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Brilliant Group One winner put to sleep on welfare grounds

Multiple Group One winner Roaring Lion has sadly lost his brave fight against colic.

Trained by John Gosden to win the Eclipse, Juddmonte International, Irish Champion Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, the son of Kitten's Joy appeared to be on the road to recovery after twice undergoing surgery for colic in recent weeks.

Owned by Qatar Racing and housed at Tweenhills Stud in Gloucestershire, Roaring Lion 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.

In a statement on Friday afternoon, David Redvers of Tweenhills Stud said: "At approximately midday (GMT)/23.00 NZ today Roaring Lion was observed to be uncomfortable in his stable at Cambridge Stud. On examination by stud vet Rob Hitchcock, Roaring Lion was admitted to Cambridge Equine hospital.

"There operating surgeons Dr Alanna Zantingh and Dr Greg Quinn performed ultrasound examination and at 14.45 (GMT) the decision was made on welfare grounds to put Roaring Lion to sleep."

Qatar Racing's Sheikh Fahad tweeted: "I am obviously distraught about Roaring Lion, he was so brave right to the end.

"He was a horse of a lifetime in all his characteristics I would like to thank everyone at the Cambridge Equine hospital and Cambridge Stud for all their efforts and professionalism to the end."