Oisin Murphy excited to ride Roaring Lion in the Juddmonte International at York next week
The top jockey guided John Gosden's colt to a win in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown last month
TOP JOCKEY Oisin Murphy is excited to get back on Roaring Lion at York next week.
John Gosden's Group 1 winner is among the favourites for the £1,000,000 Juddmonte International next Wednesday.
The colt won the Dante Stakes over the same 1m2.5f course and distance at York earlier this season and has since won the Coral-Eclipse.
He was given a racecourse gallop at Newmarket at the weekend, and his big-race rider said the son of Kitten's Joy is in top shape for his York target.
Murphy said: "Rab (Havlin) rode him on Saturday, just in an exercise gallop, and he was really pleased.
"He said the horse is in super order.
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"He gave me a super ride in the Dante and the track seems to suit a horse like him, so hopefully he stays healthy and we go there with a chance.
"He's a big, raw horse but he was also a very good two-year-old.
"How much he's going to improve this year, we don't know.
"He's won a Group 1 now and is very exciting, I'm just lucky to get the leg up on him."
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Murphy, who is the first-choice jockey for owners Qatar Racing, was also in the saddle when Lightning Spear won the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
David Simcock's seven-year-old had placed at Group 1 level several times before that win, and he is likely to have two more starts before a stallion career.
Murphy said: "The circumstances worked really well at Goodwood.
"It's a cliche, but he really did deserve to win a Group 1.
"The Lockinge hurt a bit (when beaten in a photo), but I didn't think I'd won crossing the line so I didn't have the emotion of thinking I'd won and then lost it.
"But no one wants to get beat a nose anywhere.
"David Simcock has mentioned the Prix de la Foret, which I won on Aclaim last year, and maybe after that the Breeders' Cup Mile."