Roaring Lion will stand his debut season at Tweenhills Stud for a fee of £40,000 (US$51,932), the highest price confirmed so far for a newcomer to the stallion ranks in Great Britain and Ireland.
The son of Kitten's Joy , who was crowned the Cartier Horse of the Year this week after winning four group 1s during 2018, was paraded at his new home Nov. 15 after returning from his unsuccessful Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) mission.
That final-race blemish took little gloss off what was a remarkable 3-year-old campaign for Roaring Lion, who progressed from promising displays in the QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas (G1) and Investec Derby (G1) to confirm himself the dominant force over 10 furlongs.
Roaring Lion was bought for $160,000 from the 2016 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from Taylor Made Sales Agency by David Redvers, manager of Qatar Racing, who spoke Nov. 15 of his pride at seeing the colt join the stallion ranks at Tweenhills.
"It is a huge privilege and honor to stand Roaring Lion for Sheikh Fahad and his brothers," Redvers said. "He is by some margin the best horse I have ever been involved with and is the toughest horse I have seen on a racecourse. His class, durability, and will to win made him look cut from a different cloth this season, and his pedigree and looks make him one of the most attractive stallion prospects to retire to stud in recent years.
"He's a superior horse, and I believe he will prove an equally strong influence as a sire."
Another horse to have carried the Qatar Racing silks with distinction, Lightning Spear, was also on display at Tweenhills as he, too, prepares to embark on his stallion career at a fee of £8,000 ($10,386).
A son of Pivotal, the 7-year-old finally made the breakthrough at the group 1 level in the Qatar Sussex Stakes in August.
Bought by Redvers for 260,000 guineas ($437,019) from Book 1 of the 2012 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, he won more than £1.3 million ($1,834,578) in prize money and finished in the first three in 15 of his 27 races, defeating 39 group 1 winners in the process.
"Lightning Spear was one of the best-looking yearlings I've ever seen," said Redvers. "With his stunning pedigree, soundness, and unique turn of foot, he will provide breeders with an outstanding opportunity at a commercial fee."
The final new addition to the Tweenhills ranks is Zoustar, who will reverse shuttle from his native Australia and stand for a fee of £25,000 ($32,457).
A son of the late Northern Meteor, Zoustar has made an explosive start to his second career. Last year's champion first-season sire in Australia, he provided the 1-2-3 in the increasingly important Coolmore Stud Ascot Vale Stakes (G1) at Flemington this month courtesy of Sunlight, Zousain, and Lean Mean Machine.
Meanwhile, Zoustar's third yearling crop averaged AU$190,000 at the 2018 sales, and Redvers once again urged breeders not to drag their feet if they want to send a mare to him.
"The much anticipated arrival of Zoustar offers European breeders the chance to breed to a true record-breaker," Redvers said. "He is recognized as one of the most exciting young stallions in the world, and, with a limited book and a strong syndicate supporting the horse, breeders will need to move very fast if they wish to secure a nomination."
The newcomers are joined by the returning Charm Spirit, who stood at Haras de Bonneval last year and will be offered for £17,500 ($22,720), down from £20,000 ($25,966) when he was last at Tweenhills in 2017.
He has been represented by his first crop this year with Yourtimeisnow winning the Shadwell Dick Poole Fillies Stakes (G3) in September.
Havana Gold, meanwhile, remains at £15,000 ($19,474) with Havana Grey having represented him at the elite level this year as his yearlings sold for a high of 250,000 guineas ($346,290).
The Tweenhills roster is completed by Hot Streak, whose fee has also been increased slightly to £7,000 ($9,088) after his first yearlings averaged almost 41,000 guineas ($54,855) and sold for as much as 220,000 guineas ($303,788).
"All of our stallions will continue to stand on special live foal terms, and our team will do everything to assist breeders make the best decisions for their mares and businesses," said Redvers. "To this end, we will also be offering a free return to any breeder breeding a stakes winner by one of our stallions. This may be used either on the stallion responsible or any of the Qatar stallions at Tweenhills as a credit to the value of that nomination."
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Tweenhills 2019 Stud Fees
|
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| Stallion |
2019 Fee
|
2018 Fee
|
| Roaring Lion |
£40,000
|
NEW
|
| Zoustar |
£25,000
|
NEW
|
| Lightning Spear |
£8,500
|
NEW
|
| Charm Spirit |
£17,500
|
€20,000
|
| Havana Gold |
£15,000
|
£15,000
|
| Hot Streak |
£7,000
|
£6,000
|
