Roaring Lion to shuttle to NZ in 2019
2018 Cartier Horse of The Year, Roaring Lion, will stand the 2019 Southern Hemisphere breeding season at Cambridge Stud in New Zealand.
The Qatar Racing-owned four-time Gr.1 winner and world champion three-year-old Roaring Lion is currently covering a star-studded book of mares at Tweenhills, where he stands for £40,000 (Oct 1 SLF). He will shuttle to Cambridge Stud later in the year.
Sheikh Fahad Al-Thani, Chairman of Qatar Racing: "My brothers and I have enjoyed our greatest days on the racecourse courtesy of Roaring Lion. To own a horse like him is truly incredible and we believe he will prove a magnificent influence as a sire in both hemispheres. We are delighted by the support breeders have shown in Europe and, feel confident he will be as popular in the Southern Hemisphere and look forward to seeing Roaring Lion's first progeny both here and around the world.
Cambridge Stud appealed to us due to the combination of heritage and Brendan and Jo Lindsay's amazing commitment to the New Zealand thoroughbred industry. Their determination to secure our world champion was beyond admirable and we are committed to assist them realise his potential worldwide.”
David Redvers, Qatar Racing manager and owner of Tweenhills: "Roaring Lion is a horse of a lifetime. He is a remarkable horse; tough and durable beyond equal, but his turn of foot and will to win set him apart and we believe he will prove a genuine breed shaper. We look forward to working with Brendan, Jo, Henry Plumptre and the Cambridge Stud team and watching Roaring Lion and this incredible farm flourish together."
Henry Plumptre, CEO of Cambridge Stud: "To be able to secure two European Champions in two years is extraordinary and very exciting forCambridge and Australasian breeders. Roaring Lion is hugely sort after in the UK in his first season at stud. European breeders have recognised his brilliance and he is over subscribed. His sire, Kitten's Joy, is the reigning champion sire in the USA and has been Champion Turf Sire for the past six years. By El Prado, he has a similar profile to the Champion Medaglia d'Oro, also by El Prado, who sired Vancouver, Astern and the recent NZ Derby winner Crown Prosecutor."
The news that Roaring Lion will shuttle to New Zealand sees the start of a new relationship between Sheikh Fahad, Tweenhills and Cambridge Stud. Additionally, David Redvers has committed up to 20 mares on behalf of Sheikh Fahad to Roaring Lion in the Southern Hemisphere each year.
Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Owners of Cambridge Stud: “Jo and I would like to sincerely thank David Redvers and Sheikh Fahad for giving us the opportunity to bring a horse of his calibre to Cambridge Stud. We were there on Champion's Day [when Roaring Lion won the QEII Stakes] and his ability to drop back to a mile and still beat the best in Europe left us in no doubt that we had to secure him for New Zealand."
At Tweenhills, Roaring Lion’s studmates includes regular shuttler to New Zealand, Charm Spirit, and Australian sire sensation Zoustar, as well as Havana Gold, Hot Streak and Lightning Spear.