Roaring Lion wins Queen Elizabeth II; Breeders' Cup next?

Roaring Lion made a successful cutback in distance Saturday, getting up just in time to win Saturday's Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot ahead of a potential Breeders' Cup 2018 start.

Trainer John Gosden Roaring Lion, a 3-year-old colt by Kitten's Joy, under consideration for both the Breeders' Cup Classic and the Breeders' Cup Turf. Stablemate and two-time Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Enable has been confirmed for the Turf.

Qatar Racing's Roaring Lion was originally expected to enter the Champion Stakes, run at the 1 1/4-miles distance, one race later on the British Champions Day card. He was rerouted to the one-mile QE II with the threat of soft turf, which ended up being the condition at Ascot.

"He hated the ground. I was never on the bridle and he was all out in the finish," jockey Oisin Murphy told Racing UK. "I was running on empty the whole of the last furlongs because I had to use him between the 3 and the 2 just to get into the race and he was very tough in the finish."

Gosden also ran Cracksman in the Champion Stakes and repeated his victory from last year.

In the QE II, Roaring Lion was on the rail mid-pack down the backside of Ascot's course before Murphy switched him to the outside and ground out the victory. Century Dream was stubborn on the lead but the was wore down by the late runners. 

Roaring Lion got his neck in front to complete the mile in 1:42.48 over I Can Fly, Century Dream and Stormy Antarctic.

The filly Laurens was making her first start against males after two Group 1 wins over Alpha Centauri and Happily. She was near the front but quickly faded to eighth in the final stretch. Happily was a non-runner after acting up in the starting gate and backing out seconds before the break.

Roaring Lion's last five races have been between 1 1/4 miles and 1 1/2 miles. A cutback to a mile could also save some run for the Breeders' Cup. The Classic is 1 1/4 miles and the Turf is 1 1/2 miles. Both are carded for Saturday, Nov. 3, at Churchill Downs.

The QE II extended Roaring Lion's win streak to four. Prior to the QE II he won the Coral-Eclipse, Juddmonte International and Irish Champion Stakes, all Group 1.

The Racing Post also reported on Twitter Roaring Lion will be retired after a run in the Breeders' Cup or Hong Kong.