Melbourne Cup winning owner, Qatar’s Sheikh Fahad al Thani, has bought into dual Group One winner Zoustar who will race in his colours in Sydney and England.
Widden Stud confirmed the sheikh, the owner of 2011 Cup winner Dunaden, had joined the partnership which will race the colt over the Sydney autumn and at Royal Ascot before he is retired to stud.
The Chris Waller-trained colt won the Golden Rose and the Coolmore Stud Stakes during the spring, shortly after the premature death of his sire Northern Meteor.
Widden’s Antony Thompson said Zoustar’s spring performances had drawn the attention of Sheikh Fahad.
“Zoustar’s breath-taking performances in the spring caught the attention of Sheikh Fahad and he has negotiated to purchase an interest in Zoustar on behalf of Qatar Bloodstock in what is a major show of support for the Australian breeding and racing industries,” Thompson said.”
The sheikh’s introduction to Australian racing met with instant success when Dunaden won the 2011 Melbourne Cup and returned the following year to win the Caulfield Cup.
“I was able to inspect Zoustar with my bloodstock advisor David Redvers following his dominant win the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington,” Sheikh Fahad said.
“This colt represents everything that is great about Australian horses. He is strong, masculine and incredibly fast and I am very excited about the prospects of him racing in Europe and ultimately retiring to stud.”
Widden Stud have also sold a 25 per cent interest in Zoustar to Woodside Park and he will stand the second and fourth seasons at their farm in Victoria .
Zoustar’s three autumn starts will all be at Group One level with the plan to run in the Canterbury Stakes, TJ Smith and All Aged Stakes before at tilt at one or both of the Group One sprints at Royal Ascot.
– AAP