Royal Ascot winner Running Lion retired to Tweenhills

There was a passing of the baton on Thursday as, not long after it was decided to retire Royal Ascot Gr.2 winner Running Lion to the paddocks at Tweenhills, her 2yo half-brother Runman made a sparkling winning debut at Salisbury. 

Running Lion and Runman were both born, raised and grazed at Tweenhills and were bred by David Howden in partnership with Tweenhills' David Redvers - in fact, their dam Bella Nouf was the first mare bought by the partnership. David Howden owns both runners and they carry his two-tone green colours. 

Running Lion won Stakes races at ages 3, 4 and 5 for John and Thady Gosden and will now join the high-class Howden broodmare band back at Tweenhills. 

During 20 races, of which she won 6 and was placed another 5 times, Running Lion became a fan favourite, just as her sire Roaring Lion had been several years earlier. 

A 2yo winner, she returned with a stunning performance to win the Listed Pretty Polly Stakes and was one of the favourites for the 2023 Oaks before a stalls incident saw her withdrawn. 

Her next success came on the biggest stage, making all under a masterful Oisin Murphy ride in the Gr.2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot. What a day she provided for David Howden and his family, as well as all the staff at Tweenhills. 

A gallant runner-up in the Gr.1 Prix de l’Opera later last year, she ended her career in perfect fashion with a willing victory in the Listed John Musker Fillies’ Stakes at Yarmouth this September. She retires sound and we cannot wait to be part of her second career at Tweenhills.

David Redvers added: "Running Lion gave us an extraordinary day when winning at Royal Ascot. In David Howden’s words, bar his wedding and the birth of his daughters, the best day of his life. She came so close to realising David’s ambition of breeding and racing a Gr.1 winner when second in the l’Opera and she will make a broodmare of the highest quality. We look forward to breeding her with the best stallions in the world.”

As one door closes, another opens and Runman looked a colt to get excited by when making a winning debut for the Howden, the Gosdens and Murphy. He managed to achieved what neither Running Lion or Runman’s full sister, 2yo Gr.3 winner Majestic Glory, did by scoring on debut and it’ll be fascinating to see where he runs next.