Royal Ascot beckons for Joliestar
Chris Waller has put the plans in place for a Royal Ascot raid with Joliestar (Zoustar) and the top-class mare further underlined her claims when landing her fourth Group 1 at Randwick on Saturday.
The five-year-old daughter of Zoustar (Northern Meteor) inched ever-closer to an overseas foray when making it two wins from two this campaign in the Canterbury Stakes (Gr 1, 1300m).
Ridden by James McDonald – who was partnering his penultimate winner in what eventuated as a stakes-race six-timer – Joliestar settled just off the pace and produced her customary strong finish to head a remarkable trifecta for Waller, with stablemates Beiwacht (Bivouac) and Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel) filling the placings in the $750,000 feature.
“It was a beautiful ride. She had a nice draw, so everything set up well,” said Waller, who was winning the Canterbury Stakes for the first time. “She’s come back really well, she’s a more mature horse. She knows her job and just does it well.”
Waller will be seeking his second win at the prestigious meeting having saddled Nature Strip (Nicconi) to win the King Charles III Stakes – when it was known as the King’s Stand Stakes – in 2022.
The Cambridge Stud-owned Joliestar was electric when winning the Expressway Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) first-up last month, soundly beating the Bjorn Baker-trained Callabus (I Am Invincible) who franked the form when claiming Saturday’s Newmarket Handicap (Gr 1, 1200m) at Flemington – won by Joliestar last year.
As well as Nature Strip, the King Charles III has been won by five other Australian-trained sprinters: Choisir (Danehill Dancer) (2003), Takeover Target (Celtic Swing) (2007), Miss Andretti (Ihtiram) (2008), Scenic Blast (Scenic) (2009) and most recently Asfoora (Flying Artie) in 2024.
The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) on the final day of the meeting has also proved a popular target for Australian runners. Should the mare be aimed at that 1200-metre Group 1, she would be seeking to become the third Australian-trained runner to win, following on from the success of Choisir in 2003, while the 2012 edition was memorably taken out by the great Black Caviar.
Cambridge Stud has tasted success in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes, when their now resident shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain (Kodiac) struck in the six-furlong feature in their colours in 2020.
“She’s done it again. She’s now won a Group 1 in three different states, that’s an incredible feat,’’ Cambridge Stud co-owner Sir Brendan Lindsay said. “She’s a bloody superstar, isn’t she? She won really well today.
“This year she’s just jumping a little handier and it makes a big difference. When you can just be fourth or fifth rather than getting back like last year when she had no luck with barrier draws, it can make all the difference.
“She’s off to the TJ [Smith Stakes] next and then all going well Royal Ascot, we’re going to have to go and get a top hat and tails!’’
Waller has targeted the royal meeting three times: Brazen Beau (I Am Invincible) was runner-up in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes in 2015 and Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) finished unplaced in the same Group 1 after accompanying Nature Strip to the meeting in 2022.
The trainer confirmed Joliestar will have one more run in the $3 million TJ Smith Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) back at Randwick on April 4 before embarking on a trip to the UK.
“We know the date she’s leaving and everything like that, so that’s how far we’ve gone into the program,” he said. “Every race you’ve got to come back safe and do the little things right and keep her good form.
“She will have one more run, that’s the TJ [Smith] back to 1200 metres and then on the plane.”
A $950,000 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale purchase for Cambridge Stud’s Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Joliestar has amassed an impressive record of nine wins and seven placings from 20 starts, with prize money topping $7.1million, making her the highest earner for champion sire Zoustar.
Bred by Chris and Jane Barham, she is the best of six winners from the Group 1-placed Fastnet Rock (Danehill) mare Jolie Bay, herself a sister to both Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes winner Merchant Navy and Listed winner Satana.