Zougotcha Wins G2 Phar Lap Stakes
Outstanding filly Zougotcha put the icing on the cake of a six winner Saturday for Zoustar when she scored a stylish victory in the Group II ATC Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill.
The Chris Waller trained filly won the Group I ATC Flight Stakes last spring and was having her second run back from a spell.
Ridden by James McDonald, Zougotcha proved too classy for the colts and geldings scoring a length victory over last start Group II winner Glint of Silver justifying the decision to take her out of the Group I Coolmore Classic to compete against her own age in the Phar Lap.
Zougotcha joins the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes honour roll!@mcacajamez and @cwallerracing combine for the victory. pic.twitter.com/FSEIWMjplB
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 11, 2023
“It was almost disappointing to scratch her from the Coolmore, but through that experience of having confidence-building races with the horses like Winx it’s an important stepping stone,” Waller revealed.
“Three-year-old fillies, they’re fragile. They are not just a horse you can send to the races and just expect to perform at that elite level. They like a bit of a cuddle and a bit of a pat on the back, and she got that today.
“Next step is something bigger which will probably be the Doncaster. That’ll be another mountain to climb.
“She had an awkward draw to overcome first-up (in the Surround Stakes) and had to do a bit of work early, got a bit keen, just little things wrong but only beaten a narrow margin. Today will get her back on track. Even today you could see she sweated up a little bit at the start, a little bit keen, but that’ll take it out of her and she’ll be ready to go in three weeks.”
A $500,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Widden Stud draft for Chris Waller Racing / Mulcaster Bloodstock, Zougotcha runs for a syndicate of stable clients with her breeders Widden Stud and Robert Anderson retaining an interest.
Zougotcha has five wins and a second from eight starts with prizemoney just shy of $950,000.
Zougotcha is a full sister to stakes-winner Persuader and half-sister to stakes-winner The Actuary being the fourth winner from stakes-placed Fast Talker, a half-sister by Fastnet Rock to stakes-winner Crystal Dreamer.
Fast Talker comes from the family of Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily and produced a colt last spring by Written Tycoon and is now back in foal to Zoustar, who had an outstanding Saturday with six winners around Australasia.
He has been in hot form in recent weeks siring 13 winners in the past seven days and 42 in the last 30!
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