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Zougotcha, Autumn Angel score big G1 wins on huge day for Inglis graduates

13th Apr 2024

Marvellous mare Zougotcha (Zoustar) and fabulous filly Autumn Angel (The Autumn Sun) produced career-best performances to secure G1 wins at Randwick on Day 2 of The Championships today.

Zougotcha made it back-to-back G1 victories, backing her Coolmore Classic win up with a heart-stopping victory in the $1m Queen of the Turf Stakes.

And Autumn Angel secured a memorable first G1 success, defeating the strongest Oaks field seen for many seasons for a comfortable victory in the G1 Australian Oaks.

For Zougotcha, the win capped off a remarkable autumn carnival for the mare who has now raced three times this prep for three wins – twice at G1 level after her first-up win in the G2 Millie Fox Stakes.

Zougotcha is a $500,000 Easter Yearling Sale purchase for Guy Mulcaster and her trainer Chris Waller.

They bought her out of the Widden Stud draft, who co-bred the mare with Robert Anderson’s RMA Bloodstock.

“To see this mare deliver as she has, time and time again, it’s just so exciting,’’ Widden’s Antony Thompson said.

“She’s just given us all so much, Zoustar has given us all so much, it’s been an unbelievable day.’’

Mulcaster added: “She turns up every week. She was just amazing today.

“I remember her at Easter, she was a really good type. We were a little bit scared to pay the $500,000 but that’s what they wanted so that’s what we had to pay, so we did. I guess everybody’s happy now.’’

Meanwhile trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman backed Autumn Angel (pictured) up after she carried 61kg to a narrow loss in last Saturday’s G3 Adrian Knox Stakes, a traditional Oaks lead-up.

And the decision proved fruitful, with the filly proving too strong today, appreciating the weight drop and set weights conditions of today’s $1m Australian Oaks.

Autumn Angel becomes the 94^th individual G1-winning Inglis graduate since 2018.

She has now won four of her nine starts for $1,015,000 in prizemoney.

Moody and Wylie Dalziel bought Autumn Angel for $230,000 at the Easter Yearling Sale, where she was offered by Arrowfield Stud, who co-bred the filly with Jungle Pocket.

“What a beautiful filly, out of a great mare and just a great pedigree going forward. She might win a real big race in the spring, one of the Cups,’’ Arrowfield’s Jon Freyer said.

“It’s great for the stallion, we’ve always had great belief in him and he’s really starting to deliver.

“She’s top class this filly. We’ve always felt The Autumn Sun’s progeny would be horses that when we got to these Classic races they’d come into their own and what a performance that was.

“I think that’s one of the strongest Oaks’ I’ve ever seen, I think the first five across the line could win any normal Oaks in any other year.’’

Winning co-trainer Moody added: “We bought her off Arrowfield at the Easter Sale and she’s taken us on a wonderful ride.

“It’s great to be rewarded because we decided against going to the VRC Oaks in the spring when we were probably the logical favourite but we felt she just wasn’t quite ready so to be rewarded for that patience, it’s special.

“She’s done that well all week, when [jockey] Mark [Zahra] got on I was terrified I hadn’t done enough with her since last Saturday, she was so fresh in the pre-parade but she was just too good.

“My staff have done a massive job with her this week, it’s been a big team effort.’’

In today’s $1m G2 Arrowfield Sprint at Randwick, untapped 3YO Joliestar (Zoustar) resumed in fine style, scoring an impressive first-up win against an outstanding field of 3YOs.

It was the filly’s first run since winning the G1 Thousand Guineas in the spring and took her overall record to 6:3.3.0 and $1.6m in prizemoney.

Brendan and Jo Lindsay of Cambridge Stud bought the Chris and Jane Barham-bred Joliestar at the Easter Yearling Sale for $950,000 out of the Segenhoe Stud draft.

“You dream about having a horse like Joliestar, not only to represent Cambridge Stud but us as a family,’’ Brendan Lindsay said post-race.

“We thought we had a good chance today but this is quite emotional really. It’s very exciting.’’

Joliestar is trained by Chris Waller.

At Morphettville today Inglis graduates won four Stakes races – the G3 Irwin Stakes (Benedetta), Listed Port Adelaide Guineas (Air Assault), Listed City of Adelaide Hcp (Chicago Storm) and Listed Without Fear Stakes (Pure Aqua).

Benedetta (Hellbent) set herself up for an assault on the G1 Sangster Stakes in a fortnight with a strong win in the Irwin Stakes.

The Jason Warren-trained Benedetta is becoming a prolific winner – today’s victory was her seventh from just 13 starts and took her career earnings past the $1.1m barrier.

Bred by Brenton and Liz Parker, Benedetta is a $75,000 Premier Yearling Sale purchase for Laurence Eales, who secured her from the Mill Park Stud draft.

Earlier on the Morphettville program Air Assault (Justify) made it three wins in succession and has his eyes firmly on the G1 SA Derby off the back of another strong staying performance in the Port Adelaide Guineas.

Air Assault contested the Victoria Derby in the spring and will now head to his home Derby, to be contested at Morphettville on May 4.

Trainer Andrew Gluyas has done a wonderful job with Air Assault - the Premier Yearling Sale graduate of Stonehouse Thoroughbreds has now won five of his 14 starts and almost $400,000 in earnings.

Inglis Digital provided another Stakes winner when Chicago Storm won the City of Adelaide Hcp.

Trainer David Aldridge purchased the now 5YO for just $11,000 in the 2020 June (Early) Sale as a yearling.

Chicago Storm – initially a $5000 Great Southern Sale weanling – has now won Aldridge and connections more than $350,000 in prizemoney.

And Pure Aqua (Headwater) scored a valuable first black type victory when winning the Listed Without Fear Stakes.

The Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained Pure Aqua was part of the Twin Hills Stud draft at the 2022 Australian Weanling Sale, the same sale G1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Hayasugi and G2 winner Straight Charge were sourced from.

This year’s Australian Weanling Sale will be held at Riverside on May 6 and 7.

To view the catalogue CLICK HERE.

And in New Zealand today Imwonderfultonight (I Am Invincible) scored a valuable first Stakes success with victory in the Listed City Of Napier Sprint at Otaki.

The 5YO mare is a $450,000 Easter Yearling Sale buy for Andrew Williams, Lionrock and Windsor Park Stud from the Newgate Farm draft.

She is bred by Greg and Donna Kolivos’ Lightning Thoroughbreds.