Waller ramps up Joliestar’s Royal Ascot assault

Champion trainer Chris Waller will this week ramp up Joliestar’s (Zoustar) assault on the Gr.1 The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m) at Royal Ascot on June 20, with the five-time Group One heroine to contest a jumpout down the straight at Flemington on Friday.

Joliestar hasn’t been seen since her brilliant victory in the Gr.1 T.J. Smith Stakes at Randwick on April 4.

Since then, the five-year-old had a tick-over trial at Warwick Farm on May 8, then a jumpout at Rosehill on Tuesday, before being transferred to Waller’s Melbourne stable at Flemington.

Cambridge Stud chief executive, Henry Plumptre, told Racing.com Joliestar is in good order and will head to the UK on June 3, assuming all goes to plan.

“I was there on Tuesday at Rosehill; she had a jumpout with a few others. With these jumpouts, Chris is just trying to keep a lid on things. The track was very wet, it was a Soft 7 or Heavy 8 and the jockey didn’t really let her go,” Plumptre said.

“She went to Melbourne on Thursday night and she will trial on Friday morning, which we will be there for, and then she’s on the plane on June 3.

“At the moment, all is going well.”

Joliestar will be based at Charlie Hills’ yard in Lambourne, ahead of her quest for a sixth top-flight victory.

“Chris went and stayed there with Nature Strip and he likes it because it’s quiet,” Plumptre said.

“Newmarket is quite a busy place and probably the more peaceful the surrounds, the better, because it’s going to be completely unfamiliar to her. Chris is quite confident that is the right place for her.”

A daughter of boom stallion Zoustar, Joliestar boasts an exceptional pedigree. She is from the Group Two winner Jolie Bay and closely related to the stakes winners Merchant Navy, Setanta and Legally Bay. Coupled with five Group Ones and nine stakes triumphs overall, she is already one of the most attractive broodmare prospects in the world.

Plumptre said a win at the elite level in the northern hemisphere would see her value skyrocket.

“If she can add that international Group One to her domestic CV in Australia, I think it adds an enormous amount of value to her,” he said.

“Some people think that once they get past three Group Ones, they’re value doesn’t increase by much, but if you’re an international breeder and you’re looking at a mare that’s got form in England and for in Australia at Group One level, you’re thinking, well, that’s absolutely the pinnacle.

“The prizemoney is ok, but getting another Group One is the most important part of it.”

James McDonald will ride Joliestar in The Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes.