Zoustar led home a Magic Millions clean-sweep of the G1 Golden Rose (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday.

Zoustar (3c Northern Meteor – Zouzou by Redoute’s Choice) emerged as a leading contender for the G1 Caulfield Guineas after beating a crack field in the million-dollar event.  He defeated Dissident (Sebring) and Bull Point (fastnet Rock).

Trainer Chris Waller has always held the colt in high regard.  “He’s a serious colt and now he is a very valuable colt,” Waller said.  “I had a lot of respect for his sire Northern Meteor and I have a lot of respect for him.”

Zoustar was sold twice as a youngster by Magic Millions.  He was bred by Kevin Dixon’s Racetree in Queensland and sold through the Racetree draft to KP Thoroughbreds for $85,000 at the 2011 National Weanling Sale.

From there he was prepared by Chloe Latif and Rhys Smith of Kulani Park and sold to Iskander Racing for $140,000 at the 2012 Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Right from his first start Zoustar showed he was a galloper with an exciting future.  He won his first two starts in Sydney before heading to Brisbane and winning the G2 Sires’ Produce Stakes.

He was then unlucky when second in a Northern Meteor quinella result in the G1 J J Atkins Stakes before a short spell and then an eye catching fourth in the G3 Run to The Rose.

Winning rider Jim Cassidy said the colt was still a work in progress and looked to have an exciting future.  “He is still really a two-year-old,” the veteran hoop noted.  “He is a kid in a three-year-old’s body.  He needed cover and things went right.”

Zoustar is the first winner for the winning Redoute’s Choice mare Zouzou.  The dam is a half sister to the Group performer Crestfallen and also hails from the family of accomplished Magic Millions stakes winner Dusty Star.