Zoustar sires first northern hemisphere elite-level winner
The rapidly progressive Lezoo (2 f ex Roger Sez by Red Clubs) provided Widden Stud shuttler Zoustar (Northern Meteor) with a first elite-level winner in the northern hemisphere when coming out on top in the Cheveley Park Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) at Newmarket yesterday.
Trained by Ralph Beckett and ridden by champion jockey elect William Buick, the juvenile filly built upon her recent win in the Princess Margaret Stakes (Gr 3, 6f) to quicken up well inside the closing stages and hold the late challenge of the Aidan O’Brien-trained Meditate (No Nay Never) by three-quarters of a length at the line.
The Saeed bin Suroor-trained Mawj (Exceed And Excel), who had inflicted Lezoo’s only defeat of her career in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) two starts previous, finished in third place, beaten a total of one and a half lengths by the winner.
“If you looked at her now and looked at her in July, she’s actually changed colour and that’s probably because she went off after the Princess Margaret,” Beckett said.
“The four quick runs probably caught up with her so we had to pull up and I wasn’t sure she was back on her game.
“She did one easy piece of work in the build-up and she’s obviously just very, very good. We haven’t had one as good as this at this stage I don’t think.
“She doesn’t show up at home and caught me out first time. I told the owners she would win a novice and that would be it! William got her in a really good place today.
“I thought three down we’re really in business here. I never felt that she is going to get a mile, I think that’s highly unlikely; the filly that finished fifth today, she’ll get a mile.”
A €110,000 (approx. AU$163,000) purchase for Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen, Lezoo is the fifth foal out of the Group 3-winning Red Clubs (Red Ransom) mare Roger Sez and is a half-sister to winners Daltrey (Iffraaj), Papa Bear (Kodiac) and Brogan (Pivotal).
Zoustar, who sired his 11th winner from 45 starters on Friday, shuttled to Tweenhills for the 2022 northern hemisphere breeding season for a fee of £25,000 (approx. AU$41,580). He currently stands at Widden for a fee of $198,000 (inc GST).
Lezoo was cut to 12-1 (from 25-1) for next year’s 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) at Newmarket by northern hemisphere bookmakers.