Cartier Horse of the Year Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy) appears to be on the road to recovery after undergoing surgery twice in the previous 10 days for colic and has returned to Cambridge Stud. Trained by John Gosden to win the Eclipse, Juddmonte International, Irish Champion S. and the Queen Elizabeth II S. at Ascot, the son of Kitten's Joy emerged as the champion of his generation. He covered his first book of mares in the spring but it was when he was shipped to New Zealand to stand at Cambridge Stud the problem first emerged.
Cambridge Stud CEO Henry Plumptre said in a statement, “Thanks to two world-class surgeons, Dr. Alanna Zantingh and Dr. Greg Quinn from Waikato Equine and with our own vet Dr. Rob Hitchcock assisting, we have managed to save his life and he is on his way to a slow recovery.
“It has been a complex and challenging environment for everyone involved and we owe a massive debt of gratitude to the veterinary team and the Cambridge Stud staff, led by Marcus Corban, who have ensured his survival. While he has a long road to travel, the beginnings of a recovery are complete and having him back at Cambridge signals the start of the next stage.
“We have found this week what Sheikh Fahad [owner] and David Redvers [racing manager] experienced with Roaring Lion last year on the racecourse–extraordinary courage, a will to win and an amazing constitution. His demeanor remained calm at all times which was a major part of his immediate recovery. Our aim now is to slowly repair him back to full health, in order that he can return to the UK and continue his career.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
