Group Double for Zoustar

Widden Stud’s champion young stallion Zoustar delivered a Group II double in two states on Saturday courtesy of quality mare Mizzy and Zoutori, who became his tenth stakes-winner with an explosive victory in the Group II VRC Bobby Lewis Stakes at Flemington.

Promising four year-old Zoutori might have disappointed when tried in stakes company in Brisbane last winter, but he showed serious spring potential with a dazzling first up win, his first in a Black type race.

The Matt Ellerton and Simon Zahra trained gelding powered home from off the pace to win the 1200 metre sprint by two lengths in a slick 1:08.37, taking his overall record to five wins from 14 starts with progeny just shy of $350,000.

“Things went a bit pear-shaped for him in the last campaign,” said co-trainer Matt Ellerton.

“We took him to Brisbane and it was pretty fruitless so it’s good to pick up the pieces today.

“He just didn’t handle the right-handed way of going (in Brisbane). I thought he ran well enough in his first run up there and then Craig Williams just said he wanted to turn left the whole way up there in his next start.

“He may well also not be a miler.”

A $160,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Amarina Farm draft for his tainers, Zoutori was bred by Frank Meduri and is the first foal of Atotori, a half-sister by Haradasun to Group III winner Castlethorpe and to the dam of Group II winner Quiet Oasis and Group III winner Young Pretender.

Atotori has a big international pedigree being a grand-daughter of Champion European Two and Three Year Old Filly Park Express, the dam of leading sire and Epsom Derby winner New Approach.

Zoustar made it a Group II double when his progressive four year-old daughter Mizzy took out the Group II ATC Sheraco Stakes at Rosehill.

Prepared by Anthony Cummings, Mizzy won the Group III ATC Toy Show Stakes at her first run back from a spell and kept up the good work with this brilliant front running win in this 1200 metre sprint in which she brought to an end the undefeated record of runner-up Fasika , who failed by a long head..

“She’s done a fantastic job. Great to see her turn up here today in good shape, have a great fight to the the line and get the result,” said Anthony Cummings.

“Fasika was slow out and gave an opportunity we hadn’t expected but the plan was to be quick out and follow that horse over. When she wasn’t there it just made life very simple.

“She got over, got an easy lead and today that’s been vital for all the winners.”

A $200,000 Inglis Easter purchase for her trainer from the Segenhoe Stud draft, Mizzy has won three of 15 starts and placed a further five times earning in excess of $447,000 in prizemoney.

Bred by Robert Crabtree, Mizzy is the first foal of Magnus stakes-winner Missy Cummings, a daughter of stakes-winner Lady Knockout. Missy Cummings has a weanling colt by Capitalist and is in foal to Written Tycoon.

The success of Mizzy and Zoutori made it a great day for Zoustar, who is fully booked at Widden Stud this spring at a fee of $154,000.