1/ Widden Stud's Zoustar shot himself into the stratosphere with a Group I trifecta in the high prestige, super desirable Coolmore Stud Stakes for three year olds over 1200 metres. He had the first three home in Sunlight, Zousain and Lean Mean Machine with the fourth horse home Written By also adding to the joy as his dam has been covered by Zoustar.
This race has evolved to have a huge significance to the bloodstock world and to get the trifecta in it is not far short of a Golden Slipper trifecta in terms of commercial status for the lucky sire involved.
2/ Gender pay equality does not extend to the racing world at least as not as dictated by Racing Victoria . The four Group I races were worth – Victoria Derby ($2million – 2500m 3YO's), Coolmore Stud Stakes ($1million 1200m 3YO's), Kennedy Mile ($1million 1600m all age) and Empire Rose Stakes ($500,000 1600m fillies and mares).
Shillelagh won the Kennedy Mile last year and banked $602,500 for her effort and this year returned to win the Empire Rose, yet collected only $302,500. Why should fillies and mares race for less money in races that are essentially the same, when it costs exactly the same amount to train them as colts? Frequently they are better than the colts and geldings anyway, so what genius decides to pay them less for doing the same job. The VRC Oaks on Thursday is worth $1million, why not split the difference and make Oaks and Derby worth $1.5 million each.
3/ If there is one thing we know about the Melbourne Cup, it's that champion German stallion Monsun is the go to sire for success. He's sired three of the last five Cup winners in Fiorente (IRE), Protectionist (Ger) and Almandin (Ger).
Monsun is the grand-sire of A Prince of Arran (GB), who raced into the Cup field by winning the Group III VRC Lexus Stakes at Flemington on Saturday and is by his high class son Shirocco, who won a Breeders Cup Turf.
4/ At 20 years of age Lonhro is still making his presence felt. Darley's champion sire had the first two winners on Derby Day in Ranier (pictured below) and Aristia, who will back up in the VRC Oaks on Thursday, and he also sired the dam of the next stakes-winner Osborne Bulls.
The week could get even better for Lonhro as his stunning black son Kementari and exciting grand-son Pierata (by Pierro) are engaged to run in the $1million Group I VRC Sprint Classic on Saturday. The Sir Tristram/ Zabeel/ Octagonal / Lonhro sireline is here to stay!
5/ Sunlight is the new pin-up girl for the double Danehill pattern of breeding that invariably whips up conversation in bloodstock circles.
She is the 11th Group I winner worldwide bred this way and is the second in Australia this spring joining Group I MRC Thousand Guineas winner Amphitrite, who runs in the VRC Oaks on Thursday.
Images Grant Courtney.
