Star filly returns in blaze of glory

Joliestar wins the Gr.2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) at Royal Randwick. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au

Elite level-winning filly Joliestar successfully returned to racing on the second day of The Championships at Randwick.

The regally bred daughter of Zoustar was presented in prime order by trainer Chris Waller and she duly triumphed in the Gr.2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) in her first outing since claiming the Gr.1 Caulfield Thousand Guineas (1600m) in the spring.

Raced by Cambridge Stud principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Joliestar powered home under Jamie Kah  to take her record to three wins and three runner-up finishes from six attempts.

“She had a long break and it is hard to gauge where they’re at just from trackwork,” Waller said.

“Most horses, they’d already had first-up runs and we’re going into the race fresh with some boom horses and we just rode her comfortably where she was happy and Jamie cleverly found a way through the field.

“She has probably gone to a new level, racing quicker over shorter and beating the boys.”

Joliestar had undergone minor surgery to remove bone chips following the Caulfield Thousand Guineas.

“We didn’t know it was there and it was precautionary x-rays that found it,” Waller said.

“She could have easily raced on, but we got it out and she had a career to fulfil without any problems to worry about.”

A $950,000 Sydney Easter purchase by Cambridge Stud from the Segenhoe Thoroughbreds draft, Joliestar has the impressive record of three wins and three seconds from six starts with prizemoney topping $1.5million.

She has an outstanding pedigree as she is a daughter of the Fastnet Rock mare Jolie Bay, who won the Gr.2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) and finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).

She is a sister to the Australian and international Group One winner and young stallion Merchant Navy.