Zoustar Cracks 200 Australian Winners for Season

Tara Madgwick - Friday July 5

Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar was the world’s leading sire of winners in 2023 and passed a milestone on Friday when racking up his 200th Australian winner of the season and shortly after his 201st!

Dillinger wins by daylight at Ballarat - image Reg Ryan / Racing Photos

Bringing up the 200 in style was the Tony and Calvin McEvoy trained four year-old gelding Dillinger, who blitzed his rivals to win the 1500m Benchmark 64 event by six lengths as favourite.

Advertisement

A maiden winner in January 2023, Dillinger has taken a while to find his second win, but two recent placings put the writing on the wall.

A $250,000 Inglis Premier purchase from Edinburgh Park for McEvoy Mitchell / Belmont Bloodstock, Dillinger is one of five winners from five to race from well bred mare Sticky Fingers, who comes from the family of Group I winners Criterion and Comin’ Through.

Click to see the full list at Breednet, fully interactive sire tables.

Zoustar becomes only the second stallion in history to achieve the feat of siring 200 plus Australian winners in a season with I Am Invincible doing it twice. He sired 208 winners in the 2020/2021 season to set the all-time record and then 202 winners last season.

With three more weeks of the season to come Zoustar is a real chance of breaking his record with his seasonal winner to runner strike rate running at 55.2%.

Zoustar hits 200 winners!

Zoustar will cover a full book at Widden this spring at a fee of $275,000.

Advertisment

Race Result - Sportsbet Jockey Watch (Bm64) 1500m

Ballarat Synthetic Track: Synthetic Time: 1:30.37
1
Dillinger
- 4g Zoustar (AUS) x Sticky Fingers (AUS) (Duke Of Marmalade (IRE))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: Beau Mertens 58.5
2
6
Perfect Gold
- 3f Gold Standard (AUS) x Perfect Scout (AUS) (Charge Forward (AUS))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: B Mc Dougall 59
3
6.8
Allibor
- 6g All Too Hard (AUS) x Libor Lady (USA) (Exchange Rate (USA))
Tnr: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes Rdr: A Darmanin 60
4
8
Queen Of Deels
- 4m Dundeel (NZ) x Causeway Queen (AUS) (Giant's Causeway (USA))
Tnr: C Maher Rdr: John Allen 59
5
11
Berry Foxie
- 4m Rommel (AUS) x Strawberries (AUS) (Strategic (AUS))
Tnr: Henry Dwyer Rdr: Jack Hill 56
6
11.2
Hostile Takeover
- 10g Host (CHI) x Miss Rose (AUS) (Grand Lodge (USA))
Tnr: John Eady Rdr: Harry Grace 54
7
12.9
Bomber's Kiss
- 6g Smart Missile (AUS) x The Fairy's Kiss (AUS) (Elusive Quality (USA))
Tnr: Matt & Louise Cooper Rdr: Ms J Kennedy 56.5
8
13.1
Apollo Blu
- 6g Dalghar (FR) x Ocean Run (NZ) (Al Akbar (AUS))
Tnr: B T Malanczyn Rdr: Rose Hammond 55.5
9
23.1
Whiskyontherocks
- 4g Thronum (AUS) x Jurasound (AUS) (Von Costa De Hero (AUS))
Tnr: Lucinda Boyd Rdr: Jordyn Weatherley 59.5
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 1
Here is the full list of 49 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Godolphin’s Lonhro Filly Proficient On Debut
From the penultimate crop of Darley’s Champion Sire Lonhro, the Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained 3yo filly Proficient started the race favourite, winning the Sportsbet Race Previews Plate (1000m) at Sandown Hillside in a fighting finish. 
Promising Victory For Too Darn Hot’s Ripley
Racing in the same Qatar Bloodstock coloured silks worn to victory on Friday night by West of Swindon (Wootton Bassett) in the Group 2 Stutt Stakes, 3yo Too Darn Hot colt Ripley highlighted his future potential with a two-length maiden victory at Rosehill on Wednesday.
420k NZ Ready to Run Purchase Looks the Goods
Progressive three-year-old Sulek notched his first victory when landing the MRC Foundation Pin & Win Plate (1400m) at Sandown on Wednesday for trainer Dominic Sutton.
Magic Trials at Caulfield Heath
Early season two-year-olds will step out this Thursday, 2 October, at the Caulfield Spring Trials presented by Magic Millions, with 800m 2YO heats following the opening trial for Group performers at 7:30am on the Caulfield Heath.
Bryce Bevan Appointed Head of Digital at Magic Millions
Magic Millions' commitment to conduct online thoroughbred auctions has received a huge boost with today's announcement that Bryce Bevan has been appointed as Head of Digital.
King’s Legacy Filly Salutes for Yulong
The first stakes-winner for her sire King’s Legacy when winning the Group III SAJC David Coles AM Stakes (1200m) last season, Steel Trap was subsequently purchased by Yulong privately and she posted her first win in their colours at Sandown on Wednesday.
Talented So You Think Mare Goes Two for Two
So You Think is setting the pace for winners this season as we head into October and one of those promising winners is talented four year-old mare Enamorada, who made it two wins in as many starts when saluting at Sandown on Wednesday as favourite.
Almanzor Mare Chasing More Black Type
Group Two performer Mary Shan will be in search of an elusive stakes victory when she heads south to Hawera on Saturday where she will contest the Gr.3 Grangewilliam Stud Breeders’ Stakes (1400m).
First Win for Storm Boy Half-Brother by Pierro
Progressive Pierro colt Shangri La Boy is a very different horse to his older half-brother Storm Boy and while that Group winning colt is covering his first book of mares at Coolmore this spring, this fellow is on his way with an impressive maiden win at Rosehill on Wednesday.