Widden Stud principal Antony Thompson has lauded a 'special day' for the historic operation, after witnessing their star stallion Zoustar take center stage on an enthralling Super Saturday March 6, scoring a second group 1 winner in Melbourne and an interstate group 2 juvenile double, with Widden sires landing the trifecta in the time-honored Seppelt Wines Newmarket Handicap (G1).
A field of 17 went to post for this year's running of the Newmarket but it was the Zoustar pair, Zoutori and Indian Pacific, both among a group of four racing on the far side, that came clear to fight out a grueling duel to the line, with the former, the topweight, emerging victorious by a head over the latter raider from Western Australia. Star Witness' Amish Boy, also among that group of four, stuck on to finish third, a length adrift of the winner, at odds of 80-1.
Meanwhile, in an electric 20-minute spell for Zoustar, the stallion sired group 2 juvenile winners in Sydney and Melbourne as Glistening booked her spot in the Longines Golden Slipper (G1) in two weeks' time with an all-the-way win in a furiously-run Yarraman Park Reisling Stakes (G2) at Royal Randwick, holding off the late challenge of another Widden-sired juvenile, Star Witness' Swift Witness by a head, while at Flemington the flashy Lightsaber scored an impressive success in the MSS Security Sires' Produce Stakes (G2).
Zoustar came within a whisker of a second group 1 winner for the day, as Mizzy just missed out when lunging for the line in the Heineken Canterbury Stakes (G1), finishing second to Savatiano.
"For (Zoustar) to win his second Newmarket today and to watch those three horses fly up the finish was really special," said Thompson. "These are rare moments for the racecourse and certainly ones to savor."
Zoutori, a three-time group 2 winner and group 1 runner-up in the Neds Oakleigh Plate (G1) prior to Saturday's triumph, is from the exceptional first crop of Zoustar that has produced champion filly Sunlight, as well as five further group 2 winners, including stallions Zousain and Lean Mean Machine, and the 5-year-old had to overcome a weight of 57 kilograms (about 125 pounds) to become the stallion's second group 1 winner Saturday.
It is not the first time Widden have run the trifecta in a major group 1 at Flemington over 1,200 meters, as Sunlight led home a Zoustar 1-2-3 in the Coolmore Stud Ascot Vale Stakes (G1) in 2018, defeating Zousain and Lean Mean Machine, while this was a second Newmarket victory for the sire, after Sunlight's win in 2019.
"The Newmarket is such a special race," Thompson added. "In Australian racing the Newmarket is a fabulous race and holds enormous significance in the history of Australian racing and it was a fabulous race today and we're so lucky to see the three progeny of our stallions fighting it out. It's one for the mantelpiece.
"To field another Newmarket winner is fantastic. (Zoustar's) been in the mix with some of these group 1s, he trifecta'd the Coolmore, then a quinella again today in the Newmarket.
"It's hard to compare them—for Zoustar to trifecta the Coolmore in his first crop, it really completed the four generations—Encosta de Lago, Northern Meteor, Zoustar, and for him to do that and for us to be there I think was very special."
A AU$160,000 (US$121,664) purchase for trainers Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra out of the 2017 Amarina Farm draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Zoutori is one of three foals to race out of the unraced Haradasun mare Atotori, herself a half sister to South African group 3 winner Castlethorpe, while his third dam, Phoenix Champion Stakes (G1) winner Park Express, is the dam of champion 2- and 3-year-old in Europe, New Approach.
Zoustar will likely have his first Golden Slipper runner since Sunlight's third-placed finish in the race in 2018 through the Richard and Michael Freedman-trained Glistening, while Melbourne 2-year-old winner Lightsaber could head to Sydney for their Inglis Sires' Stakes (G1) on April 3.
"It was a great day for his versatility," said Thompson. "His 2-year-olds today were a filly and a colt, and then his three group 1 performers with the older horses, there's a mare and a 5-year-old in there.
