TDN RISING STARS

July 12, 2023 - KEMPTON PARK, Race 3, Alw, GBP £40,000, 11.0F, .0000

Lion's Pride (GB), C, 3, 2020 by Roaring Lion

1st Dam: Crimson Ribbon, by Lemon Drop Kid
2nd Dam: Victoria Cross (Ire), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
3rd Dam: Glowing With Pride (GB), by Ile de Bourbon

Owner: Mr A E Oppenheimer
Breeder: Hascombe & Valiant Stud Ltd (GB)
Trainer: John & Thady Gosden

Almost a year on from the portentous debut win of Courage Mon Ami (GB) (Frankel {GB}) at Kempton, that recently-crowned king of the staying division's more fleet-footed half-brother Lion's Pride (GB) (Roaring Lion-Crimson Ribbon, by Lemon Drop Kid) surged to TDN Rising Star status at the same venue on Wednesday evening. Having been a highly promising runner-up on debut over 10 furlongs at Newcastle in May, Anthony Oppenheimer's homebred was partnered by Robert Havlin who had also been aboard his illustrious G1 Gold Cup-winning half-sibling in that eye-catching win 10 months earlier.

Racing in the catbird seat off the slow early tempo, the 4-7 favourite showed sharp acceleration to pounce on inferior rivals two out and settle the result quickly before drawing away for a resounding three-length success from stablemate Middle Earth (GB) (Roaring Lion). Lion's Pride, who hails from the same Clarehaven stable as Courage Mon Ami, becomes just the second TDN Rising Star for his sire after the ultimately disappointing Lion Of War (GB).

"He's always been quite a big baby and he learned plenty at Newcastle," Havlin said. "He has a big action, so we avoided quick ground and I was impressed with the way he quickened from the two-and-a-half to the one-and-a-half today. Courage Mon Ami did everything wrong when he won here and was a work in progress and this guy is the same-he will learn and he was a different horse to the last day, so I'm sure he'll be a different horse again next time. He's got good attributes-he relaxes, has a good turn of foot and stays."