Lion’s Pride ready to roar in Qatar feature, says Gosden
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Thu 12 Feb 2026
Thady Gosden described the seven runners heading for the Group Two H.H The Amir Trophy in Doha on Saturday as “an elite field” which exemplifies the quality of the $2.5million renewal.
In Qatar to supervise the final preparation of Lion’s Pride, Gosden reflected on the grey’s fifth-place finish behind Royal Champion in the Bahrain International Trophy in November as one he feels can be bettered on a different track.
The Anthony Oppenheimer-owned six-year-old was beaten a total of five and a half lengths, but both Gosden and jockey Robert Havlin are hoping for improvement.
Gosden, joint-trainer with his father, John, was on hand to watch Lion’s Pride canter on Thursday morning and said: “On reflection a mile and a quarter in Bahrain was possibly a little bit sharp for him.
“This is a different track and it’s nice to come out and have him ready, having completed his stronger work beforehand.
“It’s a highly elite field and a very competitive, open-looking race. He seems in very good form, he’s travelled well and we’re looking forward to it. He has a good slot in gate three.”
Havlin rode the gelding to Listed success at Newmarket in September and again in Bahrain.
He said: “The race has attracted seven of the best and my lad has arrived here on good terms with himself.
“In the Newmarket race he came on the bridle and picked up very well to stretch clear when I asked him. In Bahrain he possibly found the trip on the short side, but conditions should be ideal for him on Saturday.”
Japan’s three runners – Satono Glanz, Deep Monster and Byzantine Dream – galloped on the turf course in independent solo exercises on Wednesday.
Satono Glanz seeks to make it fourth time lucky in the race, having finished third in 2024 and second last year.
Deep Monster will be ridden by Tom Marquand, while Byzantine Dream is perhaps the best known of the trio.
The four-year-old finished fifth behind Daryz on his latest start in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Oisin Murphy was on board at Longchamp but Cristian Demuro takes over on Saturday.
Elsewhere on the card, the great Arabian runner Al Ghadeer will have his final race in the Group One Amir Sword, where he will be ridden by Christophe Soumillon.
Trainer Francois Rohaut said of his defending champion: “It was a hard decision to retire him to stud but in life all good things eventually come to an end.
“While he’s a heavy favourite I don’t think it’s a foregone conclusion. He is often referred to as the greatest Arabian racehorse of all time but there were some very good champions if you look back.
“It’s not easy or possible to accurately make judgements on horses that raced 15 years apart, although there’s no doubt he is a great champion.”
Al Ghadeer has won 13 of his 14 career starts and amassed over €5million in prize-money.
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