Roaring Lion on mend after having two operations

Roaring Lion and Oisin Murphy after winning the Juddmonte International Stakes. Pic Steven Cargill / Racingfotos.com

Roaring Lion appears to be on the road to recovery after undergoing surgery twice in the previous 10 days for colic.

Trained by John Gosden to win the Coral-Eclipse, Juddmonte International, Irish Champion Stakes and the QIPCO-sponsoredcQueen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, the son of Kitten’s Joy emerged as the champion of his generation and one of the stars of last year’s QIPCO British Champions Series.

You can read our essay on him by clicking here.

He covered his first book of mares in the spring but it was when he was shipped to New Zealand to stand at Cambridge Stud the problem first emerged.

Thankfully, it now appears he is over the worst with Stud CEO Henry Plumptre telling http://www.cambridgestud.co.nz: “Thanks to two world-class surgeons, Dr Alanna Zantingh and Dr Greg Quinn from Waikato Equine and with our own vet Dr Rob Hitchcock assisting, we have managed to save his life and he is on his way to a slow recovery.

“It has been a complex and challenging environment for everyone involved and we owe a massive debt of gratitude to the veterinary team and the Cambridge Stud staff, led by Marcus Corban, who have ensured his survival.

“While he has a long road to travel, the beginnings of a recovery are complete and having him back at Cambridge signals the start of the next stage.

“We have found this week what Sheikh Fahad (owner) and David Redvers (racing manager) experienced with RoaringLion last year on the racecourse – extraordinary courage, a will to win and an amazing constitution.

“His demeanour remained calm at all times which was a major part of his immediate recovery. Our aim now is to slowly repair him back to full health, in order that he can return to the UK and continue his career.”