G1 Next for UK Zoustar Stakes-Winner
Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar is enjoying a red hot year and featured overnight in the UK where his slick sprinting colt Starlust won the Listed City Walls Stakes (5f) at York.
A Group III winner last season at two that finished his year with a third at Santa Anita in the Group I Breeders Cup Turf Juvenile, Starlust campaigned earlier this year in Dubai before returning to the UK.
The Ralph Beckett trained colt returned to winning form to win this five furlong sprint by a length and a half as favourite with Hector Crouch in the saddle and connections will now look towards the Group I Nunthorpe Stakes at the same track next month.
The combination of @HectorCrouch and @RalphBeckett proves fruitful as Starlust powers home to land the Listed John Smith's City Walls Stakes ⭐ pic.twitter.com/7tc1hhI4il
— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) July 13, 2024
“That was very pleasing – Starlust seems to enjoy the track. Everything went very smoothly and we’re very happy with that performance. He seems to be getting quicker as he gets older and is turning into a real professional sprinter. I’ll leave it to Ralph (Beckett), but I’m sure he’s earned his place in the Nunthorpe if they wish to go there,” said Hector Crouch.
Starlust was purchased for 55,000 guineas by Dermot Farrington from the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2 and has the overall record of five wins and five placigns from 14 starts.
He is a half-brother to stakes-winner Queen of Desire from Group III winning Invincible Spirit sprinter Beyond Desire.
Zoustar has soared to new heights in 2024 siring 202 winners worldwide since January 1 including 18 stakes-winners.
