Rizeena One to Beat in One Thousand Guineas

Nineteen 3-year-old fillies are entered for the QIPCO One Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) May 4 at Newmarket, led by early 7-2 favorite Rizeena. 

 

The Iffraaj filly, trained by Clive Brittain for Sheikh Rashid Dalmook al Maktoum, makes her first start of the season following a 4-2-1 record from eight starts last year. Her 2-year-old campaign included wins in the Queen Mary Stakes (Eng-II) in June at Royal Ascot and  the Moyglare Stud Stakes (Ire-I) Sept. 1 at the Curragh. They were followed by a rousing second to subsequent Breeders' Cup  Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT) winner Chriselliam in the Shadwell Fillies Mile (Eng-I) later in the month.

 

Also entered for the one-mile race is Graham Lodge Partnership's Lucky Kristale, who defeated Rizeena in the Cherry Hinton Stakes (Eng-II) on the July course at Newmarket and takes on the favorite in her first start of the year. 

 

The daughter of Lucky Story captured the Lowther Stakes (Eng-II) in August at York, capping the season with for her fourth win from five starts for trainer George Margarson. She is pegged at 7-1 odds along with Ballymore Thoroughbred's Miss France, winner of the Oh So Sharp Stakes (Eng-III) in September at Newmarket for trainer Andre Fabre.  

 

Tapestry and Kiyoshi, the respective runner-up and third-place finishers in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, also are entered. 

 

Coolmore and partners' Tapestry, a daughter of Galileo out of European champion Rumplestiltskin, scored in her first two starts last year, including the Debutante Stakes (Ire-II) at the Curragh before finishing second, two lengths behind Rizeena, in the Moyglare Stud Stakes.  She is one of two entrants for Aidan O'Brien, the other being the Montjeu filly Bracelet, winner of the Leopardstown One Thousand Guineas Trial (Ire-III) in March. 

 

Qatar Racing's Kiyoshi, defeated Al Shaqab Racing's recent Nell Gwyn Stakes (Eng-III) winner and Guineas entrant Sandiva in the Albany Stakes (Eng-II) at Royal Ascot. She also finished third to Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani's Vorda in the Cheveley Park Stakes (Eng-I) Sept. 28, bookending her third in the Moyglare Stud Stakes. 

 

Vorda, a daughter of Orpen based in France with Philippe Sogorb, will try to rebound from a second to Xcellence by a neck in the Prix Imprudence (Fr-III) April 3 at Maisons-Laffitte. 

 

Ihtimal, winner of the United Arab Emirates Oaks (UAE-II) and United Arab Emirates One Thousand Guineas for trainer Saeed bin Suroor, represents Godolphin along with two-time stakes winner Majeyda, third behind Sandiva and supplemental Guineas entrant Euro Charline in the Nell Gwyn for Charlie Appleby.