First Roaring Lion foal born

The first foal from the only crop left by Qatar Racing's 2018 Cartier Horse of The Year, Roaring Lion, is a colt and has been born at Jeffrey and Phoebe Hobby's Brightwalton Stud in Newbury.

The colt was born on the evening of Saturday 11 January and is the second foal out of six-year-old Azamour mare Counterweight.

Brightwalton's stud manager Sean Keane said: ‚"He is a well-made, attractive colt with plenty of athleticism. He is full of energy and is a joy to be around. The Hobbys are delighted with him.‚"

Counterweight is a full sister to Gr.2 winner Eleanora Duse and was bought from the 2017 Ballymacoll Stud dispersal sale at Tattersalls by Brightwalton. Counterweight's 2019 filly foal by Sea The Stars changed hands for 310,000gns in November.

The end of last week saw the first foal born from the first Northern Hemisphere crop by Australian sire sensation Zoustar. Born at Peter Winkworth's Merton Place Stud in Surrey, the filly is the first live foal out of six-year-old dual-winning Excelebration mare Coral Sea.

Peter said: ‚"I'm a big fan of Zoustar and his first foal born in the UK is a cracker well conformed, close coupled and perky. David Redvers actually bought her grandam Tropical Paradise for us as a yearling so it's great it's come full circle.‚"

There are 125 more mares carrying foals by Zoustar following his first Northern Hemisphere breeding season at Tweenhills in 2019 and he will again be extremely popular this year.

Zoustar stands for £30,000 (Oct 1st SLF) and had yearlings sell at Magic Millions last week for A$900,000, A$600,000, A$580,000, A$500,000 (x2), A$450,000, A$400,000 etc.