Tag Archive for: Running Lion

Running Lion roars to Duke Of Cambridge triumph

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Running Lion saw off the late surge of stablemate Laurel to secure top honours in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot.

So impressive when winning Newmarket’s Pretty Polly Stakes in the early part of last season, Running Lion had failed to get her head in front since and finished a disappointing last of eight on her most recent outing in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes on Derby day at Epsom.

Oisin Murphy’s mount was a 6-1 shot to get her campaign back on track over Ascot’s round mile and did so in some style, controlling affairs from the front under a well-judged ride and finding plenty for pressure in the straight to score readily by two lengths.

Laurel came from further back to make it a one-two for the father-son training partnership of John and Thady Gosden. Connections will rightly take plenty of heart from her performance, given she had been off the track since failing to fire in the Lockinge at Newbury over a year ago.

John Gosden said: “This filly has been unlucky. She moved a bit soon in the Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket, gets boxed in at Epsom. We did decide ‘third time, Oisin, do what you want’. He’s drawn 11, go to the front, control it. It was perfect, because we got in a muddle in the last two races.

“She got heatstroke in the Diane, kicked the gates out at Epsom, was third in the Guineas. She hasn’t always been lucky.”

Murphy added: “Obviously at Epsom she broke well, I didn’t want to lead because she did too much in front at Newmarket and wasted too much energy and we had a hard luck story.

“Today, I had to have a bit of confidence to go out and do my own thing. When she broke well and she pricked her ears, I was happy to lead, and when she saved energy like that, she was always going to be hard to pass.

Royal Ascot 2024 – Day Two – Ascot Racecourse
Running Lion coming home in front (David Davies/PA).

“I got a breather into her all the way through the turn, today I had the horse to do that. The freshness is out of her and she took the prelims.

“It’s great because David Howden bred her. He’s an official sponsor here, along with Qipco, he’s important, vital to British racing and he’s been rewarded this afternoon.”

Owner Howden said: “She gets her head down, she changes her legs and she digs in. Her sire, Roaring Lion, won his races exactly the same way.

“We’re partners with Royal Ascot, I bred her, she’s out of Roaring Lion, who tragically died, it couldn’t be more special.

“For Oisin to do it on Roaring Lion’s filly, Running Lion, is as good as it gets.

“We always knew she had it in her, ever since she won the Pretty Polly and left them standing. We knew it was there. This is why we do it, it’s just fantastic.”

Royal Ascot 2024 – Day Two – Ascot Racecourse
Jockey Oisin Murphy and owner David Howden celebrate (David Davies/PA).

As regards game runner-up Laurel, Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte, commented: “It’s absolutely marvellous and we’re over the moon.

“Ryan said the winner just shifted a bit in front and cost us a bit of momentum but I think we were booked for second at that stage.

“If she comes out of it well, we will have a look at the Falmouth. This was only her sixth run, for a five-year-old. She does have her issues, but she’s training great and is loving life. She’s having a good blow, so is going to tighten up, so we will aim for the Falmouth and see how we go.

“She’s been knocking on the door and has been placed in a Group One. Ryan knows her and won on her at Kempton and loves her and hopefully she will get it done on the Group One stage someday.”

Trainer William Haggas said of third-placed Doom: “It was an excellent run and she got a bit of a knock on the turn, which knocked her off her stride, but she stayed on well.

“She certainly gets the trip well and handles the ground well and that gives us many more options.”

When asked about a possible step up to Group One level for the Falmouth Stakes, Haggas added: “I’m not sure yet, we will see, but she is in it. I’m delighted with today’s performance.”



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Running Lion aiming to regain winning thread at Salisbury

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Running Lion will be bidding to serve a reminder of her quality when she lines up in the British EBF 40th Anniversary Upavon Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury on Wednesday.

John and Thady Gosden’s three-year-old was well-fancied for the Oaks earlier this year having racked up an impressive four-race winning sequence, but her Epsom dreams were dashed when she was withdrawn at the start having got upset in the stalls.

Given the chance to gain Classic compensation she headed to Chantilly for the Prix de Diane, but struggled to make a telling impact from an unhelpful draw and was eased down in the closing stages by regular partner Oisin Murphy.

Running Lion is one of 13 fillies who head to post in the Listed heat, with Roger Varian’s Ameynah tackling 10 furlongs for the first time having blown away the cobwebs with a respectable return from a long absence in the Valiant Stakes at Ascot.

The daughter of Exceed And Excel had not been seen since finishing sixth to Cachet in last year’s 1000 Guineas and with only four career starts to her name, she could have plenty more to give.

