News - ZOUSTAR (AUS)
A $1.25million yearling colt by Zoustar, Northern Eyes didn’t make the grade as a sire prospect but the now four year-old gelding has hit a purple patch of form for his new trainer Kim Waugh after being snapped up on Inglis Digital for $155,000 in March this year.
Group I winning I Am Invincible mare Marabi was the obvious star attraction in the Magic Millions Virtual August Sale and sold accordingly with Arrowfield Stud placing the winning bid of $2.4million.
Lightly raced four year-old Zoustar mare Joliestar won the Group I MRC Thousand Guineas over 1600m at the end of last spring, but the decision to program her for sprint races this season with the Everest in mind looks like paying big dividends.
Lightly raced speed sensation and expectant first time mother Marabi is a star addition to the upcoming Magic Millions Virtual Sale on August 27.
Zoustar could only manage second to Yarraman Park’s super sire I Am Invincible last season on the Australian General Sires List, but Widden Stud’s flagship sire had all the momentum during the last quarter and has hit the ground running in the first 11 days of the new season.
Widden Stud’s Zoustar has been fully booked since May with a tsunami of winners in the latter part of the season driving him to new heights.
With slick Queensland visitor Zarastro setting a strong pace in the lead at Flemington on Saturday, Zoustar mare Right to Pary was allowed to settle back and bide her time, finishing with a brilliant late rush to seize victory in the Group III VRC Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Up until the running of the Group III Winx Guineas at the Sunshine Coast on July 14, a matter of pennies separated Zoustar and Dundeel for Champion 3yo Sire.
Two new Australian winners on Monday courtesy of Newzou (Pakenham ) and Madame Meteor (Albury) have brought Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar to 208 winners for the season which equals the Australian record set by I Am Invincible in 2021, but on the score of season wins Zoustar is history maker on that count by daylight!
A metropolitan treble on Wednesday for Widden Stud’s Zoustar that included two new winners for the season has boosted his tally to 206 Australian winners and that is within reach of I Am Invincible’s record breaking tally of 208 set in the 2020/2021 season.
A half-brother to dual Group I winner King’s Legacy, this two year-old Zoustar colt was the easiest of winners at Hawkesbury on Sunday sporting the colours of Yulong.
The $300,000 Group III Winx Guineas (1600m) was postponed from last Saturday at the Sunshine Coast due to a rain soaked track and while the track on Sunday was still a heavy 9 it was a safe surface with Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar delivering a quinella with progressive gelding Xidaki edging out the Victorian trained filly Miss Aria.
Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar is enjoying a red hot year and featured overnight in the UK where his slick sprinting colt Starlust won the Listed City Walls Stakes (5f) at York.
It’s been a big week for Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar, who clocked up his 200th winner of the season on Friday and he put the icing on the cake with a new stakes-winner when talented filly Right to Party powered home to win the $175,000 Listed VRC Creswick Series Final (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar was the world’s leading sire of winners in 2023 and passed a milestone on Friday when racking up his 200th Australian winner of the season and shortly after his 201st!
After six consecutive placings, talented Zoustar filly Khaznah was well overdue to break the ice and the three year-old did it in style at Canterbury on Wednesday when landing the $100,000 Super Maiden over 1200m.
The $700,000 Group I Tatts Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm last Saturday was the last of 74 Australian Group I races run this season that produced 54 individual Group I winners, so let’s take a look at the best of the best.
Drawing ever closer to the considerable milestone of 200 Australian winners in a season, Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar featured overnight in France producing a new stakes-winner when Mgheera took out the Listed Prix Hampton (1000m) at Chantilly.
Second to In Secret in the Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington in 2022, C’Est Magique has always shown the makings of an elite sprinter which is why Tom Magnier decided to purchase the four year-old daughter of Zoustar for $1.7million at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale last month.
A share in Champion sire Zoustar has today become the most expensive stallion share ever sold at public auction in Australia, realising a sale-high $1.3m in the Inglis Digital June (Early) Online Sale.