The highly-regarded Zousain filly, Chateau Miraval, lived up to the wraps when making a winning debut at Randwick Kensington on Wednesday, but it was a close-run thing.
Ridden by Tim Clark for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the Yulong colour-bearer took up the running from the $700,000Zoustar debutant Growing Empire, who also sported the bottle green Yulong silks.
Chateau Miraval clung to a desperate short-half-head advantage over Growing Empire in a driving finish, but the drama did not end there.
Growing Empire took a sharp left turn shortly after the winning post and crashed through the outside running rail as Jason Collett bailed out.
Fortunately, both horse and rider seemed to come out of the incident relatively unscathed, although Collett was stood down for the rest of the day.
The $950,000 I Am Invincible first-starter President came from last to finish third.
“It was a tough effort on debut. She was excellent and very courageous, and there is plenty of upside,” Adrian Bott said.
“She is no doubt one of the best fillies in the yard. She will take the fillies lead-ups to the Golden Slipper and we will see how she stacks up. I think she can get to black-type level, which will be important for the family and connections.
Rosemont Stud consigned Chateau Miraval to the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. She was the highest-priced yearling by her first crop sire, Zousain, when Yu Long Investments/Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing/Kestrel Thoroughbreds had the final say at $650,000.
A three-quarter-sister to Group II Furious Stakes winner and Group 1 Flight Stakes third North Star Lass (Zoustar), the strapping bay filly is the third winner from as many to race for the talented Sheila's Star (Snitzel), a 5-time winner and Group III placed.
A half-sister to stakes-winner Jacqueline Rouge out of the Group III VATC Blue Diamond Preview winner Northeast Sheila, Sheila's Star was a $250,000 purchase for Rosemont Stud at the 2017 National Broodmare Sale and sold three years later for $90,000 to Sandhurst Bloodstock.
After foaling a Zoustar filly in September, Sheila's Star was covered by Zoustar in November after missing to an earlier cover by Wootton Bassett (GB).
Chateau Miraval is the third winner and second Australian winner in the space of two days for Widden Stud’s Zousain after Drifting impressed on debut at Hawkesbury.
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