First Group Success for Zoustar
The future looks very bright for Zoustar after his daughter Sunlight completed a four-timer in the Gr. 2 Silver Slipper Stakes over 1100m at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday 24 February.
The field may have been reduced from seven runners to five - one of the non-runners was the unbeaten Qatar Racing-owned colt Zousain, also by Zoustar - but Sunlight was still facing at least one formidable rival in Estijaab, and she beat that filly by a quarter of a length after a battle.
Sunlight's winning time was only 0.61 outside the race record.
"That was incredible wasn't it," said Calvin McEvoy, assistant trainer to his father Tony. "She showed something a bit different there by coming back and taking the sit.
"She had been a jump and run type before but she is very sensible and showed that the way she won. She has another string to her bow now. She had a good healthy blow after that and she is going to improve."
Tim Clark, deputising for Luke Currie in the saddle, was impressed by Sunlight.
''She is pretty push button. A very sensible filly with good improvement in her," he said.
"Although the second horse had her excuses [making just her second start], there is not a lot between them considering my filly has probably three lengths improvement."
Sunlight has not only shown herself to be a high-class two-year-old, but an extremely tough one too. She was third in a Listed race on her debut in October, and since winning a barrier trial on December 7 has won four races in the space of two months.
She has already earnt a staggering $1,433,450 (£803,147) in prize money and could add another significant haul in the Gr. 1 Golden Slipper Stakes - though she has been pencilled in to run again a week before that race in the Magic Night Stakes on March 17 (also at Rosehill).
Sunlight could again meet Estijaab in the Golden Slipper and they can't be split in the betting [though Estijaab will need more prizemoney to guarantee a run].
Another potential Golden Slipper runner is the aforementioned Zousain who is slated to make his second appearance in the Gr. 2 Skyline Stakes over 1200m at Randwick on Saturday.
