Widden Stud had plenty to celebrate on Day 2 of the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, enjoying a massive windfall thanks to a pair of Zoustar yearlings closely related to elite-level performers.
One of the standout results early in the session was the $1.4 million sale of a colt who is a full brother to Group 1 winner Schwarz. Soon after, a three-quarter sister to Zougotcha fetched a remarkable $2.6 million, becoming the highest-priced filly sold during the sale.
The filly, by Zoustar and out of The Actuary—a half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Zougotcha—was heavily inspected, and Widden Principal Antony Thompson said she was in high demand from the outset.
“She has been a star from Day 1, she’s been a much-admired filly, and this week she’s hardly seen her box,” Thompson said.
“She’s had 260 parades, the vets have been all over her from all parts of the world and, I guess, had that X-factor and had that international appeal as well.”
The winning bid came from Resolute Racing, the operation of American investor John Stewart, who had previously made headlines as the under-bidder on last year’s $10 million filly out of Winx.
“Obviously he (Stewart) made a big play here last year, he’s been a major investor globally in his model to try and pick the finest bloodstock in the world, so to buy this filly off us is a real thrill and something we’re proud of,” Thompson said.
Meanwhile, the $1.4 million colt—by Zoustar out of the Not A Single Doubt mare Summer Sham—got a pedigree boost shortly before the sale when his brother Schwarz took out the Group 1 William Reid Stakes. James Harron and TFI secured him at auction.
“The Summer Sham colt was a ripper, a stunning Zoustar colt (who’s a) full brother to a Group 1 winner,” Thompson said.
“For him to make $1.4 million just really vindicates everything Zoustar’s doing and what we’re doing.”
Widden wasn’t the only vendor to score big with Zoustar progeny—New Zealand-based Little Avondale Stud also saw one of their Zoustar colts, out of a three-quarter sister to Evaporate, sell for $1.7 million to Sam Wright and Douglas Whyte.
