Roaring Lion goes on prowl in Doncaster Gr. 1

The unbeaten Roaring Lion will bid to give Qatar Racing a second Gr. 1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster on Saturday.

Roaring Lion has looked a top-class colt in the making in winning his three starts so far, including the Gr. 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket last month in which he beat the easy Gr. 3 winner Nelson by a neck, with Listed winner Mildenberger almost two lengths behind in third. Roaring Lion again travelled smoothly that day and, after initially running green when asked to put his seal on the race, he showed fantastic battling qualities.

On Saturday, the grey son of Kitten's Joy will attempt to give both his trainer John Gosden and jockey Oisin Murphy their first wins in the Racing Post Trophy.

David Redvers, racing and breeding advisor for Qatar Racing, said of Roaring Lion: "He seems to have improved throughout the season. We have the option of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, but Mr Gosden felt very strongly that if the ground at Doncaster was reasonable then he would like to go there.

"He feels Roaring Lion is a next-year horse and we're very excited by his prospects. It looks a very competitive race, but we'll go with high hopes.

"We won the race with Elm Park three years ago and had a great day up there. Roaring Lion is very different to Elm Park, but goes to Doncaster with a stronger chance, if anything. I'm very optimistic."

The forecast for Doncaster is dry, with temperatures set to reach 14° on Friday. The ground is currently 'Good to Soft, Good in Places and Good to Soft on the Round Course'.

Aidan O'Brien has 12 of the 22 entries for the Racing Post Trophy as he tries make history - he equalled Bobby Frankel's record of 25 Gr.1 wins in a year when Hydrangea took the QIPCO British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes at Ascot last Saturday. Saxon Warrior and The Pentagon appear to be his leading hopes, while Jim Bolger could run his Gr. 1 winner Verbal Dexterity.