Gosden barn looms large in Ascot stakes
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The versatility of Roaring Lion has led trainer John Gosden to select the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot Racecourse in England on Saturday for the brilliant 3-year-old colt.
The $1,503,125 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is run at a mile, a quarter-mile shorter than Roaring Lion’s last three starts, all wins in Group 1 races against older horses: the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park in July, the Juddmonte International at York in August, and the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown in September.
Roaring Lion is part of what could be a spectacular day for Gosden on Ascot’s six-race British Champions Day program. Gosden also has the odds-on favorite in future-book betting for the Group 2 Long Distance Cup at about two miles with Stradivarius, who is unbeaten in four starts this year. Lah Ti Dar will be favored for Gosden and owner Andrew Lloyd Webber in the Group 1 Filly and Mare Stakes at about 1 1/2 miles.
Gosden does not have a runner in the Group 1 Sprint Stakes at six furlongs, which is led by The Tin Man. Gosden starts the heavily favored Cracksman in the day’s top race, the Group 1 Champion Stakes at 1 1/4 miles.
The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, which drew a strong field of 15, will be Roaring Lion’s first start at a mile since a fifth-place finish in the Group 1 English 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May. A month later, Roaring Lion was third in the Group 1 English Derby at 1 1/2 miles at Epsom.
In the Irish Champion Stakes, Roaring Lion closed from fifth in a field of seven to take the lead in the final strides and catch Saxon Warrior, who was retired days later.
Roaring Lion’s main rivals in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes are Laurens and Recoletos.
Laurens, a 3-year-old filly trained by Karl Burke, has won four Group 1 races against fillies and mares in England, France, and Ireland this year. This will be her first start against males.
Recoletos, a 4-year-old colt trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias, won the Group 1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp in Paris on Sept. 9. He was seventh in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at the Royal Ascot meeting in June.
Lah Ti Dar, a 3-year-old filly, has won 3 of 4 starts. She was second in the Group 1 St. Leger Stakes against males at Doncaster last month, beaten 2 1/4 lengths by Kew Gardens. Kitesurf, the winner of the Group 1 Prix Vermeille at Longchamp on Sept. 16, is well regarded in the $780,000 Filly and Mare Stakes, which drew a field of 11.
The Tin Man, a 6-year-old gelding, will be about 3-1 to win the $822,250 Sprint Stakes. He won the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock Park in England last month for his third win at the highest level in his 20th start.
Stradivarius will be one of the shortest prices of the day in the $689,000 Long Distance Cup. The popular 4-year-old colt won the Ascot Gold Cup at the Royal meeting in June.
