QIPCO IRISH CHAMPION

STAKES (GROUP 1)

THEIR near year-long rivalry has produced some terrific clashes and old rivals Roaring Lion and Saxon Warrior served up their most enthralling duel of all and one worthy of the Qipco Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown last Saturday.

It eventually saw John Gosden’s charge best his longstanding foe for the fourth time in succession.

At York last month an utterly dominant Roaring Lion ran riot in the Juddmonte International but back on home turf Saxon Warrior was restored to the peak form for their sixth meeting and there was only a neck between them this time.

Sadly though it emerged on Sunday that this was to be the last meeting between the pair as Saxon Warrior sustained a career-ending tendon injury.

On a day when he rode a double to get off the mark on Irish soil, Oisin Murphy secured one of the most coveted middle-distance prizes in Europe but to do so he had to rely on a colt who showed courage and determination to match his prodigious abilities.

A third winner of this race for Gosden since 2013, Roaring Lion was an odds-on favourite (8/11) to complete a Group 1 hat-trick and in doing so he is now the undisputed star three-year-old colt of Europe for 2018.

However, he could just as easily have met with defeat in a decidedly tactical renewal of this race and, in somehow pulling victory out of the fire, he showed the qualities of a true champion.

The seven-runner field set off at quite a brisk tempo but the pace steadied markedly soon after as the 40/1 outsider Deauville cut out the running with Saxon Warrior ideally placed in second.

For his part, the Qatar Racing-owned Roaring Lion had to look on from sixth and one was left with the impression that he would have work to do when the sprint for home began in earnest.

Shortly after turning in, Saxon Warrior moved on from Deauville and Roaring Lion had several lengths to find at this point but he produced an explosive turn of foot down the middle of the track to move into a closing second as the furlong pole loomed.

The race was far from over though as an unrelenting Saxon Warrior gave his all to cling on to an ever-decreasing lead. Roaring Lion kept finding that little bit more though and that was enough to propel him to the front late on. He got home by a neck, with Deauville two and three-quarter lengths back in third.

“The race changed complexion about three times. Saxon Warrior got a great ride from Ryan and he got first run. It was very tactical and John and I thought it might turn out that way but there wasn’t anything we could do about that. I just wanted to get into a nice rhythm, get him balanced and when I got him into top gear he came home really well,” said the winning jockey.

“I don’t have much experience around Leopardstown and I’m learning on the job but I had the right horse. It means the world to me. It’s one of my best days for sure and one I’ll not forget for a long time. It’s surreal,” added Murphy.

Meanwhile, joint winning owner and race sponsor Sheikh Fahad Al Thani commented: “It’s very special to win our own race, and the race didn’t disappoint in terms of quality. They are two great three-year-olds who have been taking each other on since last year.

“He’s trained by a master trainer in John Gosden and has been brought along slowly – all the team have done a great job on him.

“He’ll probably go for the Champion Stakes at Ascot next. We have made no decision yet about staying in training next year, and it is something I will have to talk over with my brothers.”