Joliestar ready to leave for Royal Ascot
Cambridge Stud owned Joliestar (Zoustar) will leave Australia for England with Overpass on Wednesday night to compete at Royal Ascot later this month.
The Bjorn Baker-trained Overpass is set to contest the Gr.1 King Charles III (formerly King's Stand) Stakes (1000m) on June 16 and Chris Waller's Joliestar is entered for the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m) four days later.
Both connections haven't ruled out bringing their outstanding sprinters back to Sydney on October 17 for another bid to win the Gr.1 $20 million The TAB Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick.
Trainer Chris Waller said The Everest is definitely part of his long-term plans with Joliestar.
"We have a bit of unfinished business there with Joliestar,'' Waller said.
"She hasn't had a lot of luck and we have made genuine excuses for her in our post-race debriefs after The Everest.
"Obviously Ka Ying Rising is going to be there this year and that is a huge hurdle to overcome.
"But first things first, Royal Ascot, and then we can work out a path to get there. It is our intention to bring her back as quickly as we can.''
Joliestar has contested successive Everests, finishing seventh to Bella Nipotina in 2024 and fifth behind Ka Ying Rising.
In early TAB Fixed Odds betting for the Royal Ascot sprints, Overpass is the $3.80 favourite for the King Charles ahead of Joliestar ($5) who is a doubtful runner.
Asfoora, the Henry Dwyer-trained sprinter and winner of the King Charles two years ago, is at $11.
Joliestar is expected to be reserved for the Jubilee where she is the $2.50 favourite ahead of Japan's Satono Reve at $7 and last year's winner, France's Lazzat at $9.
