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Roaring Lion ready for Derby day showdown with Saxon Warrior
John Gosden will aim for third time lucky as his rising star Roaring Lion looks to reverse two defeats against triple crown chasing Saxon Warrior in next month’s Investec Derby, writes James Toney.
Aidan O’Brien’s 2000 Guineas winner also lowered the colours of Gosden’s hope in the Racing Post Trophy last year, before he showed his undoubted group one class with an impressive success in the Dante Stakes at York.
Gosden hinted the Prix du Jockey Club, otherwise known as the French Derby, would be his preferred next target but owner Sheikh Fahad is clearly desperate to win the race for the first time, with Arod’s fourth place in 2014 his best return from four runners in the storied £1.5 million contest.
“The owner is very keen to go to the Derby and I think that is the right choice,” said Gosden, a two-time winner, with Benny the Dip in 1997 and Golden Horn three years ago.
“He is in splendid form and everything has crystallised now. I wanted to wait and see where we were before making any grandiose plans.
“It would be extremely exciting to get involved with Saxon Warrior, who is rightly the favourite. Roaring Lion has got the speed you need as a thoroughbred, you don’t win a Derby by outstaying everyone at one pace. You need a turn of foot and that high cruising speed and he’s got both.
“Will be stay a mile and a half? Who knows but Epsom is a course that sorts out the non-stayers.”
Leading contenders for the world’s greatest flat race gathered at Epsom for the annual Breakfast with the Stars preview morning, with Charlie Appleby singing the praises of his Godolphin colt Masar.
The Craven winner looked to become the first runner to double up at the Guineas since 1898 but came home a fast-finishing third, less than two lengths behind Saxon Warrior and surprise second placed outsider Tip Two Win.
Market
And that put him ahead of classy Frankel sire Elarqam, who will be targeted at the French Derby, and Gosden’s Roaring Lion, who sits well above him in the Derby betting market.
“I have always been a strong believer that the Guineas is the best trial for the Derby and I certainly think that is the case this year,” said Appleby.
However, O’Brien – who may have six runners in a race he is attempting to win for the fifth time in seven years, and seventh time in total – doesn’t appear too concerned about his rivals’ big talk.
Which is hardly surprising when your hand includes a horse some believe could be the first to sweep the English classics since Nijinsky in 1970.
“We are happy with Saxon Warrior. We always thought he was a very high-quality colt and he’s done everything right so far,” he said “We haven’t had anything like him before, he’s that exciting.”
Lingfield Derby Trial runner-up Kew Gardens, Derrinstown Derby Trial second and third Delano Roosevelt and The Pentagon could also line up for the Ballydoyle trainer, who last year landed the race with 40-1 outsider Wings Of Eagles.
