Running Lion roars home from the front under Oisin Murphy to land maiden Group win in Duke of Cambridge

Running Lion was aimed at both the Epsom and Chantilly versions of the Oaks last season but here was successfully reinvented as a leading miler among the older fillies and mares under a confident front-running ride from Oisin Murphy.

Murphy was essentially given free rein to make his own tactics after Running Lion had been run down late in the Dahlia Stakes and then getting no split when restrained at Epsom.

With Running Lion drawn 11 of 14 runners, Murphy was able to push those disappointments out of his mind and was quick to take an unhurried lead when the opportunity presented itself aboard a filly he knew stays further.

"At Epsom she broke well and I didn’t want to lead because at Newmarket she’d done too much and we had a hard-luck story. Today I had to have some confidence and do my own thing. David Howden, David Redvers and John and Thady Gosden allowed me to have an open book and when she broke well and pricked her ears, I was happy to lead.

"When she saved energy like that she was always going to be hard to pass. I got some breathers into her all the way around the turn but today I had the horse to do that whereas on her first start this year I couldn’t slow her down. The freshness is out of her and she took the prelims well."

Owner David Howden hugs Oisin Murphy after Running Lion's Duke of Cambridge winCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Running Lion is a daughter of the ill-fated Roaring Lion, arguably the best horse Murphy has ridden in his career, and victory clearly meant the world to her co-owner and breeder Howden, whose eponymous insurance firm has its logo discreetly displayed around the racecourse. His overjoyed reactions will have been relayed around the world and Murphy for one is all for such unbridled joy.

"It’s great because David Howden bred her and he’s an official sponsor here along with Qipco," said Murphy. "He’s vital to British racing and it means an awful lot because there were no complaints when things went wrong at Newmarket and Epsom, and I appreciate the confidence shown in me.

"We don’t have that many owners who are that enthusiastic and vocal and outwardly happy after such a result. It’s good to be around that sort of personality. Sheikh Fahad is very happy when they win as well but David Howden certainly enjoys it."

Howden himself was keen to share his passion for both Running Lion and Ascot. He said: "I knew Running Lion had it in her and what a way to do it, fantastic. She gets her head down, she changes her legs and she digs in. Her sire Roaring Lion ran the same way, with his head down, and it's wonderful to see.

 "I bred her, she's by Roaring Lion who tragically died, so it just couldn't be more special. For Oisin to do it on Roaring Lion's filly is as good as it gets.”

Owner David Howden with Running LionCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

John and Thady Gosden were responsible for the one-two as Laurel chased Running Lion home, Ryan Moore extracting maximum effort from his partner despite never picking his whip up.

John Gosden reflected on the the way the racing fates had conspired to prevent Running Lion from adding to last season's Listed Pretty Polly success at Newmarket.

"This filly has been unlucky because she moved too soon at Newmarket in the Dahlia and then we got boxed in at Epsom so we decided third time, Oisin, do what you want. He’s drawn 11, go to the front and control it. It was a perfect plan because we got in a muddle the last twice. She got heatstroke in the Diane and kicked the gates out at Epsom in the Oaks."

Gosden added: "The second filly has run a brilliant race, she’s been off for 13-14 months so she’s run an absolute blinder from the inside and Ryan was very happy with her."

 It proved to be another race to forget for another French-trained runner as Sea The Lady, trained by Christopher Head, stood in the stalls when the gates opened and took plenty of cajoling from jockey Aurelien Lemaitre to leave, by which stage her chance had vanished.

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