Cover image courtesy of First Light Racing
Lot 418 - Zoustar x Lasarla (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), filly, $90,000
Buyer: Robert Heathcote Racing and Paul Willetts Bloodstock Consultancy
Vendor: Kingstar Farm
Widden Stud resident Zoustar is firmly established as a top-class sire.
He was crowned champion first-, second- and third-season sire and his progeny roll of honour is led by seven Group 1 winners.
This season alone he has been represented by top-level winners Joliestar, who struck in the Thousand Guineas, and Coolmore Stud S. scorer Ozzmosis.
Lot 418 - Zoustar x Lasarla (NZ) (filly) | Image courtesy of Inglis
All in all, his 2023 covering fee of $220,000 (inc GST) looks entirely justified, especially when set against the kind of sums his progeny command at public auction.
At last month’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale Zoustar was responsible for three seven-figure lots, including the $1.3 million colt out of Lady Cosmology (Universal Ruler) who was bought by James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership.
So far this year his yearlings have averaged $460,000. So, bloodstock consultant Paul Willetts is entitled to feel that he secured one of the value buys of the day during the second session of the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale having landed Lot 418 at just $90,000.
Paul Willetts | Image courtesy of Inglis
Consigned by Kingstar Farm, the filly is not only by a blue-chip stallion but is the fourth foal out of Lasarla (NZ), a Group 2-winning daughter of former Windsor Park Stud shuttler Rip Van Winkle (Ire).
“I purchased her for my trainer in Queensland, Rob Heathcote,” said Willetts.
“We thought she was great value at half the service fee. She’s a lovely moving filly from a good Group-winning mare and off a good farm.”
“We thought she (Lot 418) was great value at half the service fee. She’s a lovely moving filly from a good Group-winning mare and off a good farm.” - Paul Willetts
And the Zoustar filly isn’t the only value buy Willetts feels he has landed during this year’s renewal of the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, having also gone to $70,000 for a son of two-time champion sire I Am Invincible on Day 1.
“I also bought an I Am Invincible colt (Lot 97) yesterday for $70,000 from Yarraman Park Stud,” he said. “He’s just a bit immature but hopefully will continue to furnish, so if you do your homework value can be sourced.”
