Stakes Performed Zousain Filly Too Good At Doomben

Dane Squance - Wednesday June 4

Third in the Listed Calaway Stakes two starts back, lightly raced two-year-old Zousain filly Sweet Pretender produced the goods at Doomben, charging late to win the Mullins Lawyers QTIS Two-Year-Old Maiden Plate (1350m).

Trained at Toowoomba by William Kropp, Sweet Pretender commenced her career with a length second in the Pat O’Shea QTIS Two-Year-Old Plate, followed by a further two placed efforts before finishing six lengths off Hellbent filly Sunrays in the Listed Bill Carter Stakes (13500m).

Dropping back in class from her lateset effort, jockey Cejay Graham jumped away Sweet Pretender away swiftly from the gates before jockey Michael Rodd aboard Lee Freedman’s Provoker (Encryption) crossed the field to take up the running.

 

Eventually settling in fourth on the outside of On Point Pixie (Heroic Valour), Graham started to ask her filly for an effort just before the home turn as the leader appeared to have secured a cosy run in the lead.

As Mortal Halo (Better Than Ready) was chiming in and looked a serious chance, Sweet Pretender put in a dive in right on the line to nab Provoker. Mortal Halo was also working home at a solid rate of knots that he took second, with Prokover eventually third, while the unlucky favourite Hard As Brok (All Too Hard) came along the rail to finish fourth.

Having performed on soft going in the past, Kropp was confident heading into the race that she’d handle the surface.

“She's raced well on the soft tracks, so I was kind of hoping it stayed a bit soft,” stated Kropp. “Ultimately being handy and the rail being out, probably worked out of there.”

Advertisement

Having her first ride on the filly, Graham was positive abour the fight the filly showed late.

“It was nice to have her just a little bit more into the race today, but the good barrier afforded me to be able to do that,” enthused Graham post-race. “Always travelled well and was in for the fight late.”

“She got into a beautiful rhythm and relaxed really well throughout and she saved everything for the finish. She's only little, but I think she'll take good confidence from that.”

A graduate of KBL Thoroughbreds’ 2024 Magic Millions Capricornia Yearling Sale draft when purchased for just $6,000 by her trainer, the two-year-old filly has earned connections more than ten times her purchase price with plenty more to come.

Sweet Pretender Is The Fifth Juvenile Winner This Season For Widden's Zousain

The first winner from two to the races for Street Boss mare Onya Boss, who unfortunately passed away last year, the final foal from the mare is a daughter of Newgate Farm’s Cosmic Force who was withdrawn from the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale earlier this week.

One of seven individual stakes performers for Widden Stud’s Zousain, which is headed by dual Group 3 winner Drifting who was sold at last week’s Magic Millions national Broodmare Sale for $800,000, the son of Zoustar will stand for a fee of $27,500 (inc. GST).

