Third Cup Win for Zoumon

Fresh from winning the Listed ATC McKell Cup (2000m) and Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) at his part two starts, progressive Zoustar stayer had no worries adding the $200,000 Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) to his tally on Thursday.

The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained four year-old was well rated by Rachel King in front and kept up a good gallop to win by more than two lengths taking his overall record to eight wins and two placings from 20  starts with prizemoney topping $730,000.

"Good to see him continue to improve. I wasn't sure how much further improvement there was off the back of his last start win," said Adrian Bott, who made the trip to Grafton.

"But things worked out well. Rachel was able to rate him nicely, he was able to kick really well off the turn and had them under pressure pretty quickly and (he was) very strong through the line." 

It was the third stakes win for Zoumon, who has done a great job this campaign with three wins and a second since resuming from a spell in early June.

“He's just gone from strength to strength," Bott said.

"I'm not entirely sure what we do next but it's just great to have a nice, consistent horse like him in good form. 

"He knows how to win. He's got a great racing pattern, he's tough and importantly, he has improved every time he's stepped out. 

"If there's further improvement there, he might be able to feature in some of those spring carnival staying races." 

A $360,000 Magic Millions purchase for Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Racing/Mt Hallowell Stud from the Element Hill draft, Zoumon is the best of three winners from stakes-winning Monsun mare Monblue (GB), who sadly passed away last year.

A half-sister to two stakes-winners, Monblue is from Germans takes-winner Salonblue, who won up to 2000m and comes from a family packed with stakes-winning European stayers including 2022 Champion German 3YO Sammarco.

Zoumon is the first stakes-winner for Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar at the classic distance of 2400m.