Sunlight Shines in Group Three Quezette

One of the very best two year-old fillies of last season having won the Magic Millions 2YO Classic and placed in the Golden Slipper, Sunlight was back in top form at Caulfield on Saturday when scoring a thrilling victory in the Group III MRC Quezette Stakes Stakes.

The Tony McEvoy trained daughter of Zoustar went to Adelaide when resuming from a spell and was beaten comprehensively by boom sprinter Nature Strip in the Listed SAJC Lightning Stakes, but emerged a fitter filly for the experience.

She settled just off the pace for Luke Currie and was determined to the line to win the 1100 metre dash by half a head taking her overall record to six wins and three placings from nine starts with prizemoney in excess of $2.2 million.

“She’s a superstar filly,” said Tony McEvoy.

“She blew out in Adelaide the other day and was beaten by a better horse (Nature Strip), but today was the Sunlight of old.

“The Coolmore Stud Stakes (Group I) is the one we want, so we might go to the Danehill Stakes (Group II) next so she can have a look at the Flemington straight.”

A $300,000 Magic Millions purchase for Aquis/McEvoy Mitchell Racing/Blue Sky Bstock from the Widden Stud draft, Sunlight was bred in partnership by Widden Stud, whose Katie Thompson also shares in her ownership.

Sunlight is a half-sister to Group III placed Sheikha and is the third winner from former speedy filly Solar Charged, winner of the Group III ATC Kindergarten Stakes at her second start.

Solar Charged has a two year-old full sister to Sunlight who was knocked down to McEvoy Mitchell Racing/David Redvers Bloodstock for $600,000 at the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Solar Charged has a yearling Sebring colt and will foal again this spring to Widden Stud’s outstanding young sire Zoustar, who stands this spring at a fee of $60,500.