"We always had belief that true to the sireline these would always be very versatile horses. It's a sireline that has tremendous consistency and versatility and we saw that today."
The Newmarket trifecta and Sires' victory also coincides with the announcement a fortnight ago that Widden Stud would take over the Riddells Creek property previously occupied by Sun Stud, launching their ambitions in Victoria.
"It's a great bit of timing and backs up what we're doing in Victoria," Thompson continued. "As for the stallions that we're launching there, they had a bit of a frustrating day with Star Witness running placings with Swift Witness and Amish Boy, and then Nicconi just missing out with Nature Strip in Sydney.
"But these are group 1-winning and group 1-producing sires in Victoria and when we made the decision to move these stallions to Victoria it was made quite strategically, looking at what would suit the market and what would work. It just goes to vindicate our decisions."
Lion's Roar Adds to Week of Firsts for Contributer
Mapperley Stud have had a week to remember courtesy of their stallion Contributer who, after siring his first group winner on Wednesday in the shape of Little Avondale Stud Lowland Stakes (G2) scorer Llanacord, ended the week with his first group 1 victor as the John O'Shea-trained Lion's Roar flew home to land the Mostyn Copper Randwick Guineas (G1).
O'Shea, who trained Contributer to his two group 1 wins in Australia, won his first group 1 race since leaving the Godolphin operation in May 2017.
Lion's Roar, from the first crop of the Liverpool City Council Chipping Norton Stakes (G1) and Ranvet Stakes (G1) winner, broke his maiden at Kembla Grange at the start of this season, before being propelled into group 1 company, finishing second to Montefilia in the Moet & Chandon Spring Champion Stakes (G1) in October. He returned with a fifth-place finish in the City Tattersalls Club Hobartville Stakes (G2) before causing a shock Saturday, winning at AU$26 under Brenton Avdulla, ahead of fellow New Zealand-bred colt Mo'unga by 1 1/4 lengths. Harmony Rose finished a head further back in third. The previously undefeated Aegon was unable to land a blow in finishing sixth.
"What a way to do it," said O'Shea. "It's hard to explain the way I feel, it's fantastic.
"Just unbelievable. In the run he was just bolting, and he had a big action down the outside, Brenton was as cool as a cucumber. Just very, very special, getting a winner for Champion (Thoroughbreds).
"I knew that he'd made a lot of improvement from the other day, we came here a bit concerned about where we'd be in the run. Brenton, to his credit, said 'let's go back and get some cover' and I was so happy when he said that because I just didn't want to ruin what we'd been doing in terms of his preparation and it's just very exciting."
Lion's Roar, a NZ$65,000 ($44,831) purchase out of Book 1 of the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale for Champion Thoroughbreds, will now be set for the Rosehill Guineas (G1) on March 20.
"He's been a work in progress. We had this race and the Rosehill Guineas in mind and I think we're sort of on track.
"It's always been our target race (the Rosehill Guineas) so to pick up this race along the way is very good. It's indicative of where he's at and hopefully we can get to Rosehill in a couple of weeks and he'll be just as effective.
"He's a serious horse with a great ownership group and it's very exciting. I've got my mum and dad in him—we couldn't sell a share as a 2-year-old!"
Lion's Roar is out of four-time winner Minnaleo (Black Minnaloushe), a daughter of New Zealand Bloodstock Avondale Gold Cup (Gr 1) winner The Mighty Lions.
Contributer stood the 2020 season for NZ$10,000 at Mapperley Stud, run by former New Zealand rugby player, Simms Davison, having stood his first year for NZ$15,000 and his next three seasons at NZ$12,500.
His yearlings this year have sold for up to NZ$190,000, with their average price almost doubling to NZ$95,916.
Homesman Claims Emotional Australian Cup Success
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Homesman, a Kentucky-bred son of War Front , scored a poignant victory in the TAB Australian Cup (G1) at Flemington Saturday.
Part-owner of Homesman, Australian music icon Michael Gudinski, died suddenly on Monday night, aged 68, sparking an outpouring of emotion from his closest friends, including Nick Williams, who was at headquarters to witness Saturday's special success.
