During his successful three-year tenure with the Godolphin operation, O’Shea enjoyed a close affinity with Contributer (Ire), the sire of his G1 Mostyn Copper Randwick Guineas winner Lion’s Roar.
O’Shea prepared Contributer, a son of High Chaparral (Ire), to win at Group 1 level in the Chipping Norton S. and the Ranvet S. before his retirement to Simms Davison’s Mapperley Stud at Matamata in New Zealand.
“It’s just fantastic, unbelievable really, and I could see he was just bolting in the run,” O’Shea said. “I knew there was a lot of improvement in him from the other day.”
Lion’s Roar had finished fifth when resuming in the G2 Hobartville S. and the step up to a mile was ideal for him.
“He’s been a work in progress and we’ve got the G1 Randwick Guineas in mind so this shows we’re on track,” O’Shea said. “He’s a serious horse and he's got mum and dad in him so hopefully this will help the inheritance!”.
“He’s (Lion's Roar) a serious horse and he's got mum and dad in him so hopefully this will help the inheritance!” – John O’Shea
O’Shea stable supporters Champion Thoroughbreds ventured to Karaka in 2019 to purchase Contributer’s first-crop representative Lion’s Roar out of Wellfield Lodge’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for NZ$65,000.
“We looked at all the Contributers and tried to work out which one looked most like dad. We came down to two horses and one was too expensive so we looked in Book 2 and got Lion’s Roar,” Champion Thoroughbreds’ Jason Abrahams said.
Lion's Roar (NZ) as a yearling
“I loved Contributer as a racehorse and he’s stamping them – they are strong and leggy with great attitudes and I just wish there were more on the ground for us to buy.
“Obviously, this means so much and it hasn’t really sunk in. We were hoping he would run a nice race and we’ve had a relationship with John for such a long time.
“To get John’s first Group 1 win since his time with Godolphin with one of our team of horses is a big thing given that we don’t spend a whole heap of money. We’re just a small part of his stable, a cog in a big wheel.”
“To get John’s first Group 1 win since his time with Godolphin with one of our team of horses is a big thing given that we don’t spend a whole heap of money.” – Jason Abrahams
A raft of options will now be considered for Lion’s Roar, both against the 3-year-olds and older opposition.
“He’ll go to the G1 Rosehill Guineas if all is well and we’ve got the option after that of the G1 Doncaster H., the G1 Australian Derby and the G1 Queen Elizabeth S., we’ve entered him in everything,” Abrahams said.
“Obviously it’s hard to work out with a 3-year-old where you fit in, not only in their own age group but against the older horses.
“We’ll see how he goes and we could bring him back to a mile or the 2400 metres of the Derby. It’s an open book at this stage.”
Lion’s Roar settled off the pace by Brenton Avdulla set up by Marsannay (Snitzel) and produced a powerful finishing burst that saw him out on his own at the post by 1.3l.
Jason Abrahams and John O'Shea
Change of fortune
Jockey Brenton Avdulla was pleased with his winning ride after explaining the difficult time he has been having in Sydney.
“It’s been tough for me and Sydney is very difficult and I’ve been struggling to get rides, but John has been supporting me,” Avdulla said.
“I’ve been struggling to get the opportunities so it’s good to get the job done for John, who has backed me. I said to him I would ride him quietly and he sprinted like a really good horse.”
Brenton Avdulla all smiles returning to scale after winning the G1 Mostyn Copper Randwick Guineas
Runner-up Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel) raced back on the fence and once he got out and into clear air the colt powered home and the filly Harmony Rose (Glass Harmonium {Ire}) did a fine job to take third off Wheelhouse (Pierro).
The favourite and previously unbeaten Aegon (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) looked to have every chance, but failed to lengthen stride as he had when winning the Hobartville and finished sixth and 3.4l off the winner.