“We were pleased with her comeback run at Ascot and we have a lot of belief she is a nice filly,” said Varian.

“She looks to have come forward nicely from that run and we’ve always thought 10 furlongs would be within her compass, so we’re looking forward to running her.”

Another filly returning from a break is Sparkling Beauty, who placed in the Group Two Prix du Calvados when trained by Richard Hughes last term and has been sighted just the once this campaign.

She is now trained by Dominic Ffrench Davis and the handler is confident of a bold showing from the Amo Racing-owned filly on her stable bow.

“She came to us earlier in the year and Richard Hughes did a very good job with her,” said Ffrench Davis.

“She won a nice maiden at Goodwood, the same one we won with Ornellaia the other week and she was then Group Two placed and I just think she disappointed a little bit earlier on in the year and could do with a break.

“She’s done nothing wrong with us and is coming to the boil nicely and I think she will run a big race.”



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Running Lion ready to put the record straight at Chantilly

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Running Lion will bid for Classic redemption when she attempts to give John and Thady Gosden back-to-back victories in the Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly.

A daughter of Clarehaven’s multiple Group One winner Roaring Lion, she has been unbeaten in four since finishing fourth on debut last summer and took her form to the next level when claiming the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket last month.

That earned her a shot at the Betfred Oaks, but she got upset in the stalls and was ultimately withdrawn, meaning a frustrated Oisin Murphy could only watch on as stablemate Soul Sister stormed to Classic glory.

She is reported to be none the worse for that eventful few moments at the start at Epsom and will now get a second chance to secure Classic honours and follow in the footsteps of Star Of Seville and Nashwa, who have both won this race for the Gosden team in the past.

Running Lion and jockey Oisin Murphy heads back to the stables during a gallops morning at Epsom
Running Lion and jockey Oisin Murphy heads back to the stables during a gallops morning at Epsom (Adam Davy/PA)

“It was a very unfortunate freak incident at Epsom when she kicked out and broke the back gate of the stalls which meant they weren’t able to open,” said Thady Gosden.

“But obviously she didn’t have a race there and came out of it with nothing serious fortunately. She has been in good form since.

“We are drawn 12 of 15 which isn’t ideal at Chantilly, of course, although in terms of ground it’s quick there at the moment and even though there may be some thunderstorms around Sunday, she is probably a versatile filly when it comes to ground.

“Her father liked top of the ground and she is out of a Dansili mare and they normally like top of the ground. However, she won the Pretty Polly really well on slower going.

“After her first run all she has done is improve and has done nothing wrong – she has a great mind on her and always puts her best foot forward.”

Fellow British raider Novakai brings solid Group-race form to the table having chased home Polly Pott and Commissioning in the May Hill and Fillies’ Mile respectively last term. She returned to finish second to Soul Sister in the Musidora Stakes at York.

Novakai is on course to run in France
Novakai will bid to give Karl Burke a second win in the French Oaks (Mike Egerton/PA)

This has always been the target for Karl Burke’s filly who runs in the colours of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid and will attempt to give the Spigot Lodge handler his second triumph in the race after Laurens in 2018.

Joseph O’Brien’s Caroline Street finished second to Derby hero Auguste Rodin in the Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown as a two-year-old and has won her sole outing this season when upped to 10 furlongs at Naas.

Brother Donnacha and father Aidan have won this prestigious contest in two of the last three years and it would be fitting if he could add his name to the roll of honour with the talented daughter of No Nay Never.

“She’s in good nick and she got a very good draw,” said the Owning Hill handler. “It’s a super hot race, but she goes there with a chance.

“I thought it was a great run in Naas, she sat back and hit the line really well – I thought she was impressive. This race has been the target since then, it was going to be the Diane or the Pretty Polly (at the Curragh).”

Never Ending Story winning at Leopardstown
Never Ending Story winning at Leopardstown (Niall Carson/PA)

Meanwhile, the all-conquering master of Ballydoyle saddles Poule d’Essai des Pouliches fifth Never Ending Story, with her big-race pilot Ryan Moore expecting her to improve on that showing now upped in distance.

“This is about as deep and competitive a Classic as you will find, with a lot of talent on show and of course, with 15 runners, you are going to need all the luck going in here,” he told Betfair.

“I don’t think we saw the best of my filly at all when she was fifth in the French 1000 Guineas last time. She didn’t run badly but she didn’t fire and pick up as I was expecting, as I thought she had a big shot at winning that race.

“However, I think she remains a Group One filly and I hope she can prove it over a trip that she is bred to get. She could just surprise some fillies with more obvious claims.”



