Rizeena rules Coronation; Rosalind stumbles, loses rider

The Clive Brittain-trained Rizeena bounced back from a disappointing run in

the One Thousand Guineas to win the featured Group 1 Coronation Stakes under

Ryan Moore on Friday at Royal Ascot.

Brittain, who is 80, is the oldest trainer to have saddled

a Royal Ascot winner in modern times and he was confident beforehand.

"I wasn't worried about the race," Brittain said. "They

could have walked -- she is a great walker -- and she still would have won. They

could have trotted -- she is a great trotter - and she still would have won. But

they galloped and she still won. We had covered every angle. All she had to do

was turn up and show what she could do. She always had the lead horse in her

sights and when she decided to pass her, she did.

"I think we could have won the Irish One Thousand and I was

certain that we could have gone to France but we went to Newmarket and I don't

know what happened there, maybe it was the undulations. Richard (Hughes) had the

perfect position and she just stopped. It was 10lb to a stone below her best and

after that there was a bit of color in her wash, which rang alarm bells, so we

stopped and started again. She has now been to Newmarket four times and not won."

Ryan Moore took the lead in the jockey standings at

Royal Ascot after his third victory of the week on Rizeena over the round mile.

The duo were always prominent in the one-mile contest over the good-to-firm

going. They led over a furlong out and were always in command to record a

three-quarter length victory in a final time of 1:40.73.

"There was no pace -- it was a crawl and ridiculous, really. We went

quicker to the start then the first quarter-mile. A messy race, I was able to

get a nice spot but I was in front earlier than I ideally would have liked to

have been," Moore explained his ride. "She doesn't want to be in front that soon but my hand was

kind of forced. It was a long way, that last furlong, but she was the fastest in

the race and just did enough."

Rizeena was making just her second start of the year in the Coronation after her subpar seventh in the Guineas. Campaigned by Sheikh Rashid Dalmook al

Maktoum, the Iffraaj sophomore was in the top three in seven of her eight races

as a juvenile, including three Group 1s and the Queen Mary Stakes at last

season's Royal Ascot meeting.

"Days don't get better than this and I think we will come

back here for the big meeting and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes," Brittain

remarked. "Why not? I

wouldn't be against taking on the colts again.

"I've got two standout three-year-olds, Brazos who was

beaten by the ground in the Jersey Stakes, and this filly. These two are the

basics for getting me up in the morning," the veteran horseman added.

Lesstalk in Paris bounced back to form after a

disappointing run in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas) with

her solid second in the Coronation Stakes. The 15-2 shot was found to be in season following her most

recent run at Longchamp and trainer Jean-Claude Rouget was relieved that she'd

shown something near her best on Friday.

"We almost won but I am relieved that she's run well here," Rouget stated. "She was found to be in season after her Longchamp run,

which went some way to explaining her poor effort, but it's nice she showed her

real form here. I was also a bit worried as the form line of the Pouliches

isn't that good but she's a good filly and I hope she can win a good race this

year.

"I doubt she will go to the Falmouth Stakes (at Newmarket)

as she would have to stay here for a while. It's possible but we love Deauville

so I think she will go there. The Prix Rothschild will probably be her aim.

There is still a bonus for French-bred horses there so it would be a sensible

plan."

Marco Botti, trainer of the third-placed Euro Charline,

revealed that his filly will now be heading to America after this run.

"I'm delighted with her run but she's going to America now. Her owners (Team

Valor) want her to run in the States and have a race at Saratoga in mind later

in the year. She will run for me in that race and then she will stay over here,"

Botti explained. "It's a shame but we've always liked her. I thought she ran

well in the One Thousand Guineas and didn't disgrace herself. I don't think she handled

the dip at Newmarket but I knew the ground and track would suit her much better

here."

American challenger Rosalind stumbled after coming out of

the stalls in the Coronation Stakes and unseated Kieren Fallon. The

filly was reported to be OK afterward, while Fallon was stood down for the rest

of the day by the course doctor.

"Rosalind has

minor cuts. Grabbed left front quarter. Otherwise minor. Hope Kieren is alright

too. Heard he was off mounts. Bad luck. Head up," trainer Kenny McPeek tweeted. "Well what can I say? I'm hoping Rosalind is

OK and I'm

really disappointed for her owner and my team. Something we can't control. It

happens."

Fallon came out of the jockeys' room after the last race

following physiotherapy for a stiff neck.

"I am fine thanks -- a bit stiff. My neck

is stiff. I have just had physio which helps and I hope to be fine for

(Saturday)," he said. "It happened very quickly so I don't know (what happened). It is a pity

for Kenny and the owners who brought Rosalind all the way from America."

The stewards looked into the incident and concluded that

Rosalind stumbled and pulled Fallon over her head.

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