Widden Stud proprietor Antony Thompson has lavished praise on the farm's kingpin Zoustar, hailing the boom sire as one of the best stallions to serve at the Widden Valley-based property.
It’s some rap, considering Widden has been home to champions such as Marscay, Vain, Bletchingly, Todman, General Nediym, Stratum and Sebring.
“From six crops, based on what he has achieved so far, he is right up there,” Thompson told TDN AusNZ.
Antony Thompson
“From the success he’s had already, it’s been a really exciting start and he keeps backing it up. Every year, he adds to that CV in a really strong way and again it was another great season this year.”
Zoustar will once again headline Widden Stud’s star-studded roster, which includes 18 stallions (soon to be 19) across New South Wales and Victoria. Following an incredible 12 months, he has received his third fee increase in succession and will stand at the Widden Valley-based property for $220,000 (inc GST), up from $198,000 (inc GST).
A reverse shuttler, Zoustar has established himself as one of Australia’s pre-eminent stallions, boasting five individual Group 1 winners, including Lezoo (GB), who in November was named Cartier Champion European 2YO Filly.
Zoustar | Standing at Widden Stud
He also has 35 individual stakes scorers to his credit, his progeny amassing more than $78 million in prizemoney and, thanks to Zougotcha (Silver Shadown S. and Tea Rose S. winner) and North Star Lass (Furious S. winner), Zoustar swept the Darley Princess Series last spring.
“Obviously, I Am Invincible and Snitzel are older, more established stallions. Of the big three, he’s the young buck and he’s certainly hot on their heels in terms of where he’s got to with just those six crops, both on the track and in the sale ring,” Thompson said.
“Personally, it was a very proud moment (Lezoo winning that title). It’s the first time in Widden’s history to have a reverse shuttle stallion and to have him be the first shuttle stallion to have a Cartier Champion up there is a great thing, we were enormously proud to see him achieve that.
“We believe he’s in for another big year in the north, as well.”
Zoustar’s yearlings have again been well sought-after this year, with 75 selling at an average of $428,649 across Australasia. His top-seller was a sister to the three-time Group 1 victress Sunlight. The yearling filly from Solar Charged (Charge Forward), who was offered by Widden Stud, was knocked down to Yulong for $2.6 million at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
In 2022, Zoustar covered a quality book of 185 mares, including Group 1 winners such as Snitzerland (Snitzel), Prompt Response (Beneteau), Kenedna (Not A Single Doubt) and Daysee Doom (Domesday). Not surprisingly, he once again covered Solar Charged.
Thompson said Zoustar’s shareholders are determined to look after him, and as such, he won’t cover as many mares this spring as years gone by.
“He’ll cover a book of around 150 and a large portion of that will be shareholders’ mares, so there’s not an enormous number of nominations for sale,” Thompson explained.
“He’ll (Zoustar) cover a book of around 150 and a large portion of that will be shareholders’ mares, so there’s not an enormous number of nominations for sale.” - Antony Thompson
“Already, the interest has been very positive and we’ve got some lovely mares going to him.”
Supido on the rise
Zoustar is one of two New South Wales-based Widden residents to receive a fee increase, with the other being the exciting young sire Supido.
Supido | Standing at Widden Stud
Supido has notched two stakes winners this season, with Buenos Noches triumphant in the Listed Poseidon S. at Flemington in September (and a placegetter in the G1 Coolmore Stud S.) and the unbeaten What You Need taking out last month’s Listed Sunlight Classic at the same track.
A Group 3-winning son of Sebring, Supdio will stand at a fee of $19,800 (inc GST).
“The increase is definitely warranted,” said Thompson.
“When we set his fee this time last year, we had liked what we had seen and were confident it would happen, but to see him come out and do what he’s done has been very exciting.
“He was underpriced last year and a lot of breeders jumped on him; he covered his biggest book of mares by far.
“We think his fee is well and truly justified and he’ll be very popular again.
“We think his (Supido) fee is well and truly justified and he’ll be very popular again.” - Antony Thompson
“With that increase in fee is an increase in the quality of mares, which will certainly help him in the future, which is what he deserves.”
