Widden Stud’s champion sire Zoustar has his first Northern Hemisphere bred stakes-winner with speedy filly Lezoo making it two wins in as many starts when taking out the Listed Newmarket Empress Stakes (6f).
Trained by Ralph Beckett, Lezoo was a stylish winner over five furlongs on debut at Bath and took another step forward with this tougher assignment over 6f.
She relished the extra furlong to win by a length and three-quarters under Frankie Dettori and will tackle Group races next.
“We bought Lezoo from France about seven weeks ago and she won at Bath a couple of weeks ago. We didn't really expect her to win so well that day and we came here thinking she had a chance,” said Jamie McCalmont, racing manager to owner Marc Chan.
“It was her second start and we'll probably come back here for the Cherry Hinton next (Group Two Duchess of Cambridge Stakes on Friday 8th July).”
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 this year fetching 110,000 euros when bought by Atlas Bloodstock.
She is the fourth winner from good producer Roger Sez, a Group III winner by Red Ransom stallion Red Clubs.
Lezoo is the 29th stakes-winner for Zoustar, who stands this spring at a fee of $198,000 and shuttles from Widden Stud to Tweenhills Stud in the UK.
