Zoustar hits the Gold Coast with quality to match quantity

Widden Stud is anticipating the career of its stallion Zoustar to reach even greater heights when 51 of his third crop hit next month's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Zoustar has had a near perfect start to his life as a stallion, leading the sales average for his graduating class over the past two seasons and franking that with racetrack success, winning first-season sires honours last season and clearly leading the way against the same classmates so far this season.

During the recent Melbourne Cup carnival, he achieved the ultimate with his first crop of 3-year-olds when his progeny, led by the star filly Sunlight, trifectaed the G1 Coolmore Stud S.

For Widden's Marketing and Stallions Nominations Manager Ryan McEvoy, the timing couldn't be any better.

"Everything has fallen perfectly for him. With the stallions, you love them to have big springs leading into Magic Millions and we've got a fine draft of 14 of them and we couldn’t be happier," McEvoy told TDN AusNZ.

"We've had a number of parades already and they are parading really well. To have 51 in the sale is a great indication of the faith of the sales company. He is second behind I Am Invincible as the most represented sire. That in itself is a great endorsement of where he sits."

"It will be exciting to see how well he is received."

Consistency is key

While he has had only two crops to the racetrack, many are predicting Zoustar to be the next Australian super stallion. McEvoy said with the depth of talent that has been unearthed so far, he is getting results that only the best achieve early in their careers.

"He's not just this horse that has got one superstar. He looks like a horse that is capable of achieving a high number of high-class horses. And that to me is the one ingredient you need to have to be a champion stallion," he said.

"One thing he does get, which I've never seen in any other stallion, is the consistency in type. He just consistently gets a gun, every Zoustar that steps out, looking at our parade, is just a lovely horse. That's going to hold him in great stead."

High anticipation for Widden's Zoustars

McEvoy said with that consistency, that it's hard to single out a standout from Widden's draft of Zoustars.

He is eager to see what the market makes of Lot 117, who is out of Shakeira (USA) (Freud {USA}), a stakes-winning mare from an American family with a wealth of black type.

"He's a really strong colt, quite similar to that Zousain type. He is big, strong and has quality all over. He was purchased as a weanling, so he's being re-offered and he was also purchased before Zoustar went to another level," he said.

The filly out of Locket (Fastnet Rock), Lot 750, is another yearling with a strong international pedigree who will appeal greatly to the buying bench on the Gold Coast according to McEvoy.

"She's bred on the same cross as his stakes winner Persuader. She's a lovely filly with great style and movement to her. She's got all that sort of quality Sunlight, Persuader and Madame Rouge have."

Lot 28, out of Princess Emmy (NZ) (King's Chapel) is a filly who Widden has long anticipated will make a splash at the sales.

"She's a half to a stakes-winning 2-year old in Thurlow (Sebring) and she's just an absolute beauty. She always has been since the moment she was a foal until now. She hasn’t gone backwards. She has always been one of those fillies that when you are asked 'what are the better foals on the farm?', she is no.1 in the conversation," he said.

Outreach makes his bow

Widden's established stallions Sebring, Nicconi and Star Witness are all well-represented, while the progeny of Outreach make their first appearance at a yearling sale.

"He profiles up a stallion, as a speed horse with a big pedigree that we think can have a real influence," McEvoy said.

"I love these stallions out of Snippets mares. Look at Hinchinbrook and Snitzel."

"He doesn't share the reputation that Vancouver and Pride of Dubai have in the same crop, but horses like him, I don’t think anyone would be surprised if he was to become a sire of real early precocious 2-year-olds and have a real influence with his babies. We're bullish about his chances."

Widden will offer one of the five Outreach lots catalogued, Lot 40, a filly out of Queen of the Nile (Wanted) from the family of multiple Group 1 winner Mummify.

"She's a real racey 2-year old, with great bone and a lot of quality. She's got that real Danehill muscle and quality to her. Great movement and she's a great advertisement for him," he said.

The full offering

Widden will offer 42 lots all up, with McEvoy highlighting two Sebring colts, Lot 586 out of Group 2 winning mare Flying Snitzel (Snitzel) and Lot 220 out of Listed winner The Messina Nymph (Commands).

Lot 287, the full sister to Stellar Collision (Star Witness) is another of Widden's draft which will draw plenty of attention as will the half-brother to Sunlight by Sebring (Lot 152).