Running Lion (GB) | Horse Racing Free Tips

Savethelastdance Heads 11 For The Oaks

Eleven fillies will line up for Friday's G1 Betfred Oaks as Aidan O'Brien trimmed his numbers to three for the Epsom Classic including the certain favourite Savethelastdance (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Other than the trio taken out by the Ballydoyle handler which include the Listed Haras De Bouquetot Fillies' Trial S. scorer Warm Heart (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the other notable withdrawal was Dance In The Grass (GB) (Cracksman {GB}) from the Charlie Johnston stable. Heading the opposition to the Listed Cheshire Oaks winner Savethelastdance, who as expected will have the assistance of Ryan Moore from stall four, is Lady Bamford's G3 Musidora S. winner Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) who has drawn the “lucky” stall 10 under Frankie Dettori on his last Oaks ride. Fellow John and Thady Gosden-trained Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion) is in the largely-unfavourable stall two. In the card's G1 Dahlbury Coronation Cup, a high-class quintet include Juddmonte's G1 Irish Derby hero Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and the fellow group 1 winners Emily Upjohn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

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Gosdens’ Betfred Derby/Oaks Hopefuls Gallop at Epsom Downs

Epsom Downs saw G1 Betfred Derby and Oaks hopefuls going through their paces Monday with Frankie Dettori partnering Juddmonte's Arrest (Ire), a homebred son of Frankel (GB), over just short of a mile at The Derby Festival Gallops Morning. Now in his final year in the saddle, Dettori likes his chances in the 244th running of the premier Classic over a mile and a half to be run on Saturday, June 3.

“I have been fortunate enough to win The Derby twice and it is still the most famous race in the world for us. When I started my career as a jockey, first of all you want to get a ride in it and then try to win it. I've had over 20 rides in it and this is my last go. At least I am going into my last Derby with a great chance,” said Dettori after the gallop. “This year is a lot of lasts. I went to Rome yesterday and it was my last Derby there. I saw the vice Prime Minister and he gave me a plaque congratulating me on my career. Now it's my last Derby here and I have a live chance, which is good.”

Co-trainer John Gosden was equally pleased, adding: “This horse can change gears, absolutely. He's a big boy and he proved he stayed the other day [in the May 10 G3 Chester Vase] when he handled the conditions. He doesn't need it to be like that.

“Stamina is a requirement in this race, the same for the GI Kentucky Derby going a mile and a quarter for the Americans, they see it as a marathon. He's got the stamina, no problem.”

Arrest visited the winner's enclosure twice in 2022 and was having his first run of the season in the Chester Vase.

Running Lion and Oisin Murphy in the irons on the gallop at Epson Downs | John Hoy/The Jockey Club

Not long behind her stablemate, Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion) worked just under a mile with three-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy in the irons, who is looking to continue his noteworthy return to the races after serving a 14-month ban for alcohol and Covid breaches. The grey won the Listed Howden Pretty Polly S. at Newmarket on her last start and appeared to handle the track well Monday before pulling clear of her lead horse.

“We were obviously delighted with Running Lion at Newmarket. She came out of the race well and today she went down very relaxed,” said Murphy afterwards. “Once I got her organised, although she didn't take too much organising, I let her go forward in the straight but I resisted the temptation to ask her for an effort because I thought the Pretty Polly with a little bit of dig in the ground wasn't long ago.”

Her rider does admit, however, that he has concerns regarding the stamina requirements for a contest of this calibre, ones echoed by the senior Gosden:

“Stamina-wise you never really know until you go a mile and a half. Everyone thinks it is a downhill track but it rises 150ft before you think about coming down hill and of course that last section where it climbs again at the finish can catch a lot of them out on stamina. Both the fillies have a lot of speed. It's hard to say until you know with the trip, they're both bred to be mile-and-a-quarter fillies and the last part is always the key, we don't know. You can't practice a race over a mile and a half at home, I don't think.”

