Zoustar Colt Wins G2 Champagne

It only seems fitting that the first colt to win a stakes race by Northern Meteor’s high class son Zoustar should also be prepared by his trainer Chris Waller.

Two year-old colt Zousain was a debut winner at Randwick in February before finishing fourth in the Group II ATC Skyline Stakes and then sixth in the Group III ATC Pago Pago Stakes behind top colts Santos and Written By.

Given a little freshen up after that, Zousain was tuned up with a recent trial second at Randwick and arrived in Brisbane ready to fire for the Group II BRC Champagne Stakes over 1200 metres.

Ridden patiently by Kerrin McEvoy he was allowed to find his feet in the early stages and then powered home through the field to surge clear and win with authority.

“He’s a nice horse to look at,” said Kerrin McEvoy.

“He had that little let up after the autumn and he won quite cosy. He pricked his ears at the finish and had more to give if he had been challenged.”

Zousain was a $400,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Edinglassie Stud draft for David Redvers/ Mulcaster Bloodstock and runs for Qatar Bloodstock and a large group of Waller stable clients including Richard Pegum, who bred the colt, while Widden Stud’s Ryan McEvoy also has a share.

Zousain is the fourth winner of this race for champion trainer Chris Waller and will be given his chance at the Group I BRC JJ Atkins Stakes (1600m) next month, a race in which his sire Zoustar finished second in 2013

With two wins from four starts and prizemoney just shy of $160,000, Zousain is the first winner for Pasar Silbano (IRE), a stakes-winning sprinter in Ireland and also a Group III winner in North America.

Zousain is the second stakes-winner for Zoustar joining his star filly Sunlight.

Crowned HTBA Champion First Season Sire on Thursday night in Scone, Zoustar stands this spring at a fee of $60,500.