Champion Zoustar Filly Finds Top Form
European champion 2YO Filly in 2022, Lezoo has taken a little while this year to find her best form but the daughter of Zoustar returned to the winner’s list overnight at Newmarket when taking out the Listed Hopeful Stakes (6f).
Trained by Ralph Beckett and ridden Andrea Atzeni, Lezoo settled off the pace and powered to the line to win by a neck taking her overall record to five wins and a second from eight starts.
Tried over a mile in the Newmarket 1000 Guineas at the start of the new season and then unplaced when switched straight back to sprinting in the Group I Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, Lezoo looks to have her mojo back and holds entries for several upcoming Group I sprints.
Lezoo storms home to take Listed honours in the JenningsBet Hopeful Stakes!🏆
Ralph Beckett has had quite the afternoon! pic.twitter.com/5OaTzymw36
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) August 26, 2023
“This race suited perfectly as Ralph said. He waited for this. We were worried when the rain came but Lezoo has done it nicely. She’s a tough filly and we are back on track now. There was no air of frustration with her campaign, it just didn’t happen in the 1000 Guineas and at Royal Ascot,” said Joe Tuite, assistant trainer.
Bred by Chasemore Farm, Lezoo made 77,000 guineas at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale last year and then was re-sold at the Arqana Breeze Up Sale fetching 110,000 euros when bought by Atlas Bloodstock.
She is a half-sister to Group III placed Navassa Island and is the best of five winners from good producer Roger Sez, a Group III winner by Red Ransom stallion Red Clubs.
Lezoo is the best Northern Hemisphere performer for Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar, who is fully booked this spring at a fee of $220,000 and has strong entries in upcoming yearling sales in Europe.
