A homebred for Torryburn Stud, talented Zoustar filly Stardom opened her Black Type account at Scone on Saturday in the $200,000 Listed Woodlands Stud Stakes (1100m) to the great delight of her breeder John Cornish, who was at the track.
Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Stardom broke her maiden last start at Wagga at her second start and took a big leap forward into this much tougher assignment.
Given a perfect ride by Adam Hyeronimus, she kicked on strongly to beat Tassort filly Wollzeile with the race favourite Akaysha (Capitalist) in third place.
Stardom has won two of three starts earning nearly $160,000 in prizemoney.
“A few drinks have gone past since we've had a good filly,” said a delighted John Cornish.
“I thought she might have been beat two or three times, but she kept her head down and kept coming. That's a good sign for a baby, isn't it?
“It’s been a thrill, you know how much I love it, and I love the farm.”
Stardom is the best of three winners from Group III winning Snitzel mare Diddums, who was also bred and raced by the Cornish family.
A half-sister to four time Group I winner Voyage Bubble, Diddums had no yearling at the sales this year, but produced a filly by Toronado (IRE) last spring and is now back in foal to Zoustar.
Stardom is the 67th stakes-winner for Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar, whose fee this year has been set at $275,000.
