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Clive Brittain wins the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot with Rizeena Clive Brittain wins the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot with Rizeena
(about 1 hour later)
He is 80 years old now, walks with a stick and he could raise only a shuffle rather than his famous dance as he went up to collect his prize, but Clive Brittain has always been a difficult man to keep down. Brittain sent out his 18th Royal Ascot winner on Friday as Rizeena took the Group One Coronation Stakes, four decades after his first success at this meeting, and afterwards he talked as eagerly about the promising team of juveniles at his Newmarket yard as he did about his winner. Clive Brittain is 80 years old now, walks with a stick and could raise only a shuffle rather than his famous dance as he went up to collect his prize but he has always been a difficult man to keep down. Brittain sent out his 18th Royal Ascot winner on Friday as Rizeena took the Group One Coronation Stakes, four decades after his first success at this meeting, and afterwards he talked as eagerly about the promising team of juveniles at his Newmarket yard as he did about his winner.
Rizeena was also his 17th Royal winner 12 months ago in the Queen Mary Stakes, and went into the winter as the favourite for the 1,000 Guineas on the back of a win in the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes. She could finish only seventh in the Classic, however, which was a bitter disappointment for Brittain even if he is, as he says, “one of those idiots who laughs when he loses”. Rizeena was also his 17th Royal winner 12 months ago in the Queen Mary Stakes and went into the winter as the favourite for the 1,000 Guineas on the back of a win in the Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes. She could finish only seventh in the Classic, however, which was a bitter disappointment for Brittain even if he is, as he says, “one of those idiots who laughs when he loses”.
Friday’s success offered a measure of compensation, and Rizeena looked once again like the best three-year-old filly of her generation as Ryan Moore sent her surging into the lead approaching the final furlong. She stayed on to win by a comfortable three-quarters of a length from Lesstalk In Paris, with Euro Charline, who finished fifth in the 1,000 Guineas back in third. Lightning Thunder, second in both the 1,000 Guineas and its Irish equivalent, was soundly beaten in ninth. Friday’s success offered a measure of compensation and Rizeena looked once again like the best three-year-old filly of her generation as Ryan Moore sent her surging into the lead approaching the final furlong. She stayed on to win by a comfortable three-quarters of a length from Lesstalk In Paris, with Euro Charline, who finished fifth in the 1,000 Guineas back in third. Lightning Thunder, second in both the 1,000 Guineas and its Irish equivalent, was soundly beaten in ninth.
“They don’t get any better than this because after a big disappointment and a setback, you have to get over it,” Brittain said afterwards. “Well, I do, anyway. “They don’t get any better than this because, after a big disappointment and a setback, you have to get over it,” Brittain said afterwards. “Well, I do, anyway.
“Being winter favourite [for the Guineas], the press came down and she had a lot of coverage. There’s always a danger when you get that much coverage that you can get sunk. But that was nothing to do with her performance that day, she just didn’t quicken. Richard [Hughes] rode a great race on her, he had her in a perfect position and I thought, we’re home and dry, just press the button. She just went flop. “Being winter favourite [for the Guineas], the press came down and she had a lot of coverage. There’s always a danger when you get that much coverage that you can get sunk. But that was nothing to do with her performance that day. She just didn’t quicken. Richard [Hughes] rode a great race on her, he had her in a perfect position and I thought, we’re home and dry, just press the button. She just went flop.
“I thought that she was right, she just didn’t ignite and I put it down to [not liking] Newmarket. Maybe it was the undulations, she has now been to Newmarket four times and not won.” “I thought that she was right, she just didn’t ignite and I put it down to [not liking] Newmarket. Maybe it was the undulations. She has now been to Newmarket four times and not won.”
Rizeena finished third when taking on colts in the Prix Morny at Deauville last summer and Brittain will consider stepping outside races restricted to fillies and mares later in the year.Rizeena finished third when taking on colts in the Prix Morny at Deauville last summer and Brittain will consider stepping outside races restricted to fillies and mares later in the year.
