SECOND STAKES WINNER FOR ZOUSTAR
Zoustar, the Australian sire part-owned by Qatar Racing, had a second individual Stakes winner on Saturday when Zousain took the Gr. 2 Champagne Classic at Doomben.
Zousain's first two-year-olds have so far been led by the high-class filly Sunlight, but he now has a high-class colt to fly the flag too.
Zousain had made a winning debut in February and, after finishing fourth and six in Group races, was aimed at the Queensland Carnival. The benefits of a short break were on display as Zousain showed a smart change of gear to win the 1200m Champagne Classic by two and a half lengths from Mishani Hustler.
Zousain is trained by Chris Waller and was ridden - as on his first start - by Kerrin McEvoy, who said: "The exciting thing is that he's got more to give."
Zoustar (also trained by Waller) did not contest the Champagne, but he won the Gr. 1 BRC Sires, which is likely to be Zousain's next port of call.
Zousain was a $400,000 Magic Millions purchase for David Redvers and Guy Mulcaster, and he appears to be very much in the mould of his sire.
David Redvers also bought Zousain's dam Pasar Silbano with Ger Lyons for €25,000. She won the valuable Goffs Sportman's Challenge Sales race at the Curragh and the Listed Curragh Stakes there, before switching to the US where she won a Gr. 3. She was sold at Tattersalls for 125,000 guineas to Richard Pegum, who bred and part-owns Zousain.
It's been a good week for Zousain's owners Qatar Racing as they also celebrated Group success on Monday when homebred Lightening Quick won the Gr. 3 Athasi Stakes. Zousain's victory was a tenth Stakes success of 2018 for horses in which Qatar Racing hold an interest.
