013, Northern Meteor tied up first season sire honours when he quinelled the final Group 1 race for juveniles, the JJ Atkins Stakes, with Romantic Touch and Zoustar.
Fast forward five years and Zoustar will be looking to do the same as the Chris Waller pair Lean Mean Machine and Zousain attempt to emulate their 1-2 finish in the Group II BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes a fortnight back.
Waller has a stranglehold on the race. He also trains the short-priced favourite The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice) who could not have been any more impressive in his two starts to date.
Zoustar is over $1 million ahead of Spirit Of Boom in the race for the leading first crop sire on earnings but he is also about half that behind Snitzel for champion sire of two-year-old honours.
Saturday’s JJ Atkins Stakes (1600m) at Doomben carries a purse of $600,000 with the winner’s cheque of $366,000 and $123,000 for the runner-up so it could still be game if Zoustar goes 1-2.
Spirit Of Boom could also cap a great first season with the Chris Munce-trained Boomsara and the Kevin Kemp-trained filly Plumaro in the race. The pair have been ultra-consistent.
If there is to be an upset, it could come from the Lindsay Park representative Fundamentalist. The daughter of Not A Single Doubt has a booming finish, which she most recently exhibited when second in the Group III SA Sires’ Produce Stakes at Morphettville.
But we will be sticking with Lean Mean Machine who will vie to become the first winner at the highest level for Zoustar.
Last autumn Lean Mean Machine won on debut over 1000m at Warwick Farm before finishing third in the Group III Kindergarten Stakes over 1100m at Randwick.
Following a break, the powerfully made son of Zoustar finished third in the Group III Ken Russell Memorial at the Gold Coast before his last start win in the Group II Queensland Sires’ Produce Stakes over 1350m at Doomben on May 26.
A $250,000 Magic Millions Yearling purchase from the Glenlogan Park draft for Aquis, Blue Sky Bloodstock/Raffles Racing who race the colt in partnership, Lean Mean Machine carries the increasingly familiar Raffles colours.
He is the third and final foal of Falvelon’s Listed BTC Tommy Smith Slipper winner and Magic Millions 2yo Classic runner-up She's Meaner who was herself a $300,000 purchase from the 2007 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale.
A half-sister to the gallant, $1.3 million earner and successful stallion, Love Conquers All (Mossman), She’s Meaner was a daughter of the Group I Avondale Cup winner She's a Meanie (Prince Salieri).
