Outstanding European juvenile The Last Lion, winner of last year’s G1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, will join the Darley roster at Kelvinside this season.
An ultra-tough and consistent performer, the son of Choisir never finished out of the first three in his ten career starts.
Trained by Mark Johnston, The Last Lion landed the opening race on the British juvenile calendar, the Brocklesby Stakes at Doncaster. He went on to win the Listed Dragon Stakes en route to a four-length victory in the G3 Sirenia Stakes. He also notched up a further four places at Group level, including second in the G2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot.
He rounded off his racing career with a superb win in the Middle Park Stakes – Europe’s elite 1,200m challenge for two-year-olds and a contest won the previous year by fellow shuttler Shalaa. That day he defeated no fewer than six Stakes-winning juveniles in a win that saw him rated the best two-year-old colt in Europe by the Racing Post. He is also the highest-rated two-year-old by Choisir, ahead of Olympic Glory on Racing Post ratings.
Alastair Pulford, Head of Sales for Darley stallions in Australia said, “The success of Danehill-line speed stallions here in Australia has been phenomenal and we are delighted to have two more young stallions who fit that criteria joining our roster this season with The Last Lion at Kelvinside and Holler at Northwood Park.
“The Last Lion was tough and precocious, exactly what the Australian market looks for in a stallion. He also boasts a strong female family. His dam was G1-placed on multiple occasions herself as a juvenile and she is a producer of two other Stakes winners already.”
For more information, contact the Nominations team on (02) 6543 9000 or (03) 5735 8100.
