Roaring Lion set to miss Guineas as Gosden considers Dante bid

Roaring Lion, the leading British-trained contender for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas before his Craven Stakes defeat, is unlikely to run in the season's first Classic at Newmarket on May 5.

Trainer John Gosden gave an update on the likely campaign for the American-bred grey at Windsor on Monday, saying: “The way he is training he looks more like a mile-and-a-quarter horse, so he could go for the Dante and we could look at the Prix du Jockey Club [French Derby].”

Reflecting on the Craven, Gosden added: “He definitely needed the race and the style of the race wasn’t what he wanted. It was a steady pace and William Buick quickened it up three and a half furlongs out. That didn’t suit Roaring Lion – look at his run at Doncaster and in the Royal Lodge.”

Gosden confirmed last week’s impressive Windsor winner Sevenna Star will bid to give him a ninth winner in the bet365 Classic Trial at Sandown on Friday. The trainer won the Group 3 with Cunco last year and Sevenna Star is 9-2 second favourite behind the Martyn Meade-trained Chilean in the mile feature.

Stream Song, who won the fillies handicap off a mark of 83 at Windsor on Monday, is set to take in the Betfred Lingfield Oaks Trial.

After the grey filly, owned and bred by George Strawbridge, justified evens favouritism, Gosden nominated Lingfield as a likely next step for the half-sister of Group 1-winning Journey, who won the Champions Fillies and Mares at Ascot two years ago.

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