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Running Lion ready to bid for Chantilly Classic redemption

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John Gosden is pleased with Running Lion ahead of her tilt at the Prix de Diane, with 15 fillies heading to post at Chantilly on Sunday.

The daughter of Roaring Lion was withdrawn from the Betfred Oaks at Epsom after getting upset in the stalls and having watched stablemate Soul Sister storm to big-race glory on the Surrey Downs, she will now get another chance to secure her own Classic honours in the French edition this weekend.

Last year Nashwa exited stall two when winning the Diane for the Gosden team, but this time Running Lion will have to navigate a wide position in stall 12 as Oisin Murphy’s mount looks to replicate an impressive showing in the Pretty Polly at Newmarket earlier in the season.

However, Gosden – who trains in partnership with son Thady – is full of praise for the consistent filly who is the 11-4 favourite with Coral to land the spoils.

“She’s in great form and we’re really happy with her and her work has been great this year,” he told Sky Sports Racing.

“She’s a tough filly and she needs to be from stall 12. We’re very pleased with her going into the race.

“She’s very business-like, both in the mornings and her races and has shown nothing but a great mental attitude to her racing and has been very consistent.”

Never Ending Story, here winning at Leopardstown, will run for Aidan O'Brien in the Prix de Diane
Never Ending Story, here winning at Leopardstown, will run for Aidan O’Brien in the Prix de Diane (Niall Carson/PA)

There is further UK representation in the form of Karl Burke’s Novakai, who was last seen finishing second to Soul Sister in the Musidora, while Aidan O’Brien and his son Joseph are represented by Never Ending Story and Caroline Street respectively.

Christopher Head’s impressive French Guineas winner Blue Rose Cen is the shortest-priced contender from the home contingent and will be joined in the line-up by likely pacemaker and stablemate Wise Girl.

Prix Saint-Alary winner Jannah Rose and the supplemented runner-up Elusive Princess, along with Andre Fabre’s unbeaten Pensee Du Jour are others from the home team with leading claims.



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Soul Sister in top shape after brilliant Oaks performance

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Plans remain fluid for Soul Sister following her Betfred Oaks triumph at Epsom last week.

Disappointing in a soft ground Fred Darling at Newbury on her three-year-old debut, the Frankel filly bounced back with a surprise victory in the Musidora Stakes at York last month.

Soul Sister proved that was no fluke by clinching Classic glory on the Surrey Downs a week ago under Frankie Dettori and she holds an entry in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Frankie Dettori celebrates with Soul Sister
Frankie Dettori celebrates with Soul Sister (Victoria Jones/PA)

However, while joint-trainer Thady Gosden reports the three-year-old to have taken her Epsom exertions well, connections have not got as far as finalising the next plan of attack.

“She’s come out of it well. Obviously every Classic is a hard race, but she seems happy and well in herself at home,” said Gosden.

“We’ll see how she is, but it was fantastic to win the Oaks with her.”

Running Lion winning the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket
Running Lion winning the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket (David Davies/The Jockey Club)

On the other side of the coin there was disappointment for the Gosden team ahead of the Oaks, with their other leading contender Running Lion withdrawn on veterinary advice just seconds before the off after kicking the back gate of the starting stalls.

The daughter of Roaring Lion is set to bid for compensation and redemption in the French equivalent, the Prix de Diane, at Chantilly on Sunday week.

“It was obviously frustrating with Running Lion, it was sort of a freak event really. The plan is for her to go to France, I think,” Gosden added.



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Roaring Lion legacy on display at Epsom

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Memories of Roaring Lion will be evoked at Epsom next weekend when Running Lion runs in the Betfred Oaks and Dubai Mile contests the Betfred Derby.

The John Gosden-trained Roaring Lion finished third in the Derby in 2018 before winning the Eclipse, Juddmonte International, Irish Champion Stakes and the QEII on Champions Day.

His owners Qatar Racing were rightly excited about his second career at stud, but it was sadly cut short after just one season when he died due to colic.

Gosden said: “He was a real tough cookie and he was a character too. He had so much talent he could play about and still run huge races.”

Running Lion was impressive at Newmarket
Running Lion was impressive at Newmarket (Nigel French/PA)

Gosden, along with his son Thady, also trains his daughter Running Lion, an impressive winner of the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket.

“She did it in great style. The ground was a little bit testing that day, but she travelled well and flew home,” said John Gosden.

“We know she’s bred really to be a mile-and-a-quarter filly, her father was the last one off the bridle in the Derby and if she gets the distance, she’s in there with a huge shout.”

Oisin Murphy rode Roaring Lion to all his major success and believes there are similarities between the pair.

