The Power of Zoustar
The leading sire of winners in the world in 2025, reigning champion sire Zoustar makes his presence felt in many ways and we saw that over the weekend with a pair of stakes-winners in the Northern Hemisphere and here in Australia he got his first G1 winner as a broodmare sire.
On Friday at Meydan in Dubai, Zoustar colt Brotherly Love staked a claim for the Kentucky Derby when winning the Listed Dubai Road to the Kentucky Derby Stakes (1m 1 ½ f) on the dirt, read about him here.
Then overnight in the UK, his five year-old mare Sky Safari put in a career best performance to win the Group III Winter Derby Stakes (1m2f) on the all weather surface at Lingfield.
Trained by James Fanshawe and ridden by Daniel Muscutt, Sky Safari won by a neck and is now a two time stakes-winner with the overall record of seven wins from 11 starts.
SKY SAFARI wins the Midnite Winter Derby! 🏆@D_Muscutttt's mount soars from last to first to take top honours in our @LingfieldPark feature for @james_fanshawe… pic.twitter.com/u2WOkWxg0s
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) February 21, 2026
“It’s been an incredible story with Sky Safari and Dan [Muscutt] gave her a lovely ride,” said Tom Fanshawe, trainer’s assistant.
“She’s been an absolute star for us and people thought we were crazy pitching her in Listed company last year, but we always had faith in her and it’s paid off. She was a bit unlucky last time when joust touched off by a Gosden-trained filly but it was her day today.
“She’ll have a break now and come back for the second half of the season on turf and there is no reason why she can’t be as good on grass as she is on the all-weather.”
Sky Safari is the best of three winners from winning Galileo mare Moonlight Sonata, a half-sister to Group II winning stayer Western Hymn.
Mares by Zoustar will be the premium producers of the future and he is already sire of the dam of four stakes-winners with Saturday’s Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes winner Streisand the latest on the list.
A talented filly by former Widden Stud Victoria stalwart sire Magnus, Streisand was purchased by great judges Shane McGrath Bloodstock / Clinton McDonald Racing for just $100,000 at Inglis Premier.
Streisand has won $1.5million and is the best of two winners from winning Zoustar mare Zouper Star, who has been a regular visitor to Widden sires and has a yearling colt by Star Witness to be offered at Inglis Premier in the Newhaven Park draft and a colt born last spring by Nicconi.
