Hard on the heels of announcing the acquisition of top rated three-year-old Almanzor last year, Cambridge Stud has acquired the southern hemisphere breeding rights to World Champion three-year-old Roaring Lion.

 

The son of Kitten’s Joy will shuttle from Tweenhillls in the United Kingdom to Brendan and Jo Lindsay’s Cambridge Stud for the forthcoming breeding season where he will stand for a fee of $35,000 +GST. 

 

David Redvers bought Roaring Lion on behalf of Qatar Racing at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale for US$160,000, and the colt entered training with John Gosden.

 

He won his first three starts at two, including in the Gr.2 Royal Lodge Stakes (1600m), before being narrowly beaten by Saxon Warrior in the Gr.1 Racing Post Trophy (1600m).

 

In a stellar campaign at three, Roaring Lion won four Group One races from a mile to 2100 metres, displaying great courage and tenacity to beat the best in Europe. 

 

His four Group One victories included the Eclipse Stakes (2000m), the Juddmonte International Stakes (2100m), the Irish Champion Stakes (2000m) and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on Champion’s Day. 

 

All are weight for age races against older horses, an elite achievement that earned him a Timeform rating of 130. 

 

Roaring Lion was awarded Cartier Horse of the Year and Longine’s World Champion 3YO for his exploits in 2018. 

 

Cambridge Stud chief executive Henry Plumptre is thrilled to have secured another outstanding stallion for the burgeoning roster.

 

“To be able to secure two European Champions in two years is extraordinary and very exciting for Cambridge and Australasian breeders,” Plumptre said. 

 

“Roaring Lion is hugely sort after in the UK 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 the reigning champion sire in the USA and has been Champion turf sire for the past six years. 

 

“By El Prado, he has a similar profile to the Champion Medaglia D’Oro, also by El Prado, who sired Vancouver, Astern and the recent New Zealand Derby (Gr.1, 2400m) winner Crown Prosecutor.”

 

Sheikh Fahad Al-Thani, Chairman of Qatar Racing, has been buoyed by Roaring Lion’s support from European breeders and is hoping he will be well-received by their Southern Hemisphere counterparts.

 

“My brothers and I have enjoyed our greatest days on the racecourse courtesy of Roaring Lion,” he 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. We 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.”

 

Cambridge Stud principals Brendan and Jo Lindsay are delighted with their farm’s new offering for the coming season and said they had to secure the son of Kitten’s Joy after watching him win the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

 

“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,” Brendan Lindsay said.

 

Kitten’s Joy has sired 90 stakes winners including 12 Group One winners, all of which have triumphed at the elite level on turf.

 

Roaring Lion is out of the Grade One-placed Street Sense mare Vionnet, a half-sister to stakes winners Moulin De Mougin, Schiaparelli, Alexis Tangier and Bronson. Importantly for Australasian breeders, Roaring Lion is free of Danehill blood.

 

Roaring Lion joins Tavistock, Almanzor, Burgundy, Highly Recommended and Embellish on the Cambridge Stud stallion roster for 2019.