Sun Shines For Zoustar At Flemington

3 minute read

Outstanding filly Sunlight took young stallion Zoustar to unprecedented heights when she led home a Group One trifecta for the son of Northern Meteor in the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.

Sunlight (Zoustar x Solar Charged by Charge Forward) became the first G1 winner for her sire when she beat his sons Zousain and Lean Machine Machine, a pair of Chris Waller stablemates who both boast G2 wins on their records.

The achievements don’t end there as Zoustar extends a wonderful family influence his sire line has cast over the Coolmore Stud Stakes that began in 1996 when his grand sire Encosta De Lago won the Ascot Vale Stakes, the race that became the Coolmore Stud Stakes in 2008.

In 2008 Zoustar’s sire Northern Meteor, a son of Encosta De Lago emulated his sire by winning the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

And now we get to Zoustar, yet another top class performer by the late Northern Meteor who died far too early into his stud career.

It was a magical result for Widden Stud, who stood Northern Meteor, have replaced him with Zoustar and hold ownership interests in both Sunlight and Zousain.

Zoustar, with his oldest runners only three, has sired four stakes winners and was crowned Australia’s Champion First Season Sire by prizemoney last season when he became the first Australian freshman to register over $3 million in progeny earnings

He will embark on an international career in 2019 when he shuttles to Tweenhills Stud in the UK.

All three placegetters in the Coolmore Stud Stakes were sold as yearlings at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale in 2017.

Sunlight cost $300,000 when sold through the Widden Stud draft to Aquis Farm, her trainer Tony McEvoy and Blue Sky Bloodstock at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Sunlight shot to prominence by winning the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic on the Gold Coast in January and went on to suffer only one loss as a 2YO when third in the G1 Golden Slipper Stakes.

She is now one of the most valuable fillies in Australia with her Coolmore Stud Stakes victory the first for her sex since 2012 and taking her earnings to more than $3 million.

Tony McEvoy said he had no fears about taking on the colts with Sunlight.

"I’ve got such faith in her and she was there for the fight today. Those colts had their chance to get her. She's a star." McEvoy said.

Widden Stud's Antony Thompson was beaming at the result and the ramifications it holds for Zoustar.

"It's a stunning achievement," Thompson said post race.

"Northern Meteor was so dear to us. For Zoustar to have three runners from his first crop in this race was incredible and then to trifecta it is next level!"

Thompson’s wife Katie part-owns Sunlight, while Widden Stud bought into runner-up Zousain this year.

Zoustar was also sold at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2012 while Sunlight's dam Solar Charged (Charge Forward} was purchased by Widden Stud and Qatar Bloodstock at the 2014 MM National Broodmare Sale for $650,000.

Solar Charged's latest yearling, a Sebring colt, is being prepared by Widden Stud for the 2019 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Zoustar, who is in his fifth year at stud, spent two years at Widden Stud and two years at Woodside Park Stud in Victoria. He is now permanently based at Widden after Woodside Park sold its share in the stallion.

Sunlight has won eight of her 12 starts with three placings.

She is one of three winners from the G3 winner Solar Charged, a half-sister to stakes winner Causeway Queen (Giant’s Causeway) and the stakes-placed Brave Soul (More Than Ready).

Solar Charged is also the dam of the G3-placed Sheikha (Sebring) and current two-year-old Sisstar, a $600,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase this year by McEvoy Mitchell Racing and David Redvers Bloodstock.