Trapeze Artist bursts out of the gates
Thompson has been thrilled with the racetrack success of Trapeze Artist’s first crop.
The four-time Group 1-winning son of Snitzel sits fourth on the list of First Season Sires (by earnings) and is equal-first in terms of individual winners with five.
Trapeze Artist | Standing at Widden Stud
The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained filly Facile is still a maiden, but she has placed in Restricted Listed company and twice at Group 2 level.
The stallion’s progeny have made good money in the sale ring, with 53 yearlings selling at an average of $153,288 across Australasia in 2023.
Trapeze Artist’s fee remains unchanged at $55,000 (inc GST).
“Trapeze Artist himself improved a lot from two to three… we’ve been very pleased with his 2-year-olds so far,” Thompson commented.
“We’ve always thought that, as Snitzel’s best and highest-rated son, he could be the horse to carry on Snitzel’s legacy and that sireline and nothing we have seen so far would change our view of that.
“We’ve always thought that, as Snitzel’s best and highest-rated son, he (Trapeze Artist) could be the horse to carry on Snitzel’s legacy and that sireline, and nothing we have seen so far would change our view of that.” - Antony Thompson
“We’ve been enormously excited, albeit slightly frustrated, by Facile placing in the big 2-year-old races - the Sweet Embrace and the Magic Night.”
Trapeze Artist is one of nine Widden stallions based in the Hunter and he will have a new barnmate this spring, with the reigning G1 Golden Rose and G1 CF Orr S. hero Jacquinot to stand his first season at a fee of $33,000 (inc GST). Meanwhile, Written By remains at $27,500 (inc GST), Zousain stays at $22,000 (inc GST), Rebel Dane and Portland Sky drop to $22,000 (inc GST), while Anders remains unchanged at $16,500 (inc GST).
Victoria set for new sire
Widden Stud will soon announce another stallion that will join their Victorian farm.
He will stand alongside the evergreen and ultra-consistent sires Nicconi and Magnus, whose fees remain unchanged at $22,000 (inc GST) and $16,500 (inc GST) respectively, as well as, among others, exciting youngsters Russian Camelot (GB) $19,800 (inc GST) and Doubtland $13,200 (inc GST), whose fees have been reduced among others.
“The rumour mill has been in overdrive, that’s one thing it’s done,” Thompson said when asked about the new addition.
“It’s a bit of fun and hopefully it’s not far away.”
| Zoustar | NSW | Northern Meteor | $220,000 | $198,000 | 185 |
| Jacquinot | NSW | Rubick | $33,000 | N/A | N/A |
| Trapeze Artist | NSW | Snitzel | $55,000 | $55,000 | 183 |
| Written By | NSW | Written Tycoon | $27,500 | $27,500 | 144 |
| Zousain | NSW | Zoustar | $22,000 | $22,000 | 171 |
| Rebel Dane | NSW | California Dane | $22,000 | $27,500 | 111 |
| Portland Sky | NSW | Deep Field | $22,000 | $27,500 | 105 |
| Supido | NSW | Sebring | $19,800 | $8,800 | 170 |
| Anders | NSW | Not A Single Doubt | $16,500 | $16,500 | 169 |
| Nicconi | VIC | Bianconi | $22,000 | $22,000 | 162 |
| Russian Camelot | VIC | Camelot | $19,800 | $22,000 | 122 |
| Magnus | VIC | Flying Spur | $16,500 | $16,500 | 86 |
| Gold Standard | VIC | Sebring | $13,200 | $17,600 | 124 |
| Doubtland | VIC | Not A Single Doubt | $13,200 | $16,500 | 108 |
| Dirty Work | VIC | Written Tycoon | $13,200 | $16,500 | 111 |
| Star Witness | VIC | Starcraft | $11,000 | $14,300 | 79 |
| Overshare | VIC | I Am Invincible | $8,800 | $11,000 | 135 |
| Fiorente | VIC | Monsun | $6,600 | $9,900 | 44 |
Table: Widden Stud's stallion fees for 2023, *all prices inclusive of GST
