The $1million Group I ATC Coolmore Classic (1500m) is one of the real blue ribbon races a mare can win with the honour roll littered with champions such as Sunline and Winx with talented four year-old Zoustar mare Zougotcha adding her name to the list at Rosehill on Saturday.
Zougotcha holds off the challengers to win the G21 Coolmore Classic - image Steve Hart
Given top weight of 57kg, the Chris Waller trained Zougotcha looked good when beating subsequent Group I winner Lady Laguna when resuming from a spell to win the Group III ATC Millie Fox Stakes last month and under a well timed ride from James McDonald was able to add a second G1 win to her CV.
She surged to the line to score by half a length over late closers Semana and Kimochi.
"We've had a tough week," said Waller in reference to the accident to stable star Fangirl, which has ruled her out of the autumn.
"It's good to have her (Zougotcha) back. She showed last start that the writing was on the wall and that a horse we expected to be there in the spring was back.
"She has backed that up today with a tough win under handicap conditions giving weight away to every other horse in the race.
"It took us a long time to win the race and now we've managed to win two in a row."
Zougotcha is now a two time G2 winner - image Steve Hart
James McDonald was full of praise for Zougotcha and her dedication to the task at hand.
"At the furlong, I didn't think I could win," McDonald said.
"I felt I was near empty and credit to her, she pinned her ears back and had a great crack. She's just a top-class mare that's trained to the minute."
A $500,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Widden Stud draft for Chris Waller Racing / Mulcaster Bloodstock, Zougotcha runs for a syndicate of stable clients with her breeders Widden Stud and Robert Anderson retaining an interest.
Zougotcha has seven wins from 14 starts with prizemoney just shy of $1.7million and looks set for further success as the autumn carnival unfolds.
Zougotcha is a full sister to stakes-winner Persuader and half-sister to stakes-winner The Actuary being the fourth winner from stakes-placed Fast Talker, a half-sister by Fastnet Rock to stakes-winner Crystal Dreamer.
Fast Talker comes from the family of Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily and her yearling colt by Written Tycoon will be offered by Widden Stud at Inglis Easter as Lot 24.
Fast Talker missed in 2022, but appears to now be back in foal to Zougotcha’s sire Zoustar.
