Caravel Faces the Boys Again in G3 Troy
Everso Mischievous, Beuys Compete in Saturday Allowances
NYRA Press Office
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.— Qatar Racing’s Charlie Johnston-trained Lion of War looms a contender in Saturday’s Grade 1, $600,000 Saratoga Derby Invitational and is on a one-way trip to campaign stateside. Part of an expanding American footprint for the claret and gold silks, the three-time winner from nine starts strikes an imposing figure that connections hope will translate into North American success.
“He’s a big horse with a great temperament and he will improve with age,” said Fergus Galvin, U.S. Racing Manager for Qatar Racing. “He shipped in very well, is now stabled with Brendan Walsh, and will stay with him after the race. Sheikh Fahad [bin Abdullah Al Thani, principal of Qatar Racing] knows there’s a nice middle-distance, 10-to-12-furlong turf program for him here, with races at places like Kentucky Downs and the Jockey Club Derby here in New York. For the most part, Sheikh Fahad is over here in the States and likes to see his horses run, so this colt is obviously part of [increasing the size of his U.S. stable].”
From the lone northern hemisphere crop of turf Champion Kitten’s Joy’s best son and Qatar Racing’s top-rated racehorse thus far, Roaring Lion, Lion of War has been well-regarded from the outset, announcing himself with two quick wins at two.
Eye-catching among those was a 10-length drubbing of a Newcastle novice field in June 2022, despite carrying a 12-pound winner’s penalty. His two subsequent stakes ventures, including a fifth-of-5 in the Group 2 Superlative, did not go to plan, so a more conservative route was taken.
Following a closing win in the nine-furlong Edinburgh Cup Handicap at Musselburgh on June 3, he was a good second in the 10-furlong Golden Gates at Ascot three weeks later astern Burdett Road, who would go on to finish a respectable fifth in Thursday’s Group 3 Gordon at Glorious Goodwood.
“He had a couple mediocre runs after his big wins, but it looks like he’s doing well this year,” Galvin said. “He’s got a bit to find on the book, especially if you do a line of form from Far Bridge and The Foxes, but he is improving. He probably needs quicker ground, but his experience on softer ground—while it may not suit other horses—will help him a lot if it turns up that way. It’s a matter of who gets it best.
“I’m looking forward to down the road with him as a 4-year-old next year,” he continued. “I’m hoping for a respectable showing on Saturday and if he happens to win, it would be great for the team. Roaring Lion was very near and dear to the team and especially to [Qatar Racing’s European Racing Manager] David Redvers, who picked Roaring Lion out as a yearling and saw him do so well. We are looking for something to build on with this colt. David will actually be coming over for the race.”
In August 2019, just after his first season at stud, 2018 European Horse of the Year Roaring Lion suffered a severe bout of colic and was euthanized in New Zealand. Group 1-placed at two, he was a force at three, winning four consecutive Group 1s against older horses, including a 3½-length walloping of a Juddmonte International field that included Poet’s Word, Saxon Warrior, Benbatl, Without Parole, Latrobe and Thunder Snow – 13 Group 1 wins among them. His single crop also includes Group 1 winner Dubai Mile, who was a respectable fifth in this year’s Group 1 2000 Guineas.
Oisin Murphy, who rode Roaring Lion in 12 of his 13 races, takes the reins on Lion of War in Saturday’s race. The pair break from post eight of nine.
The superstar mantle of Qatar Racing has passed to another flashy gray in the Brad Cox-trained Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint champ Caravel, who seeks her sixth consecutive stakes win in Saturday’s Grade 3 Troy.
The 6-year-old’s surprise 42-1 win at Keeneland last November proved a springboard to the consensus title of America’s top grass sprinter, with three subsequent stakes wins, including an emphatic win in June’s Grade 1 Jaipur at Belmont.
Caravel is co-owned by Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables and will break from post four of eight on Saturday. Regular pilot Tyler Gaffalione will be aboard.
“She just goes from strength to strength and it’s amazing that a mare of her age is getting better,” Galvin said. “At the Breeders’ Cup, they thought it was a one-off, but she just kept improving and never slowed down. She’s at the top of her game at age six and Brad even says she could be getting better. It’s remarkable.”
Qatar Racing and Gaffalione will also team up on Saturday with the Cox-trained Everso Mischievous in the seven-furlong allowance that goes as Race 11. From three starts, the son of Into Mischief has one win and two seconds.
“Brad is really high on him,” Galvin said. “He’s lightly raced and we bought him [for $85,000 at the Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale] last fall. He was unraced and there was no pressure. He hadn’t done much and was part of a dispersal. He’s a good-looking horse who has really come along well.”
Qatar Racing’s busy Spa Saturday is capped by Irish-bred Beuys, who breaks from post 12 in the 1 1/16-mile turf allowance. Co-owned by Detampel, the bay 5-year-old was purchased by Galvin for $82,000 at Keeneland’s April Horses of Racing Age Sale and was previously in the colors of Peter Brant. He had two wins from four starts for Jean-Claude Rouget in France before returning from a 525-day layoff earlier this year in the barn of Chad Brown, for whom he made two starts, including a runner-up and sixth-place finish in Gulfstream Park allowance-optional company.
“He’s a new addition and a good-looking son of Siyouni and we really like him,” Galvin said. “Oisin will ride for Brendan. Hopefully it stays on the turf.”
Qatar Racing, owned solely and in partnership, has approximately 30 horses in stateside training, split among trainers Walsh, Cox, Wesley Ward and Jack Sisterson.