Advertisment

Race Result - Mullins Lawyers Mdn Plate 1350m

Doomben Track: Soft(6) Time: 1:22.63
1
Sweet Pretender
- 2f Zousain (AUS) x Onya Boss (AUS) (Street Boss (USA))
Tnr: William Kropp Rdr: Cejay Graham 56
MM Capricornia Yearling Sale $6,000
Seller: KBL Thoroughbreds, Beaudesert, Qld (As Agent for Four Small Fish)
Buyer: Matt Kropp
Inglis Australian Weanling Sale $0
Seller: KBL Thoroughbreds, Beaudesert, Qld
Buyer: Withdrawn
2
0.3
Mortal Halo
- 2c Better Than Ready (AUS) x Freezethemillions (AUS) (Freeze (AUS))
Tnr: Annabel & Rob Archibald Rdr: Jag Guthmann-Chester 58
MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale $0
Seller: Yarramalong Park, Kalbar, Qld
Buyer: Psd $220000 Res $260000
3
0.3
Provoker
- 2c Encryption (AUS) x Lady Provocateur (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: D L Freedman Rdr: M Rodd 58
MM Gold Coast National Yearling Sale $4,000
Seller: Figtree Thoroughbreds, Biddaddaba, Qld (As Agent)
Buyer: Lee Freedman Racing
4
1.2
Hard As Brok
- 2g All Too Hard (AUS) x Adagirl (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: David Vandyke Rdr: Craig Williams 58
5
1.4
Artistic Endeavour
- 2g Better Than Ready (AUS) x Monte Bella (AUS) (Bel Esprit (AUS))
Tnr: K M Schweida Rdr: A Mallyon 58
6
2.3
Koolatah Queen
- 2f Hellbent (AUS) x Killer Queen (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: Chris Anderson Rdr: R Dolan 56
7
3.2
On Point Pixie
- 2f Heroic Valour (AUS) x Germayne Lass (AUS) (Stromberg Carlson (AUS))
Tnr: P L Shailer Rdr: Damien Thornton 56
8
7.6
Ship Happens
- 2c Merchant Navy (AUS) x Frazil (AUS) (Medaglia D'oro (USA))
Tnr: J R Bayliss Rdr: P Hamblin 58
9
8.7
Egyptian Goddess
- 2f Brave Smash (JPN) x Seething Jackal (AUS) (Choisir (AUS))
Tnr: Ryan Tyrell Rdr: M R Du Plessis 56
10
9.4
Verona Girl
- 2f Castelvecchio (AUS) x Zelrosa (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: K M Schweida Rdr: Angela Jones 56
11
11.2
Happy Coffee
- 2f Cosmic Force (AUS) x Happy Every Day (AUS) (Pierro (AUS))
Tnr: James Moore Rdr: Ron Stewart 56
12
12
Vegameister
- 2g Lucky Vega (IRE) x Trawalla (AUS) (Zoustar (AUS))
Tnr: K M Schweida Rdr: Justin Huxtable 58
More Reading...
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for this season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end next season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.
Third Winner for Peltzer
Twin Hills Stud’s young sire Peltzer added a third winner to his tally with a debut victory at Canberra on Friday for the well named gelding I Show Speed.
Buccleuch - First Stakes-Winner for Peltzer
The $175,000 Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday was won back in 2020 by Cherry Tortoni, who went to on to become a multiple Group winner of nearly $1million and the same colours were carried by this year’s winner Buccleuch.
Marble Nine Brings Up Second Stakes Winner For Aquis’ Kobayashi
The withdrawal of the top weight in Saturday’s $175,000 Listed VRC Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington saw the field down to just six, with Marble Nine continuing his outstanding recent form to secure his first black type victory.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday morning and the winners include unraced youngsters by Cool Aza Beel and I Am Invincible, plus a Farnan colt that tried his luck in Group races in the autumn and was far from disgraced.
Invincible 2YO Colt wins for Bennett Racing
The $150,000 VRC Next Gen Sprinters Series Final (1200m) for two year-olds at Flemington on Saturday drew a competitive field of progressive juveniles and the colt that stood out on type in the yard was the one that got the cash with I Am Invincible colt Jimmy Recard proving too good for race favourite Bacash.
High-flying Pencarrow Stud offers well-bred mares in Online Breeding Stock Sale
The 2024-25 season has been one of the best ever for Pencarrow Stud, and some of the renowned bloodlines that have underpinned that success are now available for purchase in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus.
One to Watch – Ballarat
Synthetic track meetings at Ballarat can throw up some misleading form, but a debut winner from the Tony and Calvin McEvoy stable that started in the red and won by nine lengths is probably worth a closer look.
Spring Potential for Darby Racing's Raging Force
Unplaced in the Group III ATC Breeders’ Plate last spring on debut, Raging Force came out of that race with an injury that required significant time on the sidelines, but since returning to full work his progress has been swift.
Sires With Winners - Friday July 4
Here is the full list of 38 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.