Trapeze Artist is enjoying his best ever season and part of that success has been driven by his juveniles and his equal most expensive yearling sold in 2025 became his latest 2YO winner at Hawkesbury on Sunday.
Trained by Matthew Smith, Zunesha was second at her first two starts at Kembla and Wyong through June and early July with connections rolling the dice for a third crack at an elusive win in the 1100m maiden.
Sent off favourite with Tyler Schiller to ride, Zunesha found conditions to suit and was never in doubt, romping clear to win by nearly three lengths.
Zunesha was a $300,000 Magic Millions purchase from Widden Stud for Frank and Christine Cook’s Mystery Downs and carries their familiar colours although is raced by an all women’s ownership group.
Bred by the Vieira Group, Zunesha is the first foal of Zou Island, a winning half-sister by Zoustar to stakes-winner So You Win.
Zou Island has been married to Trapeze Artist and has a yearling colt by him and is back in foal to him again after losing a foal last year.
Zunesha is the eighth 2YO winner this season for Trapeze Artist and three of those winners are stakes-winners – Spicy Miss, Chilly Girl and Where’s the Circus- and three more are stakes-placed.
Trapeze Artist stands at a fee of $27,500.
