News - ZOUSTAR (AUS)
Placed in the Group I ATC Randwick Guineas, Golden Rose and Group II ATC Hobartville Stakes last year as a colt, talented four year-old Zou Tiger has always promised to win a stakes race and finally got the job done as a gelding scoring a stylish victory in the $200,000 Listed ATC Carrington Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
The 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale has been released with 500 lots and not surprisingly there is big representation for our champion sires with I Am Invincible leading the way with 44 entries, but there is no guarantee he’ll produce the sale-topper.
Widden Stud's champion sire Zoustar started Saturday with winners in Melbourne and at the Gold Coast for Magic Millions Day with Lindsay Park unleashing two year-old colt Zestiman for a debut win at Flemington, while Zoumeteor won the $500,000 Magic Millions Country Cup (1200m).
It was another day at Magic Millions on Friday and another million dollar yearling sold by Segenhoe Stud, but this $1.3million Zoustar colt from Lady Cosmology was a little different as he was offered on behalf of WA owner breeder Peter Walsh of Amelia’s Jewel fame.
Segenhoe Stud sold their second million dollar colt by Zoustar at Magic Millions on Wednesday when the first foal of super fast Foxwedge mare Villami sold for $1million to James Harron Bloodstock.
Yulong have been active at Magic Millions purchasing as Highway Farm and secured a cracking Zoustar colt from Widden Stud on Wednesday for $760,000.
Zoustar will be one of the hottest sires in the sale ring at Magic Millions this week with his progeny averaging $628,667 last year, but one of his bargain priced yearlings snaffled from Inglis Classic in 2021 for $40,000 is building a good record in the country with more wins to come and a tilt at the $3million Big Dance.
Exciting two year-old colt Spywire was not the only Widden Stud graduate in the winner’s circle at the Gold Coast on Saturday with Goulburn trainer Kurt Goldman executing a long range plan to win the $250,000 TAB Wave (1800m) with four year-old Zoustar mare Arts Object.
Warren Kennedy has stamped an indelible mark on New Zealand racing with the ex-pat South African jockey dominating proceedings at Pukekohe on New Year’s Day with seven wins, including four of the five feature events on the card.
Stella Splendida continued her winning ways at Taupo on Saturday, recording her fourth win from eight career starts in the Cosana NZ – Charge Of The Light Brigade (1200m).
When Stars Align and Unbridled Joy kicked off their careers with a quinella in the Japac Homes (1100m) at Trentham on Saturday, adding their names to a bumper list of two-year-old talent in the Te Akau Racing stable this season.
With just over a week before the end of 2023, Zoustar has no challengers in the race to be leading sire in the world by winners this year, a title taken last year by Japan based Lord Kanaloa.
Widden Stud’s Zoustar became the first sire to produce 100 winners this season at Gosford on Thursday when the half-sister to Group I MRC Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winner Magic Time opened her account.
Champion sire Zoustar is stuck on nervous 99 in his quest to be the first sire to hit 100 winners for the season and helping his tally on Saturday were progressive fillies Zouphoria and Ginger’n’ Pink, who scored at Randwick and Caulfield and they both have siblings headed for Magic Millions 2024.
Set to hit 100 Australian winners for the season some time this week, Zoustar has been in overdrive since the start of the month siring winners all over the world and there was an interesting winner at Southwell in the UK overnight bred by Widden Stud and raced by a partnership headed by Suman Hedge.
Lance Noble is sending just one horse down to Wellington this weekend, hoping his rising star Habana can deal to some unfinished business in the race now known as the Gr. 1 TAB Classic (1600m) at Trentham.
The Group 1 winner TEONA, offered in foal to FRANKEL, became the third highest priced mare ever to be sold at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale when realising 4,500,000 guineas, while Group I winning mares by champion Australian sires Fastnet Rock and Zoustar sold for 2million guineas plus.
"The guys that own him were really disappointed when he drew wide but I said to them when he came over here and worked on Tuesday, 'this is really his favourite track’, he gets himself into such a good rhythm here and it's the only race all Summer that I had an opportunity to bring him back here to Doomben," Gollan said.
The Laurel Oak Bloodstock colours were in the winner’s circle at Randwick on Friday afternoon when expensive Zoustar filly Zouphoria broke the ice with a resounding win and she has a half-sister headed to Magic Millions 2024.
A Zoustar filly from a Group I family, Ginger ‘n’ Pink cast off maiden status with an easy win at Sandown on Wednesday at her first run back from a spell.