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Mighty mares return with explosive Group wins

24th Aug 2024

They were top quality 3YO fillies and today Joliestar (Zoustar) and Kimochi (Brave Smash) returned as 4YO mares with spring carnival riches at their mercy with impressive first-up wins at Randwick.

Joliestar scored arguably the most impressive victory of the day Australia-wide with an arrogant performance to win eased down in the G3 Show County Quality.

And Kimochi showed she has plenty of racing left in her with a tough on-speed win in the G3 Toy Show Quality at her first start since selling for $2.2m at this year’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale.

Joliestar (Zoustar) firmed into an $8 second favourite with Ladbrokes for the $20m The Everest, such was the dominance of her explosive win today.

The Chris Waller-trained Joliestar has raced only seven times and now has the enviable record of four wins and three second placings, including a G1 win already in the Thousand Guineas and a victory in the $1m Arrowfield Sprint.

Bred by Chris and Jane Barham, Joliestar (pictured) is a $950,000 Easter Yearling Sale purchase for Brendan and Jo Lindsay of Cambridge Stud, from the Segenhoe draft.

The Lindsays were at Randwick today and were staggered with what they witnessed.

“She’s pretty special, isn’t she,’’ Brendan Lindsay said post-race.

“We weren’t expecting that, honestly. We were hoping she could win but we were quite surprised with the ease in which she did it.

“To be honest The Everest had never really been front of mind, we were thinking King Charles Stakes or Golden Eagle, but after that, you need to consider an Everest, don’t you.

“Either way she looks in for a big preparation, it’s exciting and there’s so much to look forward to.’’

Kimochi will target the $10m Golden Eagle at Rosehill in November off the back of her tenacious victory in the Toy Show Quality.

Heading into today’s race, Kimochi was already a $1m earner but she could see her prizemoney earnings skyrocket in coming months as she looks set for a big spring.

Trained by Gary Portelli, Kimochi is now a dual Stakes winner to go with her three G1 and five other black type placings.

The Aquis Farm-bred mare was purchased for $2.2m by Yulong at this year’s Chairman’s Sale, where she was offered through the Twin Hills draft by Leo To.

She was initially a $21,000 Australian Weanling Sale buy for Mr To, from the Valiant Stud draft.

Portelli described today’s effort as “amazing’’.

“It was tough, she was three deep, no cover, first up, underdone and still did the job,’’ the trainer said.

“I’ll talk to [Yulong’s] Vin [Cox] in the next couple of days to see what we do. I want to get her to the Golden Eagle but the route we take to get there is what we need to decide because the owners are keen to win a Group 1 with her and there’s plenty of options on the table, especially after today.’’

Meanwhile in Adelaide, Second To Nun (Akeed Mofeed) scored a valuable first Stakes win and led in an Inglis graduates quinella when defeating Attrition in the Listed Leon Macdonald Stakes at Morphettville.

Second To Nun is a prolific winner, with today’s victory the ninth of her 26-start career but most importantly, ensured she earned black type on her page.

Bred and part owned by John Kelton, the 5YO mare – now a winner of $430,000 – is a $45,000 purchase from the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for her co-trainer Will Clarken and Suman Hedge, from the Rushton Park draft.

And at Moonee Valley the unbeaten 3YO colt Daggers (I Am Invincible) announced himself a genuine G1 Golden Rose contender with a dominant victory.

Trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young purchased Daggers for $260,000 at the Easter Yearling Sale from the Arrowfield Stud draft.

A winner of both of his career starts to date in Victoria, Daggers will now head to Sydney for the G2 Run To The Rose on September 14 before a likely start in the Golden Rose a fortnight later.