Gosden’s joy as Roaring Lion gives him a first Juddmonte

Roaring Lion stormed to victory in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

The Coral-eclipse Stakes hero had impressed in the Dante Stakes on his previous visit to the Knavesmire in May and improved on that with an authoritative display. Powering past Benbatl, who had hit the front two furlongs from home, Roaring Lion (3-1) went clear under Oisin Murphy to give the jockey and trainer John Gosden their first triumph in the mile-and-a-quarter showpiece.

King George victor Poet’s Word, the 8-5 favourite, stuck on well for second place, after being short of room at a crucial stage in the straight, but was still three and a quarter lengths behind.

Thundering blue came home strongly to claim third and vindicate the decision of owner Clive Washbourn and trainer David Menuisier to supplement the 50-1 chance at a cost of £75,000, earning £114,000 for their enterprise.

Saxon Warrior was fourth for Aidan O’brien.

Gosden said: “We were delighted with him [Roaring Lion] – I was expecting a big performance from him.

“He’d been training exceptionally well. We had a difficult spring with him. It was a horrible, wet spring and he wasn’t enjoying it. The problem is he likes to play too much. We just said we’d let him enjoy himself and come to hand in his own time.

“We’ve just had to be patient with him. He threw away a Racing Post Trophy last year and wasn’t really with me at the time of the Craven and the Guineas, but by god the Guineas put him right.

“He won the Dante brilliantly and ran a super race in the Derby, he just plainly did not stay.

“He battled to win the Eclipse and he’s a much better horse today than he was that day. He’s come here and shown them a clean pair of heels.

“He won’t be going for the Arc. The Irish Champion is an obvious possibility, as is Ascot (Champion Stakes).”

In today’s Ebor action, Laurens can register a memorable victory for Karl Burke in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks.

Burke trains in Middleham, so it would be a notable success for the Yorkshire faithful if Laurens can add a fourth Group One to her CV. She should have every chance, too, after hard-fought victories in the Prix Saint-alary and French Oaks.

Laurens triumphed by a short head over subsequent Group One winner With You on the first occasion, while she outbattled Musis Amica to win the French Classic back in June. Both those victories came over 10 furlongs and she will be stepping up to a mile and a half here, but her pedigree has plenty of stamina in it and the way she finishes her races suggests the extra distance should be up her street.

Fairyland is the pick in the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes.

Aidan O’brien’s filly looked every inch a top-class prospect after winning her first two starts, before finishing third in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot. The daughter of Kodiac makes her first appearance