Roaring Lion

Fully 10,000 miles from their birthplace at Tweenhills Farm and Stud, Qatar Racing homebreds Buckaroo, Middle Earth and Valiant King now face the most important two-mile test of their lives on Tuesday, with a place in history assured should one of them reach its end as a Melbourne Cup winner. From the lush paddocks of Tweenhills to the manicured turf of Flemington, it's been quite the journey, both literally and figuratively. Between them the trio amassed 27 starts in Europe - Buckaroo and Valiant King with Joseph O'Brien, Middle Earth...

La Mehana strode home a powerful winner of the GII Glens Falls Stakes--the lone race left on the lawn on a rainy day at Saratoga Sunday. The 5-2 shot was well held while settling just off the pace of Long Ago, who took the field through fractions of :24.04, :48.77, and 1:13.99. Favored Bellezza spurted up into contention along the rail heading into the far turn for the final time, but had nowhere to go as La Mehana rolled up to challenge the pacesetter into the stretch. Long Ago scampered...

It's not just the horses that are called upon. Horsemen, too, must measure up to the challenges of our sport. To many, that now means rescheduling the Triple Crown series. To some of us, however, it means the very opposite. Our community was similarly divided in 2023 by the loss of two horses easing to Grade I success, right in front of the Saratoga grandstand. That trauma prompted many to demand that all dirt tracks be dug up. Others, however, urged persevering with the ancestral core of American racing so...

If you're going to make your stakes debut in graded company, may as well go big, right? Alexander Helios (Cairo Prince) certainly thought so as he took his grudge match with Banishing (Ghostzapper) down to the wire in the GIII Razorback Handicap. It took him eight tries to break his maiden, and a new trainer, but that 2 1/4-length victory beneath the Twin Spires in November 2023 yielded him a 93 Beyer in his first attempt at 1 1/8-miles for the barn of Saffie Joseph Jr.. It took three attempts...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Special Wan at Kentucky Downs on Saturday.   Team Valor Filly Strikes In Kentucky Team Valor International and Steven Rocco's Special Wan (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) was first past the post in a Kentucky Downs contest in her U.S. debut on Sept. 7 (video) for trainer Patrick Foley. Bred by Kilnamoragh Stud, the G3 Ballycorus Stakes second and G3 Brownstown Stakes third was a...

Returning to the course and distance of her G3 Lester Piggott Stakes win, Qatar Racing's prized homebred Queen Of The Pride (GB) (Roaring Lion--Simple Verse {Ire), by Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}) mastered Saturday's G2 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock to continue her upward trajectory. Held up by Oisin Murphy throughout the early stages, the John and Thady Gosden-trained 100-30 second favourite moved powerfully to Tiffany (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and drew away from that 85-40 favourite to win by three lengths, with the Lester Piggott Stakes runner-up...

On this weekend six years ago Roaring Lion got the better of Saxon Warrior (Jpn) to win the G1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes by a neck. This was a truly golden era for John Gosden's stable, with Enable (GB), Stradivarius (Ire), Cracksman (GB) and Too Darn Hot (GB) among Roaring Lion's fellow residents at Clarehaven.  Saxon Warrior had been the only horse to beat Qatar Racing's Roaring Lion in an otherwise spotless juvenile campaign. After winning the G2 Royal Lodge Stakes, Roaring Lion was second to the Ballydoyle star - who would...

David Howden's 4-year-old filly Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion--Bella Nouf {GB}, by Dansili {GB}), last of eight in Epsom's G3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes earlier this month, halted a six-race losing streak with a dominant performance in Wednesday's G2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot. Last term's Listed Pretty Polly Stakes victrix kept wide of the peloton initially and drifted inwards to assume control after the opening exchanges. Holding sway thereafter, she was nudged along in early straight to poach a decisive buffer approaching the final furlong and kept on...

Qatar Racing through-and-through, Queen Of The Pride (GB) (Roaring Lion) gave the operation a moment of celebration in Saturday's G3 Lester Piggott Fillies' S. at Haydock. Out of their G1 St Leger and G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. heroine Simple Verse (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}), the Gosdens' 4-year-old who had finished runner-up in the Listed Daisy Warwick Fillies' S. at Goodwood last month quickly took up prominent rank in this extended 11-furlong contest. Sent to the fore approaching the furlong pole, the 9-2 shot stuck to her...

Group 1 winner Dubai Mile (Ire) has been retired to stud and will join the Manton Park stallion roster for the 2024 breeding season. Successful in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud for Charlie and Mark Johnston last year, the son of Roaring Lion changed hands to join Freddie and Martyn Meade this season.  However, he failed to run for the father-and-son combination after suffering a career-ending injury and will now join the roster at Manton Park alongside Aclaim, Technician and Advertise.  Dubai Mile won three of his eight career starts for...

John and Thady Gosden could have as many as four runners, led by G2 Queen's Vase hero Gregory (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), in the Sept. 16 G1 Betfred St Leger at Doncaster next Saturday. The Wathnan Racing colourbearer was most recently third to St Leger rival Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. at York last month. He will be partnered by the retiring Frankie Dettori, who has already won the Classic six times including twice for Gosden with Shantou (Alleged) in 1996 and Logician (GB)...

Qatar Racing's Middle Earth (GB) (Roaring Lion) will be supplemented for £50,000 to the Sept. 16 G1 Betfred St Leger at Doncaster. Victorious in a 1 1/2-mile novice event at Newmarket July 28, the  Thady and John Gosden trainee doubled up with a win in York's Melrose on the final day of the Ebor meeting (Aug. 26). "He's progressed well throughout the year, he's always looked like a nice staying colt in the making," said Thady Gosden. "Of course, he won the Melrose, which is an impressive handicap, in good...