Britain’s most successful ever stallion added a new G1 winner to his CV as Lead Artist landed a brilliant edition of the G1 Lockinge Stakes over a mile at Newbury on Saturday, 17 May.
Always placed handily under Oisin Murphy, the John and Thady Gosden-trained colt was asked for an effort with two furlongs to run and stayed on gamely to overcome the challenge from runner-up Dancing Gemini, with Rosallion (Blue Point) and Notable Speech (Dubawi), chasing them home in third and fourth on their seasonal reappearance.
LEAD ARTIST storms home to win the @BoyleSports Lockinge Stakes! 🏆@oismurphy | @NewburyRacing pic.twitter.com/dpiJ0hbjmN
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 17, 2025
It was Lead Artist’s third win at Group level and his first at G1 level having landed the G3 Darley Stakes and G3 Thoroughbred Stakes during his three-year-old campaign.
Owned and bred by Juddmonte Farms, Lead Artist is the first foal out of G2 Prix de Sandringham winner Obligate, who also has a yearling filly by Dubawi.
Lead Artist’s victory capped yet another excellent weekend for his sire, with Rebel’s Romance claiming the G2 Yorkshire Cup 24 hours earlier on his first start over a mile and six furlongs at York. Dubawi has sired an incredible 298 individual Stakes winners, with 61 striking at the highest level. Having sired his first winner of the G1 Oaks at Epsom with Ezeliya last year, he looks to have a leading chance in this year’s G1 Derby with recent Leopardstown trial winner Delacroix.
