Bittersweet debut success at Leicester for Johnstons' Lion At War

A poignant afternoon for Qatar Racing deepened at Leicester on Saturday with the victory of Lion At War in the 7f two-year-old maiden, the first winner by Sheikh Fahad's star-crossed quadruple Group 1 winner Roaring Lion.

Lion At War's success in the Qatar Racing silks for Charlie and Mark Johnston followed quickly on from the win of Deceit at Limerick for the Qatari operation, and she was the first winner for Sheikh Fahad's ill-fated German 2,000 Guineas winner Karpino.

The Leicester winner was making a successful debut and is the third runner bred by Andrew Whitlock out of the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial third Momentus, by Montjeu, which makes Lion At War inbred 4x3 to Sadler's Wells.

Momentus is a half-sister to the Listed Platinum Stakes winner Sir John Lavery and they are out of the Group 3 Denny Cordell Lavarack and Lanwades Stud Stakes winner Race For The Stars. She is a Fusaichi Pegasus half-sister to stunning Lockinge Stakes winner Hawk Wing, also successful in the Eclipse and National Stakes for Aidan O'Brien and Coolmore. Their dam La Lorgnette was a dual Grade 1 winner in Canada.

Lion At War was a bargain buy at Book 3 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale by David Redvers, who purchased the colt for just 7,000gns from Hillwood Stud.

Lion At War is one of 27 colts by Roaring Lion entered in the 2023 Cazoo Derby.

He is just the second runner, both in the colours of Qatar Racing, for Roaring Lion, who was victorious in the Eclipse, Juddmonte International, Irish Champion Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at three.

Also successful in the Royal Lodge and the Dante, Roaring Lion was second in the Racing Post Trophy to Saxon Warrior and third to Masar in the Derby.

A son of North American's perennial champion Turf sire Kitten's Joy and out of the Street Sense mare Vionnet, who was third in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes, Roaring Lion was bred by Ranjan Racing Limited.

He was bought by Redvers for $160,000 out of the Taylor Made Sales draft at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and trained by John Gosden for Sheikh Fahad.

After his stellar three-year-old season, Roaring Lion was retired to Redvers' Tweenhills Farm and Stud to begin his stallion career. He covered 123 mares at a fee of £40,000 before he travelled to New Zealand for the southern hemisphere season.

However he developed colic and despite the trojan efforts of the staff and veterinary team at Cambridge Stud and the Cambridge Equine Hospital, Roaring Lion was unable to be saved.

A hugely popular racehorse, he was due to cover a full book of mares in New Zealand before his untimely demise.

He has approximately 90 juveniles to race from his only crop, with 33 of them owned by Qatar Racing.

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