Gudinski shared in a number of horses part-owned with Lloyd and Nick Williams, including three Melbourne Cup (G1) winners, Almandin, Rekindling, and last year's winner Twilight Payment.
Homesman paid the perfect tribute to Gudinski by battling hard to defeat Best of Days by a nose in an exciting finish, perfectly called by Matt Hill, who said: "Homesman, with the music man cheering above" as they crossed the line.
Speaking immediately after the race, Nick Williams said: "Most importantly (Gudinski's) son (Matt) is here leading the horse in. All I want to say is 'there's only one Michael Gudinski!'"
Ridden by Jye McNeil, who teamed with Gudinski and his fellow owners to win last year's Melbourne Cup, Homesman rounded the turn for home three-wide, with Best of Days on his inner.
He trailed the Luke Nolan-ridden Best of Days all the way up the straight until getting his nose in front inside the final 50 meters. Best of Days was unable to respond and lost out in the bob of heads, with Chapada another length away in third.
Sam Freedman, who trains Homesman in partnership with his father Anthony Freedman, said the Freedman family were close to Gudinski.
"Dad has some very fond memories with him back in the 90s and early 2000s," Freedman said. "(The horse) certainly had some help out there."
Freedman said Lloyd Williams came up with a plan to ride Homesman in a European fashion.
"Having a bit of room to move helped and one thing he's got is that tenacity, that will to win and he's now a two-time group 1 winner," Freedman said. "We couldn't quite get a slot in the All-Star Mile, but this is maybe a little bit better. We knew he'd be a touch stronger than the second horse in the last little bit and he's proven at this distance.
"On the line I thought the other horse got the bob in, so it was a pleasant surprise."
In a tribute to Gudinski, McNeil pointed to the skies as he was welcomed back to the winner's enclosure by an adoring crowd in Melbourne—a stark contrast to his eerie Melbourne Cup success four months ago.
He said it was a tough performance from Homesman, who gave it his all to score his second top-level success, adding to his 2018 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes (G1) win.
"There was a plan of attack today and it all came off," McNeil said.
"On the line I thought he was giving me everything he had, but I felt he was starting to peak on his run and starting to lay in a touch, but he put it all on the track today and I'm super happy to get the win."
Savatiano Clings On in Canterbury for First Group 1
Ultra consistent-mare Savatiano broke through for a long-overdue maiden group 1 victory in the Canterbury at Randwick.
A six-time group winner and twice placed at the top-level previously, Savatiano held off a late lunge from the Anthony Cummings-trained Mizzy to ensure she finally scored at the highest level on her 38th career start.
"She now has a deserved group 1," winning trainer James Cummings said.
"(She) had won over AU$2 million in prize-money without winning that group 1 so far. Outside of Classique Legend there wouldn't be too many other horses around the world to do that."
Settled third behind leader Samadoubt, jockey Hugh Bowman peeled Savatiano out three-wide on the turn before taking the lead at the 300 meters.
Savatiano had opened up a healthy gap on her rivals with 100 meters to go but was begging for the line shortly after, as the petrol tank began to empty. The Regan Bayliss-ridden Mizzy was just too late to the party and lost out by a nose, with Masked Crusader another 1 1/4 lengths back in third. Savatiano's stablemate Bivouac could only finish fourth after rearing at the start.
"I was given a couple of hand notes to take with me to the barriers from Darren Beadman and James Cummings," Bowman said.
"I didn't know which one I was going to use but Darren said she can run a strong seven (furlongs), so when Nash (Rawiller) started to control my pace from the 800 meters I thought 'I don't want to play into their hands, I want to use her strengths' so that's what I did.
"All credit goes to her because when I asked her to really go on and win the race at the 300-meter mark she certainly did it with authority.
"I was expecting some competition late in the piece and when Mizzy came, Savatiano showed her fighting qualities and won with authority in the end."
