Queen Elizabeth II Stakes |
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| Group 1, Ascot 15:15 £1,100,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m, Class 1  |
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| Saturday 20th October 2018 | |
1 Roaring Lion 2/1F
2 I Can Fly 33/1
3 Century Dream 25/1
13 ran NR: Aljazzi, Happily (withdrawn - unruly in stalls)
Distances: nk, ½l, ¾l Time: 1m 42.48s (slow by 3.88s)
The Lion Roars for Sheikh Fahad Al Thani
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Roaring Lion enjoyed his fourth successive top level win since his third in the Investec Derby when coming from an impossible looking position to collar I Can Fly, but conditions were far from ideal and it was a close run thing as Oisin Murphy came late on the outside to triumph by a neck.
John Gosden, saddling his second winner of the afternoon and repeating last year's success (with Persuasive), said: "My reaction is that the owners (Qatar Racing) were very game and brave to run because they had everything to lose and nothing to gain.
"Roaring Lion had won all those G1 races at a mile and a quarter on fast ground, and we brought him here today on soft over a mile.
"He has proven his class and his guts to get there, but I think he was hating every second of running on that ground. You could that see from his action and the way he was carrying himself - I would not work him on that ground. He has got the job done and full marks to the horse, the jockey and the owners for being brave enough to run here.
"He probably goes to stud now and what a class horse he is. He has got better and stronger through the year, and has now won a top mile race on ground he probably loathed."
Murphy, who has enjoyed an extraordinary year, added: "He hated the ground and I was never on the bridle. He was all heart in the finish as I was running on empty through the last furlong, having had to use him between the three and the two just to get him into the race. He was very tough in the finish.
"There was a lot of pressure on today. I was on the best horse in the race on paper and it's just relief and total joy."
Sheikh Fahad Al Thani, one of the owners, indicated later that Roaring Lion may go to the Breeders' Cup in America next month or the Hong Kong International Races at Sha Tin in December.
Her Majesty The Queen presented the trophy.
Donnacha O'Brien said: "She's run a cracker. Everything went smooth and I'm delighted with her - there's no excuses.
"You're never sure whether you are going to get to the front in these big races, but she has showed big improvement today and she has run really well."
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes
Sponsored By Qipco (British Champions Mile) (Group 1) (Str)
£1,100,000 added, 3yo plus, 1m, Class 1
13 ran
Going: Soft
| Pos | Dr | D | Horse SP | Jockey Weight | Trainer | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | (15) | Roaring Lion (USA) 2/1f | Oisin Murphy 9-1 |
J H M Gosden | 3 | |
| 2nd | (5) | nk | I Can Fly 33/1 | D O'Brien 8-12 |
A P O'Brien | 3 |
| 3rd | (4) | ½ | Century Dream (IRE) 25/1 | W Buick 9-4 |
S Crisford | 4 |
| 4th | (11) | ¾ | Stormy Antarctic 40/1 | G Mosse 9-4 |
Ed Walker | 5 |
| 5th | (3) | hd | Recoletos (FR) 7/2 | O Peslier 9-4 |
C Laffon-Parias | 4 |
| 6th | (2) | 1 | Lord Glitters (FR) 8/1 | J P Spencer 9-4 |
D O'Meara | 5 |
| 7th | (13) | 4½ | Lightning Spear 20/1 | M Barzalona 9-4 |
D M Simcock | 7 |
| 8th | (6) | 4 | Laurens (FR) 7/1 | P J McDonald 8-12 |
K R Burke | 3 |
| 9th | (1) | 1 | Romanised (IRE) 40/1 | S Foley 9-1 |
K J Condon | 3 |
| 10th | (7) | 7 | Hey Gaman 50/1 | L Dettori 9-1 |
J Tate | 3 |
| 11th | (12) | ½ | Beat The Bank 16/1 | Jim Crowley 9-4 |
A M Balding | 4 |
| 12th | (9) | 2 | Addeybb (IRE) 15/2 | James Doyle 9-4 |
W J Haggas | 4 |
| 13th | (10) | nk | Gabrial (IRE) 100/1 | P Hanagan 9-4 |
R A Fahey | 9 |
| WN | (8) | Happily (IRE) | R L Moore 8-12 |
A P O'Brien | 3 | |
| NR | (14) | Aljazzi | A Kirby 9-1 |
M Botti | 5 |