“They have the exact same shape shoulder and carry their head in a similar position and also have a similar constitution thus far, nothing has phased her so that’s really positive,” said Murphy.

Dubai Mile in action on Charlie Johnston's Middleham gallops
Dubai Mile in action on Charlie Johnston’s Middleham gallops (Danny Lawson/PA)

“I’d imagine she will still be going pretty well coming around Tattenham Corner and I’ll know my fate then in the next furlong or two.”

Dubai Mile, a Group One winner at two for Charlie Johnston, will bid to give the trainer a first Derby winner with his first runner after a fine effort to be fifth in the 2000 Guineas.

“It’s amazing for Roaring Lion to have a runner in both the Oaks and the Derby from his one and only crop,” said Johnston.

“We haven’t needed to do a huge amount since Newmarket. He came out of that very well and it’s just a case of getting him there in one piece now.”



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In-demand Murphy has designs on Derby and Oaks double

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Oisin Murphy is thrilled to have live chances in both the Betfred Derby and Oaks at Epsom next week as he bids to continue his excellent comeback campaign.

The three-time champion jockey has been in high demand since returning from a 14-month suspension for alcohol and Covid breaches and has already claimed Classic glory aboard the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Mawj in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Murphy has not yet won the Derby or the Oaks – but has high hopes of netting one or both this year with The Foxes and Running Lion respectively.

The Foxes, trained by Andrew Balding, cemented his Derby claims with victory in the Dante Stakes at York last week, while John and Thady Gosden’s Running Lion oozed class when landing Newmarket’s Pretty Polly Stakes and delighted her connections when working over just shy of a mile at Epsom’s Derby Festival Gallops Morning on Monday.

Running Lion and Oisin Murphy at Epsom
Running Lion and Oisin Murphy at Epsom (Adam Davy/PA)

“We were obviously delighted with Running Lion at Newmarket. She came out of the race well and today she went down very relaxed,” said Murphy.

“We jumped off just inside the mile and the idea was not to go mad but to do a sensible bit of work. We let them flow down the hill, maybe from the six-furlong pole round Tattenham Corner.

“Once I got her organised, although she didn’t take too much organising, I let her go forward in the straight but I resisted the temptation to ask her for an effort because I thought the Pretty Polly with a little bit of dig in the ground wasn’t long ago.

“That race would have made sure she was very fit so today was more about having a nice away day and coming here relaxing and going home.”

Murphy is keen to reward the support of those who have supported him since his return to the saddle, adding: “I’m so relieved and thankful to the trainers and the owners since I’ve been back. I’ve ridden for over 40 different trainers in Britain and I think I’m the busiest jockey in England and probably in Europe thanks to them.

“The Foxes was great in the Dante and I heard he was perfect when he trotted up on Friday. Hopefully he has a smooth run between now and the race.

“I’m delighted for his owners (King Power Racing) as they have invested an awful lot of money into the sport and to have a live chance in the Derby is great.

“I’m really happy to be in this position. To have two nice horses to ride in those Classics is fantastic.”

Both Running Lion and The Foxes will head to Epsom with stamina doubts hanging over them with neither having raced beyond a mile and a quarter so far.

Oisin Murphy at Epsom on Monday
Oisin Murphy at Epsom on Monday (Adam Davy/PA)

Running Lion’s top-class sire Roaring Lion had his limitations exposed in that department when third over a mile and a half in the 2018 Derby, and Murphy admits only time will tell whether it will be the same story for his offspring.

He said: “I don’t know if Running Lion will stay, but no one knows. She might just find the last two furlongs too far, but it would be a nice way to find out in the Oaks if I was still on the bridle approaching the three-furlong market like I was on her sire.

“We don’t know if The Foxes will stay as he is by Churchill and his half-brother Bangkok was a real 10-furlong horse who was by Australia, but it would be nice to find out on the race day.

“Both of them can race a little bit behind the bridle and you can never be 100 per cent certain (they will stay). Going to the start I’m pretty sure neither will waste any energy which is so important as it is a long way down (to the start).”

John Gosden hopes to be double-handed in the Oaks, with Running Lion set to be joined by last week’s Musidora Stakes winner Soul Sister.

The Clarehaven handler does have stamina concerns for Running Lion in particular, but is happy to roll the dice.

He said: “The Musidora winner and this filly are very legitimate trial winners. They won their trials, a Listed and Group Three with authority. They very much belong in the race.

“Stamina-wise you never really know until you go a mile and a half. Everyone thinks it is a downhill track but it rises 150ft before you think about coming down hill and of course that last section where it climbs again at the finish can catch a lot of them out on stamina.

