The Lion In Winter has a lucrative first Group One success in his sights in Saturday’s BoyleSports Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.
Aidan O’Brien’s one-time Classic hope is one of 13 entries left in Britain’s first top-flight prize of the year for older horses. He could be joined by his stable companions Expanded and Mississippi River, the latter supplemented into the race at Monday’s acceptance stage at a cost of £20,000 (€23,000).
Just half a length separated The Lion In Winter and Expanded when both returned to action in last month’s Heritage Stakes at Leopardstown. It was The Lion In Winter’s first success since an unbeaten juvenile career. Now he has a shot at a vital first Group One victory.
The in-form Ballydoyle team has already secured a pair of Classic victories this season with the fillies True Love and Diamond Necklace, successful in the English and French 1,000 Guineas respectively.
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However, if The Lion In Winter proves himself at the highest level, as a son of Sea The Stars he would be a commercially valuable stallion prospect for Coolmore Stud.
Having failed to fire in last year’s Derby, The Lion In Winter was repeatedly placed at shorter distances, finishing four times in the frame at Group One level, including behind Notable Speech in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
That Godolphin star is also among the Lockinge entries, as is his stable companion Opera Ballo. Ante-post favourite in some lists, though, is Damysus, who will try to give the Gosden team a third Lockinge victory in a row following Lead Artist and Audience.
O’Brien has won the Lockinge just twice before, with Rhododendron (2018) and a memorable success for Hawk Wing 23 years ago. In a stallion-making race, though, every attempt appears to be being made to help The Lion In Winter’s chance.
“The Lion In Winter goes to Newbury. We supplemented a horse this morning to make the running for him [Mississippi River], and Expanded is there as well,” the champion trainer said on Monday.
“We haven’t seen the best of The Lion In Winter yet. If we get the right set up for him, we might see it. We’ll go to the Lockinge and see what will happen. I think he’s come forward from Leopardstown. He needs to, but I think he has.”
Another prime Lockinge hope is Zeus Olympios, who ran third to Opera Ballo on his last start at Sandown.
“He will definitely come on fitness-wise for his run at Sandown. It’s an open-looking Lockinge and I’ve not lost any confidence in him for getting beat. Obviously, it was disappointing to lose his unbeaten tag, but it in the long term that is irrelevant,” said his trainer, Karl Burke.
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Last year’s Prix Du Moulin winner Sahlan will represent the in-form Francis Graffard, while last year’s Lockinge runner-up Dancing Gemini is also in the mix.
O’Brien was in dominant form in the Classic Trials at last week’s Chester festival and continued that to Lingfield on Saturday where Cameo booked her place in the Epsom Oaks.
Moments Of Joy is his representative in Wednesday’s Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York, while the final important Derby Trial takes place a day later with the Al Basti Dante Stakes. Christmas Day, winner of the Ballysax at Leopardstown last month, is currently favourite for that.
Tuesday evening’s Irish action is at Sligo and Killarney and Gordon Elliott can hit the mark at both venues.
Josh Halford in on Winning Smut, who is the best of the field over hurdles in a two-mile amateur flat handicap in Killarney. His stable companion Farren Glory also looks one to beat in the final conditions event at the Kerry track.
