Nemean Lion continued to romp through the season when notching his third consecutive win and second Grade 2 victory in the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell on Sunday.
The eight-year-old son of Golden Horn has been a star for Kerry Lee’s stable, having won seven of his 14 starts since switching to jumping, including last year’s G2 Kingwell Hurdle. Previously trained in France by Andre Fabre for Godolphin, Nemean Lion also won on the Flat at Longchamp and was runner-up in the G2 Prix Chaudenay at three.
Bred in Germany by Dr Christophe Berglar, whose other graduates include the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Novellist and G1 Melbourne Cup winner Protectionst, Nemean Lion could now add another G1 to his breeder’s roll of honour as he is entered for the Stayers’ Hurdle at next month’s Cheltenham Festival.
It was a good weekend for Golden Horn who was also represented by five-year-old mare Surrey Belle, who landed her second win in a row over hurdles for Adrian Keatley, and by Mark Of Gold, who was third in the G2 Pendil Novices’ Chase. The 11-time dual-purpose winner, who was bred by Fergus Anstock, was also placed on his previous start in the G1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase.
Golden Horn is currently the leading active British-based National Hunt sire and, on 41 per cent winners to runners, he has the highest strike-rate of the any of the top 50 jumps stallions in Britain and Ireland.
