It was a day to remember for Tally-Ho breezers on Saturday as Lezoo and Crypto Force swept two of the day's feature events within minutes each other.
Zoustar filly Lezoo, sold by us at this year's Arqana May Breeze-Up Sale, made it four from five in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes, making smooth headway on the outer of the field under William Buick to lay down a challenge and outpoint favourite Meditate for an authoritative win.
“William got her in a good place,” said Beckett, whose filly earned a 16-1 quote for the Commonwealth Cup from Coral.
“She didn’t mind being on the wing as she is such a professional. She was just breezing along on her own, flicking across the ground. I thought three out we were really in business.
“We have never had one as good as her at this stage – she just gets better and better with racing.”
Previously successful in the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes, Lezoo was bred by Chasemore Farm out of Group 3 winner Roger Sez - fittingly a daughter of our former stallion Red Clubs - and was bought by us through Hamish Macauley for 77,000gns out of Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Sale. She was resold through our Arqana May draft for €110,000 to Atlas Bloodstock and races for Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen.
Crypto Force, meanwhile, was cut to 12-1 (from 33) by Paddy Power for the Vertem Futurity and to 33-1 (from 66) by the same firm for the 2,000 Guineas after impressing in victory in the Group 2 Beresford Stakes at the Curragh.
Another pinhook out of Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Sale, Crypto Force was resold by us for 160,000gns to trainer Michael O'Callaghan at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale and went on to win well on debut at the Curragh, after which he was snapped up by Amo Racing for £900,000 at the Goffs London Sale.
He disappointed in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot but made no mistake on his return on Saturday, hunting down the leader Adelaide River before finding a good turn of foot to win going away.
“That was massive," said Michael O'Callaghan. "Kia Joorabchian has been a huge supporter of mine this year and has let me go to breeze-ups and buy nice horses who cost plenty of money. When this fellow won his maiden I told Kia he was going to the London sale, he paid a lot of money for him and from that point the pressure was very much on me!
“Ascot was a massive kick in the guts but Kia has been very patient since then. He's a very exciting horse for next year. Colin thinks he will be better on fast ground. He'll have no trouble getting a mile and a quarter but on quicker ground he'll have just that bit more pace.
"Ideally it would be just nice to put him away and train him with next year in mind, but we'll sit down with Kia and see where we go. Rossa Ryan came in after riding him at Ascot and said he wouldn't be a horse until the autumn, so we really have been training him lately with this weekend in mind."
Lezoo and Crypto Force (pictured selling above) are the latest successful Tally-Ho breezer of the past year. following the likes of Perfect Power, Twilight Jet, Maglev, Spanish Mission and Spycatcher.
Overall, it was a brilliant day for Tally-Ho graduates with Persian Force, by Mehmas, running an excellent third in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes. This bonny colt, sold by us at last year's Goffs Orby Sale, has yet to be out of the first three in seven starts, having started his career on the first day of the turf Flat season.
Fellow breezer Mountain Road also struck at Chelmsford City for David Simcock while the classy Devilwala, a son of Kodiac bred by us, returned to winning ways for Tim Easterby at Chester. The Kodiac filly Vermilion, bred by Colin Kennedy, also looked a filly to follow when winning a hot 7f novice at Newmarket for Highclere Racing and Andrew Balding.