Royal Ascot winner by Iffraaj

Iffraaj filly Rizeena completed a treble for Australasian shuttlers on Day 2 of Royal Ascot with a popular victory in the G2 Queen Mary Stakes (1000m).

Earlier on Wednesday, Duntle (Danehill Dancer) won the G2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes and Belgian Bill (Exceed And Excel) the Royal Hunt Cup.

Rizeena (2f Iffraaj – Serena’s Storm by Statue Of Liberty) gave veteran trainer Clive Brittain his 17th Royal Ascot victory.  The ebullient 79 year-old handler has landed every British classic bar the English Derby and he also prepared champion mare Pebbles to win the 1985 Breeders’ Cup.

“A day like this and I get a trophy, oh my God,” Brittain said.  “I rate her alongside (1993 English 1000 Guineas winner) Sayyedati.”

Rizeena went into the Queen Mary on the back of a Listed victory in the National Stakes.  Settled toward the centre of the track, she accelerated to overhaul American raider Sweet Emma Rose (City Zip) by two lengths pulling away.

Brittain trains the winner for Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum and indicated the filly will be aimed for the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh and G1 Cheveley Park Stud Stakes at Newmarket.

Iffraaj (Zafonic) is based at Darley’s Kildangan Stud and shuttles to Haunui Farm.  “He has enjoyed an amazing season in the southern hemisphere so far with five stakes winners to be our leading second crop sire,” Haunui Farm’s Mark Chitty said.  “To get a winner at Royal Ascot is a fantastic result and the way in which she did it suggests she is a filly of the highest order.”

Iffraaj stands at Haunui Farm for a fee of $15,000 (plus gst).