Tweenhills Growing Sire Power

TDN's Alayna Cullen paid a visit to Tweenhills Stud to speak with David Redvers about G1 Juddmonte International winner Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy) and fan favourite and G1 Sussex S. winner Lightning Spear (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). She also caught up on the careers of Qatar Racing's stallions, Charm Spirit (IRE), Havana Gold (IRE) and Hot Streak (IRE) as well as finding out a little about the stud's newest Australian recruit.

TDN: David, it's been an exciting period for Team Qatar Racing. We saw Roaring Lion take the Juddmonte International at York last week. How were you all feeling before the race?

DR: We were very nervous. You never really know how you are going to match up until you do match up. So to see Roaring Lion win in the fashion he did was just exhilarating to put it mildly. It is a realization of several years of work and we are very lucky to have the services of, I think one of the most exciting young jockeys [Oisin Murphy] and one of the preeminent trainers in the world [John Gosden].

TDN: Watching Sheikh Fahad around this horse you get the feeling that he is particularly close to Sheikh Fahad's heart– would that be correct?

DR: Yes, I think so. Any horse that you buy as a yearling and then are very close to the progress and development of takes a bit of a special place. Sheikh Fahad knew immediately that he wanted John Gosden to train him after he bought him. John's yard is very close to where Sheikh Fahad lives, so they get to see quite a lot of him. His racing style, exuberance and that wonderful color all work really wonderfully together too so this horse is close to all of us, really.

TDN: What are your plans for him for the rest of the season?

DR: Well, that is very much down to Mr. Gosden and Sheikh Fahad. The most likely option at this point I would say are the two Champion Stakes', the Irish and the British. And then there has also been talk about the Breeders' Cup. Then of course there is ongoing discussions as to whether he will stay in training or whether he retires and comes here.

TDN: Another Group 1 winner you have had this year is Lightning Spear, a true fan favourite. How was that experience for your team?

DR: It was very, very special. Everyone wanted him to win a Group 1, even though he has got nothing to do with them, they wanted him to win a Group 1. But to win the Sussex S., which is one of the season's highlights, and to do it so superbly was, it was just wonderful. There are many reasons why he has become a fan favourite. It is interesting that he seems to have gathered as much of a following as some of the good jumpers, because he has become everyone's favorite. It was huge to see him win, and win in that fashion.

TDN: Where is he heading now for the rest of the season?

DR: He is likely to go to France next. Either to the [G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp on Sept. 9], or the [G1 Prix de la Foret on Oct. 7]. There is a possibility he will go to Newmarket for the [G1] Queen Elizabeth II, if the ground is on the good side, but the most likely thing is the Breeders' Cup Mile. The Breeders' Cup Mile is a race that should lend itself perfectly to him. He has got such a startling turn of foot. If he can get a decent position and produce late it will take a very, very good horse at the top of their form to beat him.

After that he will retire to stud. We have already designed his logo and they are building his stable as we speak. We can't wait to get him here. The number of times I have been stopped and asked about the horse and what he was going to stand for and how many mares we would take and if we are doing syndication of breeding rights offers; he has really caught people's imagination.

TDN: Hot Streak (GB) has his first couple of yearlings selling at Goffs UK this week. What feedback have you had on his stock?

DR: All the vendors are telling me that they have some great ones going to the sales. We have had a photographer going around Ireland and England, photographing all of the yearlings, so that we have them documented. She is a good judge in her own right, Caroline Norris. I am very optimistic because he is such a good horse himself, such a good looking horse. He was an incredibly quick 2-year-old. He is exactly what the Goffs UK market looks for. They are going to be trainer's horses, they are going to be early, and they have got his hip and action. So it is very exciting. I have heard so many positives, it would be wrong to single one or two out. I know that we have a couple going to sale that I absolutely love, coming from the commercial part of our breed band. We are very excited.

TDN: You also have Charm Spirit (Ire), Havana Gold (Ire) and are soon to have reverse shuttler Zoustar (Aus) standing here at Tweenhills. How are those stallions doing?

DR: Charm Spirit, I think has had his 14th 2-year-old winner. Which, considering he would just have run his maiden last week in his own 2-yr-old career, I think that is quite something. There is an awful lot of very nice, very smart later horses on the way too. So, 14 winners already is pretty, pretty damn exciting.

Havana Gold was champion first-season sire in the UK, so he has been massively supported now in this, his second year with runners. I think we had 180 mares to him and higher quality than anything he has had before. He will have a slightly quieter year this year because he had fewer mares but the sensible breeders will come flocking to him next year because there will be so much in front of them.

Zoustar has broken every record in Australia with his first crop of runners. Already in his first crop, he is producing stunning yearlings and they have turned into serious Group 1 horses. We took the decision that the best thing was to prove him, see if he was any good in Australia, and if he was good we would bring him up and give breeders the option to use him. He has exceeded all expectations and the opportunity he presents to European breeders is massive. I don't think we have had, and I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think we have had a stallion at his stage come up here. A horse that has just been crowned champion first-season sire, with the record he has had. So, I hope people will jump on him and send him some nice, fast mares.