Rizeena better than she was last year – Brittain. QIPCO 1,000 Guineas favourite Rizeena, who will attempt to give Clive Brittain a third success in the Classic today, has improved from last year according to her 80-year-old trainer.

Rizeena (James Doyle) winning the Moyglare Stud Stakes The Curragh Photo: Patrick McCann 01.09.2013

Rizeena (right) en route to winning the Moyglare Stud Stakes last season

 PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

 TODAY’S RACING PREVIEW BY JON LEES8:00AM 4 MAY 2014 

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Brittain won his first 1,000 Guineas with Pebbles in 1984 and gained a second with Sayyedati  and he rates Rizeena in the same bracket.

She beat chief Ballydoyle hope Tapestry when winning the Moyglare and on her final start of the year was only a length behind Chriselliam, who went on to land the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita.

Rizeena will be ridden by Richard Hughes for the first time today, replacing first choice Ryan Moore who rides for Aidan O’Brien, but her trainer believes his challenger is better than she was at two.

Brittain said: “Everything has gone as we wished it would. She finished her work in good order. She’s never left an oat through the winter. I’m very happy with her condition. I think she’ll get further than a mile in time and we could go that way, so I don’t think a mile is a problem.

“It is always difficult to compare horses from one year to the next but we are certain this filly, who has never had a hold-up, is a better filly than she was last year and I think she goes there with a very good chance.”

The ground at Newmarket remains good to firm, good in places for a card that also includes the Group 3 Dahlia Stakes and the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes.

Going report

Newmarket: Good to firm, good in places
Salisbury: Soft, good to soft in places
Hamilton: Good to soft, soft in places
Gowran Park: Yielding
Sligo: Yielding to soft

Key stats

Kevin Ryan has had two runners in the 5f conditions stakes (3.00) at Hamilton since 2011 and both won. He saddles Sleeper King

Andre Fabre’s runners in Group 3 races at Newmarket have form figures of 1121 since the start of 2007 (+£6.00). He saddles Esoterique (2.40)