Debut Zoustar 2YO Winner Brings Catalogue Update

Tara Madgwick - Monday June 9

Bjorn Baker, Rachel King and Zoustar combined to win the 2YO fillies maiden at Canterbury on Monday with well bred Zoustar filly Pillow Fight, who has a half-sister to be offered at the Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale on Friday.

Pillow Fight had shown good potential at the trials and delivered on race day, producing a tenacious effort to run down the leader Rosa Incanta to take the 1250m contest by a head.

Pillow Fight is a winner on debut - image Bradley Photography

Bjorn Baker’s stable representative Luke Hilton revealed the daughter of Zoustar had always been held in high regard.

Advertisement

“She's always been a lovely filly. We've had a good opinion of her, but the more Bjorn's done with her, the better she's got,” he said.

“He's been patient with her. He's given her a number of gallops at home and she's had some good trials, and she's just got better and better. She's got a great attitude, very relaxed, but she's an exciting filly. I think she's got a big future.”

 

Rachel King has ridden the filly in her two most recent trials and knows her well.

“It probably wasn't ideal sort of facing the breeze down the back, but she's a very casual customer,” said King.

“She jumped well today, but went straight to sleep early and even though I was facing the wind she wasn't spending any unnecessary energy.

“I had to get her moving probably even sooner than I wanted to just because I know she's the type of filly that does take a little bit of winding up.

“She's always had that good level of ability, but her attitude helps her because she is super relaxed about life in general. She's only going to improve. I probably didn't quite expect her to do it today, but it’s a nice surprise.”

A $375,000 Magic Millions purchase from Newgate Farm for Bjorn Baker Racing/Cunningham Thoroughbreds/Clarke Bloodstock Pty Ltd (FBAA), Pillow Fight is the fourth winner from four foals to race from Group III placed Snitzel mare Slumber Party.

Bred by Go Bloodstock, Slumber Party comes from the Singles Bar branch of the famed Easy Date family that has produced Group I winners King’s Legacy, Oohood and champion sire Not a Single Doubt.

Slumber Party was on-sold through Inglis Digital in January 2024 and was purchased by Durham Park for $255,000 in foal to Justify (USA).

Lot 228

She produced a filly from the mating that will be offered by Durham Park at Inglis Great Southern as Lot 228.

Slumber Party is now in foal to So You Think.

Advertisment

Race Result - Chase The Dream Mdn Plate 1250m

Canterbury Track: Soft(6) Time: 1:15.53
1
Pillow Fight
- 2f Zoustar (AUS) x Slumber Party (AUS) (Snitzel (AUS))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: Rachel King 56
2
0.1
Rosa Incanta
- 2f Per Incanto (USA) x Latin Rose (NZ) (Mastercraftsman (IRE))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: A Hyeronimus 56
3
0.5
Sequista
- 2f D'argento (AUS) x I'm A Jewel (AUS) (I Am Invincible (AUS))
Tnr: G Ryan & S Alexiou Rdr: Tim Clark 56
NZB Ready To Run Sale $0
Seller: Riversley Park Ltd
Buyer:
MM Gold Coast Yearling Sale Book 2 $80,000
Seller: Bowness Stud, Young, NSW
Buyer: Riversley Park
4
0.9
Long Legs
- 2f Russian Revolution (AUS) x Fabvier (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: G Portelli Rdr: A J Calder 56
5
2.2
The Pearls
- 2f Proisir (AUS) x The Pearler (NZ) (Volksraad (GB))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 56
6
3.2
Regal Problem
- 2f Endless Drama (IRE) x Chase Of Fame (AUS) (Statue Of Liberty (USA))
Tnr: Lyle Chandler Rdr: K Mc Evoy 56
7
3.4
Sharbino
- 2f Saxon Warrior (JPN) x Morning Bay (AUS) (Dawn Approach (IRE))
Tnr: G R Nickson Rdr: Molly Bourke 54
8
3.8
Fiery Lass
- 2f Hellbent (AUS) x Lope De Lope (AUS) (Lope De Vega (IRE))
Tnr: R J Quinton Rdr: Reece Jones 56
9
4.3
British Gem
- 2f Wootton Bassett (GB) x Miss Que (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: J R Collett 56
10
4.6
Funky Tilda
- 2f Hellbent (AUS) x Another Sunday (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: David Payne Rdr: Dylan Gibbons 56
11
6
Lightness
- 2f Proisir (AUS) x Jazamour (NZ) (Azamour (IRE))
Tnr: Brad Widdup Rdr: W F Pinn 56
More Reading...
2025 G1 Epsom Handicap Field and Barrier Draw
The field and barrier draw has been decided for the Group I Epsom Handicap on Saturday with odds-on favourite and unbeaten mare Autumn Glow drawing the extreme outside gate in a field of 14.
She's Unusual Keeps Good Times Rolling
Continued success with resident stallion Unusual Suspect and their racing team has kept Nigel and Adaire Auret busier than they may have envisaged, but without any complaints.
2025 G1 The Metropolitan Field and Barrier Draw
Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher are set to have half of the Group I Metropolitan field between them with the Waller trained Birdman an easing favourite after drawing a wide gate for Saturday’s race.
Equimillion This Long Weekend – Draws and Start Lists
Racing NSW have their annual Equimillion event coming up this long weekend at Sydney International Equestrian Centre at Horsley Park and for people interested in off the trackers it’s a showcase for the sport, so let’s take a look at who’s who in the zoo.
Resolute Racing Purchase Top Lot Goffs Orby Day 1
The Goffs Orby Yearling Sale kicked off overnight and the top lot on Day 1 was a colt by Blue Point purchased by John Stewart’s Resolute Bloodstock for €675,000, while Wootton Bassett produced the top selling filly, whose half-brother Trinity College is now in Australia.
$1.2million for Mare in Foal to Frankel
There are four mares to be offered at Magic Millions National in foal to Juddmonte Farm’s champion sire Frankel and the first of them Grande Dame (GB) sold for $1.2million to James Bester Bloodstock/Morning Rise Stud.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday September 30
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Autumn Glow Epsom Challenge - Just How Big Is This Task?
With the unbeaten Autumn Glow set to run as the first odds-on favourite this century in the Epsom Handicap on Saturday we thought we’d run some data to see how big this mountain is that she’s attempting to climb, and turns out, it’s pretty big.
Tara Talks Racing - Insights from a Legend - Darren Beadman
Beiwacht upstaged his more fancied rivals to win the $1million Group I ATC Golden Rose last Saturday in course record breaking style to become the hottest colt in Australia giving us the opportunity to chat to a legend that has been very much involved in his story so far.
Karaka Million Dreaming for Out of the Blue
Te Akau Racing marketing manager Julia-Rose Hayes has had plenty of success syndicating horses selected by her father, David Ellis, and that has continued with her latest syndicate.