Lion leads British two-year-olds of 2017

Qatar Racing's Roaring Lion, trained by John Gosden, is the highest-rated British horse in the European 2yo Classifications.

Roaring Lion has been rated 118 in the European 2yo Classifications for 2017, which makes him the leading British-trained juvenile, ahead of Expert Eye who earned a figure of 117 for his runaway success in a strong renewal of the Gr. 2 Qatar Vintage Stakes at Goodwood.

Roaring Lion improved with every start last season, winning his first three - including the Gr. 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket - before just being touched off by the unbeaten Saxon Warrior in the Gr. 1 Racing Post Trophy. The 119-rate Saxon Warrior finished second behind his stablemate U S Navy Flag in the Classifications.

Britain provided the strongest draft of two-year-olds 2yos numerically among the Classifications with 20 of the 45 rated 110 or above.

John Gosden described Roaring Lion as "very happy and full of himself" recently and the grey colt remains among the favourites for the 2,000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket (where he won the Royal Lodge) on Saturday 5 May, a race his trainer went closest to winning with Kingman in 2014.

Roaring Lion is also generally 14/1 for the Derby, and, with more improvement to come, hopes are high that he can give Oisin Murphy a first Classic success.