Zoustar Filly the Slipper Favourite

Tara Madgwick - Saturday March 17
Australia's leading first season sire Zoustar has had a big week with a metropolitan double on Wednesday and now his star filly Sunlight cementing her place as Golden Slipper favourite with a sparkling win in the Group III ATC Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill.



The Tony McEvoy trained filly showed brilliant speed from the gate to lead under Luke Currie and kept up a good gallop to win the 1200 metre dash by a length and a quarter.

Sunlight with Tony McEvoy"She was really good," Currie said."She was fast, a bit on the fresh side so that should take that edge off her heading into next week.

"We went pretty quick through the middle stages and did get a bit tired late but I think she was entitled to.

"She'll be hard to beat next week."

A $300,000 Magic Millions purchase from the Widden Stud draft for Aquis/McEvoy Mitchell Racing/Blue Sky Bloodstock, Sunlight advances her overall record to five wins and a third from six starts with earnings of $1.5 million.

"I factored this race into her preparation like we did backing her up into the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast," McEvoy said.

"We just have to hold her together for the next seven days. It is very, very exciting for us.

"The thing we've come to learn with this filly is she is tough.I wish I had some more of them.

"She is a beauty."

Bred in partnership by Widden Stud, whose Katie Thompson also shares in her ownership, Sunlight is a half-sister to Group III placed Sheikha and is the third winner from former speedy filly Solar Charged, winner of the Group III ATC Kindergarten Stakes at her second start.

Solar Charged has a yearling full sister to Sunlight who was knocked down to McEvoy Mitchell Racing/David Redvers Bloodstock for $600,000 at the recent Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Solar Charged foaled a Sebring filly last October and was bred back to Zoustar, who has 13 entries for the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.



Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Thursday June 26
Here is the full list of 42 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
$190,000 Per Incanto Colt Tops NZB Weanling Sale
Little Avondale stallion Per Incanto’s outstanding season carried on in the Karaka sale ring on Thursday, where his weanling colt fetched a sale-topping $190,000 in the opening hour of the NZB National Weanling Sale.
Profondo Weanlings Impress
The first progeny of Windsor Park Stud stallion Profondo made a favourable impression during the NZB National Weanling Sale at Karaka on Thursday.
Flying Artie 2YO Wins by Four!
Blue Gum Farm have an appealing roster of three sires for this spring and while it’s all in front of Sejardan and Oxley Road, proven favourite Flying Artie remains unbeatable value and the G1 sire produced a four length 2YO winner on Thursday.
Coles Bows Out After 60 Years
Pukekohe’s Wednesday meeting marked the end of an era for Auckland Thoroughbred Racing, as Ross Coles, a treasured figure in the industry, retired after 60 years as Clerk of the Course.
Blueblood Filly a Third Winner for Tagaloa
Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes winner Tagaloa is one of the more affordable sires on the Yulong roster and he sired his third winner at Bendigo on Thursday when well bred filly Teine Aulelia made a winning debut.
Kaha Nui Swoop on Pinhook Prospects
Successful pinhookers Kaha Nui Farm were to the fore at Karaka on Thursday, and were rewarded with the crown of leading buyer at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Weanling Sale.
Do Early Winners Equate to Long Term Stud Success?
As we move towards the end of the racing season, attention invariably focuses on first season sires and who will be the leader of the cohort by winners and it’s a close run race this year, but does any of it matter in the grand scheme of things?
$190,000 Per Incanto Colt Heads Vibrant Weanling Sale
The  2025 National Weanling Sale saw its first dual-code weanling session in play at Karaka, with a total aggregate of $2,410,000 outlaid across 84 lots by a strong domestic buying bench plus international support from Australia, Hong Kong and China.
Mulberry Racing Secure Everest Slot
Racing NSW today announced that Mulberry Racing has secured a slot in the $20 million TAB Everest for a term of three years commencing with the running of this year’s race.