“She gave me no signs of not having trained on [earlier in the year], she never turned her head away from a canter or a gallop and never left an oat,” Brittain said. “I wouldn’t be against taking the colts on again as I did last year with her. I think she will improve even more on today, now she’s got her head in front again and she knows what the game’s about.”“She gave me no signs of not having trained on [earlier in the year], she never turned her head away from a canter or a gallop and never left an oat,” Brittain said. “I wouldn’t be against taking the colts on again as I did last year with her. I think she will improve even more on today, now she’s got her head in front again and she knows what the game’s about.”
Rizeena was Moore’s third winner of the week and put him ahead in the race to be the meeting’s top jockey, but he is closely pursued by William Buick, who came from last to first on Eagle Top to win the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes and add to his victory on The Fugue in Wednesday’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes. Rizeena was Moore’s third winner of the week and put him ahead in the race to be the meeting’s top jockey but he is pursued by William Buick, who came from last to first on Eagle Top to win the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes and add to his victory on The Fugue in Wednesday’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes.
Eagle Top went clear with a minimum of effort at the end of the 12-furlong race, but seems to have missed his chance to contest a Classic as John Gosden, his trainer, intends to campaign him at a mile-and-a-half. Eagle Top went clear with a minimum of effort at the end of the 12-furlong race but seems to have missed his chance to contest a Classic as John Gosden, his trainer, intends to campaign him at a mile and a half.
“William gave him a great ride and I especially liked it when he had to take a pull down the home straight, as that’s when you know you’ve got a nice horse,” Gosden said.“William gave him a great ride and I especially liked it when he had to take a pull down the home straight, as that’s when you know you’ve got a nice horse,” Gosden said.
“He was a bit backward at two and I’m glad I took my time with him as he broke his maiden nicely [earlier this year], then we had a dreadful day when he was beaten in a handicap at Leicester.“He was a bit backward at two and I’m glad I took my time with him as he broke his maiden nicely [earlier this year], then we had a dreadful day when he was beaten in a handicap at Leicester.
“When we got him back, his blood was all wrong. We took our time, nursed him back and this race was always in the back of our minds. He’s got a lot of speed and I think a mile-and-a-half is his trip. I love the Leger, but there’s no way this one is a Leger horse.” “When we got him back, his blood was all wrong. We took our time, nursed him back and this race was always in the back of our minds. He’s got a lot of speed and I think a mile and a half is his trip. I love the Leger but there’s no way this one is a Leger horse.”
Friday was a better day for the bookmakers than the first three afternoons of the meeting without a single winning favourite. Bold Sniper, 2-1 favourite to give the Queen a winner in the Wolferton Handicap, finished second to Ed Dunlop’s Contributor, while Cursory Glance, at 14-1, set the tone in the opening Albany Stakes as she comfortably saw off the challenge of 9-2 joint-favourite Patience Alexander. Friday was a better day for the bookmakers than the first three of the meeting without a single winning favourite. Bold Sniper, 2-1 favourite to give the Queen a winner in the Wolferton Handicap, finished second to Ed Dunlop’s Contributor, while Cursory Glance, at 14-1, set the tone in the opening Albany Stakes as she comfortably saw off the challenge of the 9-2 joint-favourite Patience Alexander.
Marzocco, 11-8 favourite for the Queen’s Vase, also rewarded only place backers, finishing third behind Hartnell and Century. The last two renewals of this race have been won by the following year’s Gold Cup winner, while Leading Light, successful last year, went on to take the St Leger.Marzocco, 11-8 favourite for the Queen’s Vase, also rewarded only place backers, finishing third behind Hartnell and Century. The last two renewals of this race have been won by the following year’s Gold Cup winner, while Leading Light, successful last year, went on to take the St Leger.
Both Hartnell and Century are available at 14-1 with Ladbrokes, the sponsor, to follow suit in the final Classic.Both Hartnell and Century are available at 14-1 with Ladbrokes, the sponsor, to follow suit in the final Classic.