“Both the fillies have a lot of speed. They’re never worked together, but they both won their trials well which is great and I couldn’t be more pleased with the pair of them.

“It’s hard to say until you know with the trip, they’re both bred to be mile-and-a-quarter fillies and the last part is always the key, we don’t know. You can’t practice a race over a mile and a half at home I don’t think.”



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Running Lion could be bound for Chantilly rather than Epsom

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John Gosden was hesitant to commit to a tilt at the Betfred Oaks with Running Lion following her dominant success in the Howden Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket.

The three-year-old was sent off at 100-30 for the Listed contest following a hat-trick of all-weather wins and was always travelling strongly in the hands of Oisin Murphy.

Once given her head, Running Lion soon put clear daylight between herself and her rivals and passed the post with four and a half lengths in hand over the runner-up Sumo Sam.

Betfred immediately slashed the winner to 7-1 for 20-1 for Epsom – but having seen her sire Roaring Lion come up short in the stamina department when third in the 2018 Derby, Gosden raised the French equivalent, the Prix de Diane, as a possible alternative.

“We’re delighted with her. We brought her down here for a piece of work and Oisin said we should go for the Pretty Polly rather than the 1000 Guineas as she’ll need the mile and a quarter, so we’ve made the right decision,” said the Clarehaven handler.

“Roaring Lion was a wonderful horse with all the Group Ones that he won. He won the Dante in tremendous style, we went to the Derby, he was the last one off the bridle and didn’t see out the mile and a half, so it will be very interesting with this filly whether she’s more Prix de Diane or a mile-and-a-half Oaks filly. We’ll have to give that a bit of thought.

“Anything’s possible and you’ve got more trials to come. There’s the Musidora at York and the Newbury trial and the filly of Sir Michael Stoute’s who won here on Friday (Infinite Cosmos) looked very classy, so we’ll see how it shapes up.”

John Gosden was delighted with Running Lion's performance
John Gosden was delighted with Running Lion’s performance (Mike Egerton/PA)

He added: “The jockey’s first reaction was to possibly stay at a mile and a quarter and I’m always interested as to what they say when they come back straight away, not when they’ve had time to think.

“We made the mistake with Roaring Lion, who hit the line strongly in the Dante but didn’t see out the trip in the Derby, so we’ll give it a lot of thought.

“The idea would be to go to one of the Oaks, which one it is I don’t know. We won the Diane last year (with Nashwa) and it’s a wonderful race, you just don’t want a bad draw.”

HMS President finished with a flourish to secure top honours in the £100,000 Howden Handicap.

Torcello gave a bold sight in front for much of the one-mile-six-furlong contest, but was unable to resist the late charge of Alan King’s 7-1 shot, with a neck separating them at the line.

HMS President (right) gets up to score at Newmarket
HMS President (right) gets up to score at Newmarket (Nigel French/PA)

Adjuvant also came home strongly to dead-heat with Torcello for second.

King’s assistant, Robin Smith, said of the Rossa Ryan-ridden winner: “I thought he got a bump early on and that lit him up and Rossa did a good job of managing him from then on.

“I thought if he could keep the horse on his outside (Adjuvant) behind him he’d keep finding and these big fields probably suit him as they go a gallop and come back to him if they go hard in front, like they did today.

“He’s a very talented horse and we’re very pleased to have him. The plan for some time has been to come here today and we’ll see where we go from here.”

Charlie Appleby followed up his earlier success with Adayar when newcomer On Point (8-11 favourite) dug deep to win the Howden British EBF Maiden Stakes.

The son of Blue Point is now likely to head to Sandown’s National Stakes before a Royal Ascot tilt.

“He’s been an honest little horse and a straightforward horse. He’s been very professional and we know the family on both sides so we were very keen to have a Blue Point winner.

“It’s fantastic and what you love to see is that he’s shown all the characteristics that his dad showed as a two-year-old, with showing up early and having natural speed. He was a bit fresh in the paddock when saddling beforehand, but you don’t mind that. You’d rather them get a feel for it all before the jockey gets on.

“As William (Buick) said, It’s hard to really assess as it was a bit of a two and a half furlong burn up, but he’s done it and knuckled down and we’ll hopefully get another run into him before we start making Ascot assessments. I’d say we’ll probably take a look (at the National Stakes), I’m always keen to try to get two runs in before Ascot.

“It’s a big day and a big occasion and sometimes you can lose a horse there (if you have only had one run previously). It takes a while to get them back and at least if they’ve cut their teeth a couple of times they’ve a bit better understanding of it all.”



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