By Sean Cronin
Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen's G3 Princess Margaret S. victrix Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}–Roger Sez {Ire}, by Red Clubs {Ire}), who had met with defeat just once in four prior starts, made a significant breakthrough for her antipodean sire sensation (by Northern Meteor {Aus}) with a battling success in Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket. The 77,000gns Tattersalls Book 3 yearling and €110,000 Araqana Breeze-Up graduate made a winning debut at Bath in June, doubling up for a first black-type score in the Listed Empress S. later that month, before giving best to 'TDN Rising Star' Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) when posting a half-length second in the July track's G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. in her penultimate start. The Ralph Beckett-trained 11-2 chance was on snooze mode in rear through the early fractions of the six-furlong contest. Inching ever closer after halfway, she loomed large going well inside the final quarter mile to launch her challenge on the far side passing the furlong marker and was driven out on the climb to assert superiority by 3/4-of-a-length from 13-8 favourite Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never). It was the same margin back to Godolphin's 10-1 chance Mawj in third.
Lezoo, who became her sire's second Northern Hemisphere winner when saluting at Bath, was his first such pattern-race scorer at Ascot and now becomes the Tweenhills resident's first at Europe's elite level. Zoustar has 60 yearlings still engaged at the upcoming Goffs, Tattersalls and Arqana sales. The G1 Golden Rose S. and G1 Coolmore Stud S. hero, who is to shuttle back this way for the 2023 breeding season, has eight in the Orby, three in the Sportsman's, 12 in Book 1, 19 in Book 2, 16 in Book 3 and two at Arqana's October fixture.
“She went slightly off after the Princess Margaret, but had four very quick runs in succession and it just caught up with her,” revealed trainer Ralph Beckett after registering a first win in the contest. “I wasn't sure she was back on her game, she just did one easy piece of work last week on the grass and that worked well. She is obviously very good and we have never had one as good as this at this stage. She doesn't show up at home and she caught me out first time. I told her owners that she would win a novice and that would be it and that shows how wrong you can be. She has just got better and better with racing.” Looking ahead, the trainer added, “I would have to think about going again this year and it is possible, if we are going to go anywhere, she would go to Keeneland [for the Breeders' Cup], but I would have think about that. We'll see how she comes out of this and then see whether we think it is the right thing for her.
“Frankie rang me this morning to give me some really valuable insights, but it was unfortunate he couldn't take the ride as he is suspended,” explained William Buick after adding to his success aboard Lumiere in 2015. “She jumped a bit slow, but travelled well and was always giving me confidence in the race. At the business end she really summed herself up well as she's a real fighter and has a lot of quality. She has got plenty of gears and is an out-and-out six-furlong filly. It's great and I was lucky to get the ride.”
Lezoo, half to a yearling filly by Territories (Ire) and a weanling colt by Invincible Army (Ire), becomes the fourth elite-level winner for her sire (by Northern Meteor {Aus}) and the first for G3 Firth Of Clyde S. victrix Roger Sez (Ire) (Red Clubs {Ire}), who has thrown four winners from five runners. The February-foaled bay's stakes-winning third dam Affair Of State (Ire) (Tate Gallery) produced three black-type performers headed by Listed Flame of Tara S. and Listed Radley S. winner Bibury Flyer (GB) (Zafonic). Affair Of State is the leading performer for All Hat (Ire) (Double Form {Ire}), herself kin to G3 Cherry Hinton S. victrix Everything Nice (Ire) (Sovereign Path {GB}). Everything Nice, in turn, is the dam of G1 1000 Guineas heroine Nicer (Ire) (Pennine Walk {Ire}).
Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
JUDDMONTE CHEVELEY PARK S.-G1, £291,580, Newmarket, 9-24, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:11.84, gd.
1–LEZOO (GB), 128, f, 2, by Zoustar (Aus)
1st Dam: Roger Sez (Ire) (GSW-Eng, $125,831), by Red Clubs (Ire)
2nd Dam: Stately Princess (GB), by Robellino
3rd Dam: Affair Of State (Ire), by Tate Gallery
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (77,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT; €110,000 2yo '22 ARQMAY). O-Marc Chan & Andrew Rosen; B-Chasemore Farm (GB); T-Ralph Beckett; J-William Buick. £165,355. Lifetime Record: 5-4-1-0, $281,496. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Meditate (Ire), 128, f, 2, No Nay Never–Pembina (Ire), by Dalakhani (Ire). (€360,000 Ylg '21 ARAUG). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Westerberg; B-Lynch-Bages & Rhinestone Bloodstock (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £62,690.
3–Mawj (Ire), 128, f, 2, Exceed And Excel (Aus)–Modern Ideals (GB), by New Approach (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor. £31,374.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 2HF. Odds: 5.50, 1.63, 10.00.
Also Ran: Swingalong (Ire), Juliet Sierra (GB), Treasure Trove (Ire), Maylandsea (GB), Trillium (GB), Malrescia (Ire), Wave Machine (Fr).
Oh, my. That was superb!
Lezoo (Zoustar) wins the @JuddmonteFarms Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket for @RalphBeckett and William Buick pic.twitter.com/10asViIlA5
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 24, 2022
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