Lezoo back to best for fourth Stakes win

Zoustar filly Lezoo, whose three Stakes wins as a 2yo in 2022 included the Gr.1 Cheveley Park Stakes, got back to her best – judged on Timeform Ratings – when winning the Listed Hopeful Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday from fellow Gr.1 winner Emaraaty Ana.

Lezoo was part of a red-letter day for her trainer Ralph Beckett and part-owner Marc Chan (she’s also owned by Andrew Rosen) who had already won the Gr.2 Celebration Mile with Angel Bleu and Gr.2 City of York Stakes with Kinross by the time Lezoo lined up at Newmarket.

Ridden for the first time by Andrea Atzeni – soon to depart for a stint in Hong Kong – Lezoo was held up in the main bunch of eight horses, whilst Diligent Harry raced alone towards the far rail. Lezoo began to make up ground at halfway and hit the front, nearest the stands’ side, entering the final 1f. Lezoo showed a good attitude to get past Emaraaty Ana and won with something to spare.

Lezoo won four of her five starts as a juvenile, with her only defeat coming narrowly at the hands of Mawj, who went onto win the Gr.1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas. Lezoo also beat Mawj in the Gr.1 Cheveley Park Stakes, as well as another Gr.1 winner in Meditate and Swingalong, who had won the Gr.2 Lowther Stakes and added the Gr.3 Summer Stakes to her CV this year.

Lezoo is by Tweenhills’ sire Zoustar. She was a 77,000-guinea yearling and €110,000 breezer. She was bred by Andrew and Jane Black’s Chasemore Farm out of Red Clubs mare Roger Sez, herself a Group-winning 2yo. Roger Sez is also the dam of this year’s Gr.3-placed 2yo filly Navassa Island.

Zoustar is enjoying an excellent spell in Britain with his 2yo Miaharris also winning a Listed race on August 18 and his other winners including Zoulu Chief, who won his third race of the year in a York nursery on August 23 from another Zoustar colt in Starlust.