Zoustar's Sunlight a Class Above in Magic Millions 2YO Classic

Mark Smith - Saturday January 13

At the Magic Millions Yearling sale on Thursday, Tony McEvoy was forced to go to $600,00 to purchase the Zoustar x Solar Charged filly, which was double he needed to purchase her sister Sunlight the previous year.

Sunlight paid all expenses plus some when she overcame interference to capture Saturday's $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) on the Gold Coast.

From an outside barrier, EF Troop made a beeline to the fence causing crowding to Secret Lady and Sunlight resulting in Jonker being severely checked and almost put over the fence.

A composed Luke Currie had Sunlight travelling sweetly on the turn and, as she did seven days previously, showed an electric turn of foot to race away by two lengths over Stuart Kendrick's fast-finishing, 100-1 outsider, Fullasaboot (Sepoy) with Outback Barbie (Spirit Of Boom) back in third. (photos Steve Hart).


Besides the $1.2 million winner's cheque, Sunlight earned an additional $325,000 as part of the Magic Millions' Racing Women Promotion.

"She's a high-class filly and hasn't put a foot wrong, I've had such a blessed preparation with her," McEvoy said.

"We planned to get her here early, which we did and it's all gone beautifully to plan.

"Many thanks to Tony Gollan and his staff they have looked after us magnificently. And to Racing Queensland, at Doomben every time I've wanted to gallop they have given us the course proper. I feel like a local and the way they have treated us has helped us get here today.

"We will go to the (Golden) Slipper with her. We've got time to take her away and freshen her up and she's Slipper quality."

Currie said everything fell into place after the early scare.

"She came here with the weight of expectation today and she's proved all of her fans right," Currie said.

"She's been expertly trained by Tony to bring her up here early and give her those couple of runs.

"I learned a lot getting beat on her in her first start, probably more than what I have in her past two wins.

"I rode her down the straight and held her up a bit and I just think she's too brilliant for that and she's proven that in her last couple."

Consigned by Widden Stud to the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling sale, Sunlight was purchased for $300,000 by Aquis/McEvoy Mitchell Racing/Blue Sky Bloodstock.

She is the fourth foal of the brilliantly fast Solar Charged who was bred by Peter Horwitz who raced both her sire Charge Forward and dam Soul Singer (Danehill) who was out of another Horwitz owned mare Aretha who was a daughter of the best racehorse to race in the Horwitz silks, the Golden Slipper hero Sir Dapper.


Solar Charged made a winning debut over 1000 metres on the Kensington track back on November 28, 2009.

She became a stakes winner at her next start in the Group III AJC Kindergarten Stakes. Following a third behind Military Rose in the Group II Reisling Stakes, Solar Charged rounded her juvenile season out with a credible sixth in Crystal Lily's Golden Slipper.

After placing in the San Domenico Stakes and Silver Shadow Stakes Solar Charged won the Group III Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield which proved to be her last victory.

The daughter of Charge Forward placed in the Group II Challenge Stakes and Group III Rubiton Stakes before an embarking on her career as a broodmare.

A half-sister to dual Listed winner Causeway Queen (Giant's Causeway) and the multiple stakes-placed Brave Soul (More Than Ready), Solar Charged had fillies by Lonhro and Street Cry (IRE) before being consigned to the 2014 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale when in foal to Sebring.

She was knocked down to Widden Stud/Qatar Bloodstock for $650,000.

The Sebring filly Solar Charged was carrying at the time of her sale was consigned to the 2016 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale where she was purchased by Emirates Park for $350,000.

Named Sheikha and sent Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, she won at Warwick Farm last March before finishing third in the Group III Kindergarten Stakes at Randwick won by Property.

Solar Charged produced her fifth consecutive filly, the $600,000 daughter of Zoustar before foaling a Sebring colt last spring.

She was bred back to Zoustar who divides his time between Widden and Woodside Park Stud where he covered 173 mares in 2017 at a fee of $44,000.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Juvenile Trial Watch – Warwick Farm
There were some interesting juveniles in action at the Warwick Farm trials on Monday morning with Ciaron Maher saddling three unraced blue blood fillies that all won heats, two of them by champion sire I Am Invincible and the third from his champion daughter Loving Gaby.
Camelot Colt Wins G1 Irish Derby
The Camelot x Dansili nick produced it’s second Group I winner of the weekend when quality colt Los Angeles won the Group I Irish Derby following on from Bluestocking winning the Group I Pretty Polly Stakes.
Sires With Winners - Monday July 1
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
No Shuttle for Too Darn Hot
Set to be crowned Australia’s Champion First Season Sire of 2023/2024 Too Darn Hot (GB) will not be coming out to Australia this year with Darley announcing their decision via Twitter.
G1 Aussie Season – Best of the Best
The $700,000 Group I Tatts Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm last Saturday was the last of 74 Australian Group I races run this season that produced 54 individual Group I winners, so let’s take a look at the best of the best.
Blueblood 2YO Wootton Bassett Colt Wins G2 Railway
From last to first, exciting two year-old colt Henri Matisse scored an eye-catching win in the Group II Railway Stakes (6f) at The Curragh overnight becoming the 44th stakes-winner for his sire Wootton Bassett (GB), who will return to Coolmore Australia this spring.
Dan Vegas Doing Family Proud
Dan Vegas is continuing Totara Park Stud’s outstanding run of success with the family of the unbeaten three-year-old.
G1 Weekend Double for Pride of Dubai
Pride of Dubai had a Group I double at the weekend with his brilliant mare Bella Nipotina winning the Group I Tatts Tiara and in France overnight his globe-trotting superstar Dubai Honour hit top form winning the Group I Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (2400m).
National Jockeys Trust Race Day Luncheon - 24 August 2024
The National Jockeys Trust (NJT) is delighted to announce their annual fundraising Race Day Luncheon is back at Australian Turf Club’s (ATC) Royal Randwick racecourse, on Saturday 24 August 2024.
Aussie Origins for New Godolphin Japanese G3 Winner
The mighty Godolphin racing and breeding operation spans the globe and a new three year-old stakes-winner for them in Japan on Sunday comes from a famous Australian female family that is still being well cultivated here for commercial success.