Third Cup Win for Zoumon

Tara Madgwick - Thursday July 13

Fresh from winning the Listed ATC McKell Cup (2000m) and Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) at his part two starts, progressive Zoustar stayer had no worries adding the $200,000 Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) to his tally on Thursday.

Zoumon has won three Cups in a row! - image Steve Hart

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained four year-old was well rated by Rachel King in front and kept up a good gallop to win by more than two lengths taking his overall record to eight wins and two placings from 20  starts with prizemoney topping $730,000.

 

"Good to see him continue to improve. I wasn't sure how much further improvement there was off the back of his last start win," said Adrian Bott, who made the trip to Grafton.

"But things worked out well. Rachel was able to rate him nicely, he was able to kick really well off the turn and had them under pressure pretty quickly and (he was) very strong through the line." 

It was the third stakes win for Zoumon, who has done a great job this campaign with three wins and a second since resuming from a spell in early June.

“He's just gone from strength to strength," Bott said.

"I'm not entirely sure what we do next but it's just great to have a nice, consistent horse like him in good form. 

"He knows how to win. He's got a great racing pattern, he's tough and importantly, he has improved every time he's stepped out. 

"If there's further improvement there, he might be able to feature in some of those spring carnival staying races." 

A $360,000 Magic Millions purchase for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing/Mt Hallowell Stud from the Element Hill draft, Zoumon is the best of three winners from stakes-winning Monsun mare Monblue (GB), who sadly passed away last year.

Zoumon might be more Monsun than Zoustar!

A half-sister to two stakes-winners, Monblue is from Germans takes-winner Salonblue, who won up to 2000m and comes from a family packed with stakes-winning European stayers including 2022 Champion German 3YO Sammarco.

Zoumon is the first stakes-winner for Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar at the classic distance of 2400m.

Advertisment

Race Result - Westlawn Finance Grafton Cup LR 2350m

Grafton Track: Good(4) Time: 2:25.66
1
Zoumon
- 4g Zoustar (AUS) x Monblue (GB) (Monsun (GER))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: Rachel King 58.5
Zoustar
2
2.3
Outlandos
- 6g Dissident (AUS) x Rocksan (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: J G Sargent Rdr: B Looker 54
3
3.3
Spirit Ridge
- 8g Nathaniel (IRE) x Tates Creek (USA) (Rahy (USA))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: Ryan Maloney 59
4
4.3
Our Bambino
- 6g Fiorente (IRE) x Rare Diamond (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Pat Murphy Rdr: A Gibbons 54
5
5.3
Shameless Miss
- 5m Shamexpress (NZ) x Courtney (NZ) (Montjeu (IRE))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Kyle Wilson-Taylor 54
6
5.7
London Banker
- 7g Tavistock (NZ) x Palos De Lago (NZ) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: K M Schweida Rdr: L V Cassidy 56
7
5.8
Tappy's Lad
- 5g Proisir (AUS) x Tapinsky (NZ) (Stravinsky (USA))
Tnr: K & I Taplin Rdr: S T Collett 55.5
8
5.9
Olympic Class
- 5g Olympic Glory (IRE) x Class Apart (AUS) (French Deputy (USA))
Tnr: Michael Morrison Rdr: Anthony Allen 54
9
6.9
Regal Lion
- 4g Jakkalberry (IRE) x Red Delight (NZ) (Congrats (USA))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: Ben Thompson 58
10
7.0
Benaud
- 4g Reliable Man (GB) x Baggy Green (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: J A O'Shea Rdr: Tyler Schiller 55
11
12.2
Byakko
- 5g Kitten's Joy (USA) x Lone Tigress (USA) (Tale Of The Cat (USA))
Tnr: Donna Grisedale Rdr: J Grisedale 54
12
12.4
Devine Falls
- 4h Sacred Falls (NZ) x Open All Hours (AUS) (Wanted (AUS))
Tnr: G Sitek Rdr: M A Butler 55
13
19.1
Bellaciaociao
- 5m Camelot (GB) x Moonlight In Paris (FR) (Literato (FR))
Tnr: Annabel Neasham Rdr: Damien Thornton 54
More Reading...
Castelvecchio Out for Remainder of Season
Aeliana’s late charge into second place in the $1.5million Group I MRC Thousand Guineas last Saturday stamped her as the filly to follow out of the race, but it wasn’t quite enough to put her sire Castelvecchio to the top of the second season sires list and he is now out of service at Arrowfield following surgery last week.
Vale, Danny Champion
The thoroughbred racing industry is in mourning following the passing of respected horseman Danny Champion.
McKell Cup Winner for Zoustar
Progressive Zoustar gelding Zoumon went to the post a well backed favourite in the Listed ATC McKell Cup (2000m) Rosehill on Saturday and gave everything he had under pressure to fight off all challengers and win by a head.
Churchill Colt Pulls Off Stunning Pinhooking Result at NZB Ready To Run
Chad Ormsby has enjoyed plenty of racetrack success this year with pinhooks that he has been unable to sell at the Ready to Run Sale, but the multi-talented horseman had a very different outcome with the standout member of his 2024 Riverrock Farm draft at Karaka on Thursday.
Ka Ying Rising connection draws Hayes team to Shamexpress at Karaka
With one of the world’s most exciting sprinters flying the flag for David Hayes in Hong Kong, it has been no surprise to see the trainer’s sons zeroing in on progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka this week.
Arkansaw Kid Brother Sells for $520,000
A well-related son of Harry Angel provided a late highlight in the final hour of the 2024 NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on Thursday when he was knocked down to a $520,000 bid from bloodstock agent Morgan Carter.
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
Another Cup Victory for Zoumon
Fresh from winning the Listed ATC McKell Cup (2000m) at Rosehill two weeks ago, progressive Zoustar gelding Zoumon added the $300,000 Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) to his tally at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday.