Peeress proves too good for boys in Lockinge

Peeress defeated males in her season debut at Newbury on Saturday, when she rallied to win the Group 1, $375,000 Lockinge Stakes. The win was trainer Michael Stoute's seventh in the Lockinge.

A 5-year-old Pivotal mare, Peeress rallied under Kieren Fallon to lead the straight mile at the three-sixteenths pole, running out to a 1 3/4-length win over Majors Cast. Court Masterpiece was another 3 1/2 lengths back in third, and Soviet Song, the 7-2 choice, was fourth, beaten 6 3/4 lengths. Soft ground slowed the winning time to 1:44.57.

Peeress, 4-1, had gained her initial Group 1 success on Oct. 1, when she won Newmarket's one-mile Sun Chariot Stakes against females. She had also won a Group 2 mile against fillies and mares, the Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot at York last June. Stoute, who last won the Lockinge in 2004 with another filly, Russian Rhythm, will point Peeress to the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at a mile at Royal Ascot on June 20, when she can expect to face Majors Cast again.

* Aidan O'Brien said Rumplestilt-skin suffered a ligament injury near her pelvis in the 1000 Guineas Stakes on May 7, when she finished seventh as the 3-1 favorite. Europe's juvenile filly champion, Rumplestiltskin will be sidelined for four or five weeks and miss her intended date in Sunday's Irish 1000 Guineas.