Horse Racing: Roaring Lion pips Saxon Warrior in Eclipse

There is nothing like a great rivalry to sustain any sport and Roaring Lion versus Saxon Warrior may develop into one of the themes of the long, hot summer after the pair, racing against each other for the first time over their optimum trip of a mile and a quarter, served up a thriller in Saturday’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

In the end Roaring Lion’s neck victory had to be confirmed by the stewards after he drifted right into Saxon Warrior in the last 50 yards, having finally managed to get his grey head in front of the 2,000 Guineas winner after a sustained run up the outside.

READ MORE: Limato ‘only 50-50’ to run in Darley July Cup, says Candy

READ MORE: Harry Angel back in work and on course for Darley July Cup

READ MORE: Richard Johnson issues Jumps title warning

The two colts have now met four times, Saxon Warrior winning two, Roaring Lion winning once and finishing in front of the Irish colt when they were third and fourth respectively in the Derby. The only disappointment on Saturday was that the Derby winner, Masar, was a late absentee.

John Gosden, who consolidated his lead over O’Brien in the trainers’ title, said: “It was fascinating tactically and it got us in a bit of trouble but Oisin (Murphy) rode a clever race. He was drawn out wide and stayed outside. Sometimes it can be more tricky in a smaller field and he was wider than he wanted and further back than he wanted but he timed his run perfectly. They do that (drift right) here because they see the bend coming.”

He added: “He was out on his head in the last 150 yards of the Derby – it was like a 1,500 metre runner going in a marathon. It’s very sad the Derby winner isn’t here but we still got one hell of a race. Full marks to Aidan for sending Saxon Warrior – he ran a phenomenal race.”

It was a first domestic Group One – a case of when not if - for Murphy, 22, which he described as a relief after six years as a jockey. “Day to day you leave some races behind and you win some but I never felt I left a Group One behind,” he said. “I knew I was on the best horse in the race and John was happy with how I wanted to ride him. He just told me not to get sucked in. Roaring Lion’s a very talented colt.”

After two dull runs in the Investec and Irish Derby, Saxon Warrior went a long way to restoring his reputation as a high-class colt here. O’Brien described his performance as ‘massive’ after finishing third in the Irish Derby last week.

“It was a big ask,” he said. “We’re really looking forward to the autumn with him. We wheeled him back very quickly after The Curragh so he’ll have a little break now and we’ll give him a little time before the International.”

That is where Roaring Lion, owned by Sheikh Fahad’s Qatar Racing, is expected to go next. Charlie Appleby, whose Hawkbill finished fourth, said it will be the middle of the week before the full extent of Masar’s leg injury will be known although an initial scan had been positive. If it is just a knock, as hoped, he could also be in the mix for York’s International.

John Dunlop, who won the Eclipse in 1973 with Scottish Rifle, has died aged 78. He retired in 2012 and had been ill for some time.

The father of current trainers Ed and Harry, he saddled over 3,500 winners from Arundel including the Derby twice, with Shirley Heights and Erhaab. His two best horses were probably the fillies Habibti, one of the highest rated British sprinters of all time who swept all before her in 1983, and the 1990 Oaks winner Salsabil.