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Running Lion Powers To Impressive Pretty Polly Triumph

Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion–Bella Nouf {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) improved off a debut fourth at Newmarket's July venue with wide-margin wins in one-mile heats at Lingfield and Chelmsford last term and opened this campaign with a decisive score on sophomore return at Kempton last month. Back on the turf for the first time since that first-up effort, she rewarded the race sponsor David Howden with a first win of the Guineas meet and provided the Gosden stable with a seventh triumph in this usually informative G1 Oaks pointer.

The 10-3 chance settled into a comfortable rhythm and raced in a midfield fifth through halfway. Powering forward to loom large on the bridle passing the quarter-mile marker, she was soon in splendid isolation and surged clear of toiling rivals on the final ascent to easily outclass the hitherto undefeated Sumo Sam (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) by 4 1/2 lengths.

“We brought her down here for a piece of work and Oisin [Murphy] said we should go for the Pretty Polly rather than the 1000 Guineas as she'll need the mile-and-a-quarter, so we've made the right decision,” said John Gosden. “It will be very interesting with this filly whether she's more a Prix de Diane or an Oaks filly. We've got more trials to come, there's the Musidora at York and the Newbury trial, so we'll see how it shapes up. The jockey's first reaction was to possibly stay at a mile-and-a-quarter and I'm always interested as to what they say when they come back straight away, not when they've had time to think. We'll give it a lot of thought and the idea would be to go to one of the Oaks, which one it is I don't know.”

Running Lion becomes the second black-type scorer for Bella Nouf (GB) (Dansili {GB}), whose first is G3 Sweet Solera S. victrix Majestic Glory (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Bella Nouf is a dual-winning half-sister to three black-type performers headed by Listed Lyric S. victrix Nouriya (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), herself the dam of G2 Duke of Cambride S. heroine Aljazzi (GB) (Shamardal) and Listed John Musker Fillies' S. winner Majestic Noor (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Running Lion's third dam Shy Danceuse (Groom Dancer) is responsible for Listed Prix Occitanie winner Sweet Story (Ire) (Green Tune) and Listed Oppenheim-Rennen first Shy Lady (Fr) (Kaldoun {Fr}), the latter being the dam of five stakes scorers headed by G1 St. James's Palace S. hero and G1 2000 Guineas runner-up Zafeen (Fr) (Zafonic). Hailing from the family of GI Breeders' Cup Mile-winning sire Opening Verse (The Minstrel), the February-foaled grey is kin to the unraced 2-year-old colt Star Runner (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) and a yearling colt by Kameko.

Sunday, Newmarket, Britain
HOWDEN PRETTY POLLY S.-Listed, £50,000, Newmarket, 5-7, 3yo, f, 10fT, 2:05.86, sf.
1–RUNNING LION (GB), 128, f, 3, by Roaring Lion
1st Dam: Bella Nouf (GB), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Majestic Sakeena (Ire), by King's Best
3rd Dam: Shy Danceuse, by Groom Dancer
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-David Howden; B-The Bella Nouf Partnership (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Oisin Murphy. £28,355. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0, $61,547. *1/2 to Majestic Glory (GB) (Frankel {GB}), GSW-Eng.
2–Sumo Sam (GB), 128, f, 3, Nathaniel (Ire)–Seaduced (GB), by Lope De Vega (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Ben & Sir Martyn Arbib; B-Arbib Bloodstock Partnership (GB); T-Paul & Oliver Cole. £10,750.
3–Trust The Stars (Ire), 128, f, 3, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Son Macia (Ger), by Soldier Hollow (GB). (€140,000 Ylg '21 ARQDOY). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Valmont; B-S.Elektrowelt24 & Sunderland Holding Inc (IRE); T-Ralph Beckett. £5,380.
Margins: 4HF, 3 3/4, 2 3/4. Odds: 3.33, 7.50, 3.33.
Also Ran: Crackovia (GB), Queen Of Fairies (GB), Fantizzy (GB), Tarjamah (GB), Floating Spirit (GB), Joyful Act (GB). Scratched: Cloudbreaker (GB).

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