By Paul Vettise
New Zealand's Cambridge Stud has secured the Southern Hemisphere breeding right to MG1SW, Cartier Horse of the Year and Longines World Champion 3-year-old Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy in 2019. Roaring Lion will join Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) on the roster, the three-time Group 1 winner and champion European 3-year-old who stood his first New Zealand season in 2018.
“To be able to secure two European champions in two years is extraordinary and very exciting for Cambridge and Australasian breeders,” Cambridge Stud Chief Executive Officer Henry Plumptre said. “Roaring Lion is hugely sought after in the United Kingdom in his first season at stud, standing at £40,000. European breeders have recognised his brilliance and he is over subscribed. His sire, Kitten's Joy, is a two-time champion sire in the United States and has been Champion Turf Sire for the past six years.
“By El Prado (Ire), he has a similar profile to the champion Medaglia d'Oro, also by El Prado, who sired Vancouver (Aus), Astern (Aus) and the recent G1 New Zealand Derby winner Crown Prosecutor (Aus).”
Turf Bloodlines
Added Plumptre, “Roaring Lion has got Street Cry (Ire) on his bottom line and I managed Medaglia d'Oro when he came out for Darley and they're bloodlines that work specifically on turf. Medaglia d'Oro's strength is that he gets good turf horses so there are a lot of positives in the pedigree.
“Roaring Lion isn't going to be a difficult horse to mate, he's very correct and well-balanced. There are no congenital issues at all.”
Roaring Lion enjoyed a stellar 2018 winning four Group 1 events–the Eclipse S., Juddmonte International S., Irish Champion S. and the Queen Elizabeth S.–all at weight-for-age against older horses from 1600 to 2000 metres. He earned a Timeform rating of 130 for his achievements.
“What really impressed me about Roaring Lion was the tougher the races, the more he would answer the call,” his trainer John Gosden said. “I've never trained a horse that had the constitution he has, he has just got bigger and stronger. He was a trainer's dream. I never had a moment's worry with him.”
A US$160,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, he was signed for by Tweenhills owner David Redvers, who is also bloodstock advisor to Sheikh Fahad's Qatar Racing operation.
The Horse of a Lifetime
“Roaring Lion is a horse of a lifetime. He is a remarkable horse; tough and durable beyond equal, but his turn of foot and will to win set him apart and we believe he will prove a genuine breed shaper,” said David Redvers, Qatar Racing manager and owner of Tweenhills. “We look forward to working with Brendan, Jo, Henry Plumptre and the Cambridge Stud team and watching Roaring Lion and this incredible farm flourish together.”
Qatar's retained jockey Oisin Murphy was equally effusive about Roaring Lion.
“He has been a wonderful horse to be involved with and I feel incredibly honoured to have ridden him on some of the biggest stages this year,” he said. “He gave me an amazing day at Sandown when winning my first British Group 1 and we've had some extraordinary days since. He's an incredible horse who I will remember for the rest of my life.”
Roaring Lion was also an exceptional 2-year-old, sealing a hat-trick of wins with victory in the G2 Royal Lodge S. His only defeat was when beaten a neck in the G1 Racing Post Trophy.
The arrival of Roaring Lion in New Zealand announces the dawn of a new association between Sheikh Fahad, Tweenhills and Cambridge Stud with Redvers committing up to 20 mares on behalf of the Sheikh to Roaring Lion in the Southern Hemisphere each year.
A New Association
“My brothers and I have enjoyed our greatest days on the racecourse courtesy of Roaring Lion,” Sheikh Fahad said. “To own a horse like him is truly incredible and we believe he will prove a magnificent influence as a sire in both hemispheres. We are delighted by the support breeders have shown in Europe and, feel confident he will be as popular in the Southern Hemisphere and look forward to seeing Roaring Lion's first progeny both here and around the world.
“Cambridge Stud appealed to us due to the combination of heritage and Brendan and Jo Lindsay's amazing commitment to the New Zealand thoroughbred industry. Their determination to secure our world champion was beyond admirable and we are committed to assist them realise his potential worldwide.”
Brendan and Jo Lindsay were at Ascot to see Roaring Lion win his last Group 1 and were from that point on determined in their pursuit of the stallion.
“Jo and I would like to sincerely thank David Redvers and Sheikh Fahad for giving us the opportunity to bring a horse of his calibre to Cambridge Stud,” Lindsay said. “We were there on Champion's Day and his ability to drop back to a mile and still beat the best in Europe left us in no doubt that we had to secure him for New Zealand.”
Roaring Lion is a son of Vionnet (Street Sense), who won three times and was Grade I placed. She is a half-sister to the stakes winners Schiaparelli (Ghostzapper), Moulin De Mougin (Curlin), Alexis Tangier (Tiznow) and Bronson (Medaglia d'Oro). Their dam Cambiocorsa (Avenue Of Flags) was a dual North American Grade III winner and a sister to a five-time Grade III winner in California Flag.
Roaring Lion will stand for an introductory fee at Cambridge Stud of NZ$35,000 + GST.
“We want to try and give New Zealand breeders a chance,” Plumptre said. “They are sending hundreds of mares to Australia because the calibre of stallions here isn't good enough, there are two or three signature stallions and that's about it. He's standing at a service fee to persuade breeders to keep their mares here.”
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