Rizg is a high-calibre six-year-old gelding by No Nay Never trained by James Owen in Newmarket. He is a half-brother to last season’s Gr.1 Futurity Trophy Stakes winner Hotazhell and is closely related to the five-time Gr.1 heroine Alexander Goldrun. 

Originally based with Roger Varian, he beat four subsequent winners when winning a 6f Yarmouth novice on his only outing as a two-year-old and confirmed himself a smart performer when a close-up fourth behind future Gr.2 winner Tiber Flow in the Listed Carnarvon Stakes at three. 

Rizg looked like a potentially top-class sprinter at that stage and was accordingly aimed at the Gr.1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. He reacted poorly to first-time blinkers, missing the start, and in the end he did well to finish 14th of the 20 runners. Regrettably, that was the last time we saw Rizg in racecourse action that year, and he was also absent for the entirety of 2023. 

He returned to the track, newly gelded, in a competitive 0-105 handicap over 6f at Newcastle in June of 2024. Understandably exuberant on his first start in so long, he pulled too hard and was denied a clear run, though clearly hinted that his ability remains intact with a promising midfield finish. 

A lesser run followed at Ascot a couple of weeks later, but the handicapper reacted by dropping Rizg to a career-low rating of 90, and it allowed Deva Racing director Ryan Tongue to secure his purchase at the Tattersalls Online August Sale shortly afterwards. A big opportunity lay in wait.

Rizg has had five starts for Deva Racing and James Owen so far, demonstrating gradual progression whilst still sliding down the handicap. He responded well to a first-time hood when an unlucky-in-running sixth at Lingfield on his most recent start in December and appeared to see out the 1m trip. 

Knowing that he has the stamina for 1m opens up plenty of options going forward, and his current handicap mark of 77 looks exceptionally lenient. Don’t forget, here is a horse who was capable of running to a rating in excess of 100 in his youth, and even at the start of last year he was rated 96.

Rizg remains a hugely exciting member of the Deva team, and we expect him to be winning races very soon.