Big stars keep coming for Zou

Zoustar sired another two very smart two-year-olds over the weekend, colts Millane and Twin Stars both making winning debuts, whilst his three-year-old son Lightsaber ran second in the AU$1m Gr.1 Australian Guineas.

Millane – owned by the Victorian Alliance which includes Rosemont Stud, Qatar Racing and other partners – looked out of the top drawer as he made an impressive start in a 1000m Listed race at Flemington, the first race on Australian Guineas Day.

Sent off at $6 in a field of nine for the Listed Australian Childhood Foundation Plate, Millane drew a length and a quarter clear near the line for the ‘Black Caviar’ combination of jockey Luke Nolen and trainer Peter Moody.

Rosemont’s Managing Director Anthony Mithen implied there may be a big target upcoming for the colt who’d cost AU$1.15m at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale:

“I think it’s two weeks to the Golden Slipper, is it?” Mithen quipped when interviewed by Racing.com after the race.

“You’ve got to live the dream.”

Twin Stars made his winning debut in the AU$200,000 Magic Millions SA 2yo Classic over 1200m at Murray Bridge for jockey Jake Toeroek, trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy and owners that include Pipeliner Bloodstock.

"He's a lovely big horse," a thrilled Tony McEvoy said.

"I've always said he wanted to be three - he's a gangly sort of fellow and he's growing into his frame."

The same yard scored with another son of Zoustar in the following race as four-year-old gelding Zoist won the 1400m Magic Millions SA 3 & 4yo Classic.

Lightsaber had won the Gr.2 Sires’ Produce Stakes at Flemington and Gr.3 Prelude Stakes at Caulfield in 2021, and he ran a blinder returned to the former track when beaten less than half a length by Hitotsu in the Gr.1 Australian Guineas.

Millane is out of a mare by Snitzel (whose sire Redoute’s Choice is also Zoustar’s damsire).

Twin Stars is out of a mare by Star Witness.

Zoist is out of a mare by Zeditave.

Lightsaber is out of a mare by UK-based Dream Ahead.