Roaring Lion cubs look 'destined for greatness' as Tweenhills' pride takes shape

While much of the world grapples with the uncertainty brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, hope has continued to spring eternal on studs across the land with the emergence of this year's crop of foals.

Nowhere has this source of optimism been more keenly felt than at Tweenhills in Gloucestershire, where the solitary crop of 'cubs' by Qatar Racing's star-crossed champion Roaring Lion were conceived.

The son of Kitten's Joy, the highest-rated three-year-old in the world in 2018 after victories in the Coral-Eclipse, Juddmonte International, Irish Champion Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, covered a glittering book of 133 mares at Tweenhills at a fee of £40,000 last year.

Group/Grade 1 winners such as Bateel, Giofra, Golden Lilac, Lightening Pearl, Molly Malone, Seal Of Approval, Shonan Adela and Simple Verse were on his dance card, as were the dams of celebrities Dolniya, Kitten's Dumplings, Marmelo and Poet's Word.

However, fate took a cruel twist last August when, with the world at his feet, Roaring Lion succumbed to colic shortly after arriving at Cambridge Stud in New Zealand for shuttling duty.

Roaring Lion at Tweenhills Stud in late 2018Credit: Edward Whitaker

While the tragedy remains raw for those who were closest to the horse, a tonic is being supplied by the arrival of the gallant grey's sons and daughters.

"Between Qatar Racing and Tweenhills' partners we've got around 35 Roaring Lion foals on the farm, and it goes without saying I wish that were 135," says David Redvers, owner of Tweenhills and racing manager to Qatar Racing.

The first thing bloodstock aficionados look for in the foals of a new stallion is a likeness with their sire, and though Redvers concedes not all have been stamped in his image, traces of the attitude and athleticism that helped propel Roaring Lion to those four Group 1 victories are present and correct in his young stock.

"You can't say they're all just like dad but they've got wonderful broad heads and plenty of his attitude, and as a rule they've all got fantastic movement," Redvers says. "Time changes horses as they grow and develop, but there's a few we've got here that I think are destined for greatness based on what we're seeing of them as foals."

He continues: "Roaring Lion was very intelligent, inquisitive and playful, and there's plenty of that in his foals. They come straight up to you in the paddock and want to know what you're about and really encourage you to acknowledge them. Because they're by Roaring Lion we're looking for him in his foals, but it's proving easy to find in so many of them."

David Redvers: 'Roaring Lion was very intelligent, inquisitive and playful, and there's plenty of that in his foals'Credit: Laura Green

The Tweenhills website features a gallery of pictures of the Roaring Lion foals born on the farm, and there is justifiably no shortage of superlatives as Redvers runs through some of the new arrivals listed, including the filly out of two-time Group 1 winner Simple Verse.

He says: "The filly out of Simple Verse is truly outstanding, as are the colts out of Honorina and Assembly - the latter is the best-moving foal on the farm, or probably any farm. The filly out of La Patria looks like a rocket, and the filly out of Common Knowledge looks very, very fast too.

"The fillies out of Let It Be Me, a half-sister to South Seas, Likely and Kiyoshi, who won the Albany for us, are all absolutely to die for. The filly out of Kiyoshi is like a female version of Roaring Lion, she looks very much like he did at the same stage."

The Roaring Lion filly out of dual Group 1 winner Simple Verse (pictured at four weeks old)Credit: Tweenhills

Followers of the Twitter account @ThoroughbredTales will also have recently seen Redvers introducing "the King of Tweenhills", an alias of the charismatic colt out of Mountain Bell.

"He's such a ridiculous character, he really is like his father coming back to haunt me!" quips Redvers, before adding: "They're all pretty magic really, they're everything we hoped for.

"Where you have a big middle-distance mare like Simple Verse he's put real strength into those foals, and he also covered some sprinting type mares and he's put a good bit of scope into their foals."

Roaring Lion filly out of KiyoshiCredit: Tweenhills

Just how much Roaring Lion meant to Sheikh Fahad was evident as he celebrated enthusiastically alongside the Queen in Ascot's Royal box when the colt won the QEII, but with the Qatar Racing chairman only recently having returned to Britain from California he is yet to lay eyes on his prized new arrivals.

"Sheikh Fahad hasn't been able to see the foals yet but one of the things I'm looking forward to more than anything else is showing him and Melissa [Al Fahad, wife] all of the foals," says Redvers.

"There's so much to look forward to with these foals - and those by the other stallions. We've got some unbelievable Zoustars and some really nice Lightning Spears too. At the moment it's all in front of us.

"The problem with having first-crop sires is that you almost find yourself wishing your life away because it's such an exciting thing having them; but there's definitely some pretty special bits of kit there."

The Roaring Lion colt out of Really Lovely stalks the Tweenhills paddocksCredit: Sarah Farnsworth

Business as usual

While many industries have had to adjust to working from home - or ceased activity altogether - studs such as Tweenhills have continued to operate almost on a business as usual basis.

"There's been practically zero changes, apart from making sure we're taking health and safety and social distancing very carefully," reports Redvers. "The protocols we've put in place have allowed mares to keep coming and being covered, and on a day-to-day basis stud life doesn't stop for anything; you've got no choice but to carry on."

However, Redvers notes the current economic climate has brought about a small reduction in breeding activity, a situation that has doubtless been compounded by uncertainty over the resumption of racing in Britain and Ireland and a continuing paucity of prize-money.

"I think there's going to be a bit of nervousness about the sales going forward and what effect that will have on nomination fees," he says. "I don't think people have been in any great rush to cover mares that are late that they might've done in the past, because any negative is perceived as being one negative too many in what could be a buyers' market going forward.

"The numbers are definitely down, but only slightly rather than dramatically. If stallions were popular they were likely to have been full long before the pandemic came along, but if you were trying to pick up mares as the season goes along, there hasn't been so much of that going along.

"There's so much at stake when running a business like this and you've got to have your eye on the big picture, which is one of the reasons I've been so vociferous about the resumption of racing. I know full well that without racing, these thoroughbreds are like strawberries; they spoil. That's why we need to get going and give everybody a bit of hope."