Stakes Double for Zoustar

Tara Madgwick - Saturday March 23

Zoustar had a productive Saturday with two new stakes-winners starting with two year-old colt Growing Empire, winner of the Listed MVRC Moonee Valley Pearl and followed later in the day in Adelaide by four year-old mare Climbing Star, who took out the Listed SAJC Matrice Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville.

Group placed twice previously, the Phillip Stokes trained mare was overdue for a Black Type success and got the job done with a commanding victory scoring by nearly three lengths at her first run back from a spell.

 

A $6

Advertisement
00,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Widden Stud draft for Phillip Stokes Racing Pty Ltd / Rick Connolly Bloodstock, Climbing Star runs for a syndicate that includes her breeder Qatar Bloodstock and has the overall record of two wins and four seconds from 12 starts with prizemoney topping $260,000.

“We’ve always had a big opinion of her, although her form probably doesn’t read like that,” said Phillip Stokes.

“We set her for this race and then to the Robert Sangster (G1) in three weeks. We’ve always known she had a heap of ability and she’s just gotten better with age.”

Climbing Star was a $600,000 Inglis Easter purchase.

Climbing Star is a half-sister to dual Group III winner Sansom and is the fourth winner from Fastnet Rock mare Bryony, a sister to Group I winner Heroic Valour and three-quarter sister to Group I winner Triple Honour.

Bryony had another filly by Zoustar last year and is back in foal to him again.

Climbing Star is the 51st stakes-winner for Zoustar and is bred on the Zoustar x Fastnet Rock nick, which is becoming ever more successful.

The stats are 38 winners from 48 runners, so 79% winner to runner and there are six stakes-winners headed by G1 winners Zougotcha and Joliestar making for 12.5% SW to runner.

 

 

 

Advertisment

Race Result - Matrice Stakes LR 1200m

Morphettville Track: Good(4) Time: 1:09.22
1
Climbing Star
- 4m Zoustar (AUS) x Bryony (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: Lachlan Neindorf 54.5
Zoustar
2
2.7
Party Princess
- 4m So You Think (NZ) x Khandallah (AUS) (Kitten's Joy (USA))
Tnr: A J Gluyas Rdr: J Holder 55.5
So You Think
3
2.8
Boognish
- 4m Sooboog (AUS) x Regrowth (AUS) (Unbridled's Song (USA))
Tnr: W Clarken & N O'Shea Rdr: Ben Price 54.5
4
3.4
Grey River
- 4m Al Maher (AUS) x Grey Cheval (AUS) (Husson Lightning (AUS))
Tnr: Jon O'Connor Rdr: Todd Pannell 55.5
5
3.6
Prairie Flower
- 4m Star Turn (AUS) x Leotie (AUS) (Darci Brahma (NZ))
Tnr: D R Jolly Rdr: Madison Lloyd 54.5
6
3.9
Ballon D'or
- 4m Lord Of The Sky (AUS) x Cruyff I'm Good (AUS) (Johan Cruyff (GB))
Tnr: W Clarken & N O'Shea Rdr: Kayla Crowther 54.5
7
4
Rubamos
- 6g I Am Invincible (AUS) x Oriental Ruby (AUS) (Street Cry (IRE))
Tnr: Aaron Bain & Ned Taylor Rdr: Jacob Opperman 56.5
8
5.2
Nunthorpe
- 4m Playing God (AUS) x Latoria (AUS) (Oratorio (AUS))
Tnr: P G Moody & Katherine Coleman Rdr: Will Price 54.5
9
5.6
Pudding
- 5g Tavistock (NZ) x Christmas Day (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: R & C Jolly Rdr: Jake Toeroek 57.5
10
7.4
Grinzinger Prince
- 5g More Than Ready (USA) x Vavasour (NZ) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Cody Reardon Rdr: Ms E Finnegan 56.5
11
8.5
Ironclad
- 8g Dubawi (IRE) x Heat Haze (GB) (Green Desert (USA))
Tnr: W Clarken & N O'Shea Rdr: Jessica Eaton 58.5
12
9.6
Rolls
- 7g Anacheeva (AUS) x Explobo (AUS) (Success Express (USA))
Tnr: Maddie Raymond Rdr: Harry Grace 57.5
13
13.1
Shaquero
- 5g Shalaa (IRE) x Fimatino (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: R & C Jolly Rdr: P Gatt 56.5
More Reading...
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
Melbourne Cup Pedigree Analysis - Do It Yourself
Breednet has produced a great page with click through to five generation pedigrees for all the Melbourne Cup runners, so for amateur pedigree buffs looking to have a Cup flutter based pedigree here’s your chance  to DIY it!
All Too Hard's Arran Bay Brave in the Furphy Plate
Phillip Stokes admitted his preference was to run Arran Bay in the Listed John Letts Cup at Morphettville but was overruled by the owners, who made the correct decision in favouring the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) at Flemington.
Storm Boy Headed to Ireland
Coolmore have today announced via Twitter that top class Justify (USA) colt Storm Boy will be continuing his racing career in Ireland in 2025 under the care of Aidan O’Brien.
Tycoon Star Makes Winning Debut in G3 Maribyrnong Plate
Tycoon Star looked like the consummate professional when making a winning career debut in the Group III Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m) to kickstart Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Zoustar Mare Rolls Favourites in G1 Sangster
Widden Stud’s flagship sire Zoustar had another red letter day on Saturday with a Group double at Morphettville when exciting juvenile colt Growing Empire bolted away with the Group III SAJC Breeders Stakes followed later in the day by progressive mare Climbing Star, who tipped out the favourites to score a tenacious win in the $1million SAJC Rober Sangster Stakes (1200m).
One to Watch – Cranbourne
Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar had not one, but two impressive debut winners on Wednesday with Saturn Star at Rosehill joined by an ultra-impressive filly at Cranbourne.
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.