Making an immediate impact on the current season when capturing the “Brocklesby” Conditions S. on Doncaster's opening card Apr. 2, The Last Lion was demoted from second to third behind Wesley Ward's Create a Dream (Oasis Dream {GB}) in a conditions race at Ascot 25 days later before running second to Prince of Lir (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in another of that type at Beverley May 28. In that spot again behind that rival when they reconnected in Royal Ascot's G2 Norfolk S. June 16, the bay registered a clear-cut first black-type success in Sandown's Listed Dragon S. July 1 before finishing second again to stablemate Yalta (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the G3 Molecomb S. at Glorious Goodwood July 27. Upped from five furlongs for the first time in the G2 Gimcrack S. over this trip at York last time Aug. 20, he was no match for TDN Rising Star Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) when third there but demonstrated his resilience with this commanding display trying Polytrack for the first time. Settled in a close-up second throughout the early stages, he was set alight to take command passing the quarter pole and surge ahead for an impressive score.
The Last Lion gets much of his precocity from his dam, who was third in the G1 Cheveley Park S. and G1 Moyglare Stud S. as a 2-year-old before also making her mark as a significant producer of sprinting talent. Her son Contest (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was a dual listed winner and was runner-up in the G3 Prix de Meautry, while her 2007 foal Russian Rock (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) was also twice a winner at listed level at Jebel Ali. Mala Mala's half-sister Tarascon (Ire) (Tirol {Ire}) captured the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas, while another half-sibling is the former Mark Johnston-trained G3 Rose of Lancaster S. and G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano winner Mister Monet (Ire) (Peintre Celebre). This is the family of the Australian group performers Serene Majesty (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), Fravashi (Aus) (Falbrav {Ire}), Pure Joy (Aus) (Fusaichi Pegasus), Alegria (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro), Vivacious Spirit (Aus) (Bel Esprit {Aus}) and Costa Viva (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}). Also distantly related to the G1 Futurity S.-winning sire Al Hareb, she also has a yearling colt by Power (GB) to come.
Saturday, Kempton, Britain
TOTEQUADPOT SIRENIA S.-G3, £42,000, KEM, 9-3, 2yo, 6f (AWT), 1:12.70, stn.
1–@THE LAST LION (IRE), 127, c, 2, by Choisir (Aus)
1st Dam: Mala Mala (Ire) (G1SP-Eng & Ire), by Brief Truce
2nd Dam: Breyani (Ire), by Commanche Run (GB)
3rd Dam: Molokai (Ire), by Prince Tenderfoot
(€82,000 Ylg '15 GOFORB). O-John Brown & Megan Dennis; B-Barronstown Stud & Mrs T Stack (IRE); T-Mark Johnston; J-Joe Fanning. £23,818. Lifetime Record: 8-3-3-2, $151,879. *1/2 to Contest (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), SW & GSP-Fr, SW-Ire & SP-Eng, $209,226; and Russian Rock (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), MSW-UAE, $366,147. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Koropick (Ire), 127, c, 2, Kodiac (GB)–Kathoe (Ire), by Fayruz (GB). (€82,000 Ylg '15 TISEP; 40,000gns 2yo '16 TATBRE). O-Vefa Ibrahim Araci; B-C M Farrell (IRE); T-Hugo Palmer. £9,030.
3–Unabated (Ire), 127, c, 2, Bated Breath (GB)">Bated Breath (GB)–Elhareer (Ire), by Selkirk. O/B-Mubarak Al Naemi (IRE); T-Marco Botti. £4,519.
Margins: 4, HF, NO. Odds: 1.35, 1.10, 10.00.
Also Ran: Queensbrydge (GB), Stop the Wages (Ire), Smokey Lane (Ire), Dandy Flame (Ire). Scratched: Moonlit Show (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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