'Lion' Front-Running Upsetter in Middle Park

The Last Lion led all the way and scored a 25-1 upset over favorite Blue Point in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (Eng-I) for 2-year-olds Sept. 24 at Newmarket.

Godolphin's three-length Gimcrack (Eng-II)  victor Blue Point, the 11-10 favorite, emerged from the pack and pressed the winner through the final furlong, but The Last Lion held tough to win by three-quarters of a length.

Mehmas, a two-time group II winner by Acclamation who will start his stud career in 2017, was 2 1/4 lengths back in third, followed by Kentucky-bred Intelligence Cross (War Front  ) a half-length away in fourth in the field of 10.

The Last Lion, an Irish-bred son of Choisir trained by Mark Johnston for owners John Brown and Megan Dennis, earned his first win at the highest level and also provided winning rider Joe Fanning his first group I win. He covered six furlongs in 1:12.13 on firm footing. 

"I've ridden a lot of group IIs and IIIs, but never a group I, so it's nice to finally nail that one," Fanning said "The owner said if he was in the first five, he'd have run well. We always thought he was better on soft ground. It's quick today but he's done it well."

 

Blue Point did not have the clearest of runs from a quarter mile out under William Buick, but he advanced to threaten The Last Lion from over a furlong out and failed to overtake him.

Making the 10th start of his young career, The Last Lion earned his third stakes triumph to go with a further four stakes placings, all in group company, including the Norfolk Stakes (Eng-II) in June at Royal Ascot. He came into Saturday's race, his group I debut, off a close second Flying Childers (Eng-II) Sept. 9 at Doncaster.

Johnston said The Last Lion is closely related to ill-fated Mister Monet, whom he trained to group sucesses in England and France.

"He's a fantastic horse, and it's a fairy story right from the beginning because many years ago we had Mister Monet here for the (2004) Champion Stakes (Eng-I) and he broke his leg and didn't make it," Johnston said of The Last Lion, a colt out of multiple group I-placed Mala Mala, a Brief Truce half sister to Mister Monet, as well as Irish classic winner Tarascon.

Johnston secured The Last Lion for €82,000 ($92,242) from agent Glenvale Stud's consignment to the 2015 Goffs Orby yearling sale. The colt was bred by Barronstown Stud and Mrs. Tommy Stack.

"When I saw this horse at Goffs from the same family I phoned John Brown and said, 'You've got to have this one,'" he said, adding that The Last Lion, a debut winner in April at Doncaster, is likely done racing for the season.