Robert Cowell, who trains him at his Newmarket yard, has been quietly productive this season with 24 winners sent out, so the operation Lion of Persia belongs to knows what it is doing. Cowell describes him as a good-looking, well-built horse who has been working nicely at home — and the trainer believes he will handle a six-furlong trip when the opportunity comes. The problem has not been ability; it has been the starting gate. Lion of Persia banged his leg in the gates, which forced him to miss a week of training, and Cowell admits the horse has been a little slow to break — a bit hesitant when the stalls open, which in racing can cost you a race before it has even really begun. Getting a clean, sharp start is so fundamental to a two-year-old's early form that this one issue alone can explain a lot.
The good news is that he is back in canter and Cowell is hoping to have him out again within the next fortnight. Whether he can iron out that sluggishness from the gates will be the thing to watch. A horse that travels well in training but keeps losing ground at the start is a frustrating puzzle — and one that, once solved, can produce a very different-looking racehorse. Lion of Persia is young, lightly raced, and by no means a finished article. For now, the story is still being written.
| Course | Races | Results | Last visited | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nottingham Galloping |
1 | 1 other | 4 Jul | 0% |
| Catterick Bridge Sharp |
1 | 1 second | 15 Jul | 0% |
| Windsor Sharp |
1 | 1 other | 1 Jun | 0% |