G1 I Kingsford Smith Cup Victory for Joliestar
Zoustar has opened up a little margin on his archrival Pride of Dubai in the race to be champion sire by earnings with six winners on Saturday headed by Joliestar winning the $1million Group I BRC Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) and new stakes-winner Zaszou successful in the Listed BRC Helen Coughlan Stakes (1200m).
Trained by Chris Waller and ridden by James McDonald, Joliestar took a while to hit top gear after travelling back off the pace, but was doing her best work late to arrive in time.
The favourite got her head down when it mattered and scored narrowly over Zarastro and Golden Mile.
An EPIC finish in the G1 Kingsford Smith Cup sees Joliestar nab them right on the line to take her third Group 1! 🤩@cwallerracing @mcacajamez@BrisRacingClub @RaceQLD pic.twitter.com/9AimF9fMu7
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 7, 2025
“It’s been hard to run the leaders down today and we discussed pre-race where we can’t change our racing pattern,” stated Waller.
“But in saying that, it was a lovely ride from James. He went straight across from the barriers and got in front of Giga Kick and one or two others, and that was probably the winning of the race.”
“She was off the bridle at the 500, but to her class, she just kept coming.”
“She’s a pleasure to be training – the stable at the Gold Coast, call her the queen. So we’ll run with that. She’s the Queen of Queensland today.”
“She’s a lovely horse. She’s got a great record. She did it at three. She’s won a Newmarket and had a lot of bad luck along the way.”
A $950,000 Inglis Easter purchase for Cambridge Stud’s Brendan and Jo Lindsay from the Segenhoe Thoroughbreds draft, Joliestar has the impressive record of six wins six placings from 15 starts with prizemoney topping $4.5million.
Bred by Chris and Jane Barham, Joliestar is a half-sister to stakes-placed God Of Thunder and Emperor and is the best of six winners from top-class Fastnet Rock mare Jolie Bay.
The Group II ATC Roman Consul Stakes winner and runner-up in the Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes, Jolie Bay, is a sister to dual Group I winner Merchant Navy, Listed winner Setanta, and stakes-placed Zara Bay, the dam of Group II winner Airman.
Jolie Bay has a yearling filly by Zoustar, a filly foal by Anamoe and is now back in foal to Zoustar.
Zoustar made it a stakes double at Eagle Farm with the Phillip Stokes trained mare Zaszou scoring a half head win carrying the Bennett Racing colours in the Listed BRC Helen Coughlan Stakes.
Another photo in the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes at Eagle Farm with Zaszou getting there by a whisker! 📸@pstokesracing @Brown_ethan8 @BrisRacingClub pic.twitter.com/wLztpOM0U9
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 7, 2025
A $200,000 Magic Millions purchase from Kitchwin Hills, Zaszou got her first taste of Black Type with the victory and has now won five of 14 starts earning over $260,000.
The 69th stakes-winner for Zoustar, Zaszou is the best of three winners from Group III placed Zabeel mare Zasorceress, who traces back to Champion European Sprinting 3YO Filly Habibti via the Desert Lily branch of the family that has produced Group winners Lafleur and Amaryllis.
