Zoustar is one of the hottest sires in the country right now producing last Saturday’s Group I VRC Newmarket Handicap winner Joliestar with 35 of his glamour yearlings set to light up the sale ring next month at Inglis Easter, but it was one of his cheapest yearlings that became his latest stakes-winner at Canberra on Sunday.
Trained by Barb Joseph and Paul and Matt Jones, five year-old gelding Zouatica has built a tidy record in country and provincial races which earned him a start in last year’s $3million Big Dance. While that race did not end in the winner’s circle, it was a different result this time around with Zouatica resuming from a summer spell.
Fresh and ready to fire, Andrew Adkins kept the big gelding travelling smoothly three wide all the way and he found a beautiful rhythm before surging into contention with a raft of other contenders. Zouatica dug deep and poked his nose out on the line to win by half a head in a thriller.
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hased for just $40,000 by his trainers at Inglis Classic from the Torryburn Stud draft, Zouatica has a big group of adoring owners that include former racing media host Jo McKinnon and her husband Andrew Talbot. Zouatica is sure to have a forever home with Jo, who is a passionate re-trainer of off the track horses at their property near Quirindi.
Zouatica has now won eight of 21 starts earning in excess of $377,000 in prizemoney.
Bred and sold by Torryburn Stud, Zouatica was the second cheapest yearling by his champion sire at Inglis Classic that year, but time has been his best friend and there are more wins to come.
The 64th stakes-winner for Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar, Zouatica is the best of three winners from Axiomatic, a winning half-sister by O’Reilly to dual Group I winner and Champion NZ 3YO Xtravagant and Group II winner He’s Remarkable.
Axiomatic produced a filly by Home Affairs last spring and is back in foal to him again.
