Widden Stud’s Zoustar is the leading sire of winners in the world this year and racked up his 100th in Australia for the season on Thursday when the Joe Pride trained filly Moonlight Dream got the cash at Newcastle as a short priced favourite.
Unplaced at Gatton on debut back in May when trained by Tony Gollan, Moonlight Dream has improved since coming into work with the Pride stable and ran a good race last start in a metro maiden when cluttered up and not afforded a lot of clear running when she needed it.
This time, she was allowed to find her feet by Alysha Collett and with an unimpeded run out wide was able to surge home and win the 1200m maiden by a length and a half.
Moonlight Dream was foaled and raised at Widden for her breeder Bill Frost, who races as Pendant Equine and was retained to race after passing in shy of her $280,000 reserve at Magic Millions.
Moonlight Dream is a half-sister to Group III winner Ready Set Sail and stakes-placed Set the Sails being the sixth winner from six foals to race from Jolie Brise, a half-sister by Fastnet Rock to stakes-winner Rutherford Eagle from Group III winner Vestey.
Widden Stud sold a Wootton Bassett (GB) colt from Jolie Brise at Inglis Easter this year for $360,000 and Jolie Brise was also sold at the 2023 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale where Fairhill Farm snapped her up for $40,000.
They subsequently sold her weanling filly by Zousain this year at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale for $160,000 to Cannon Hayes Limited and she is now back in foal again to Zousain.
