Multiple Group 1 Winner Saffron Beach Fetches 3.6m at Tattersalls

Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) fetched a modest 55,000gns when sent through this ring four years ago at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale, but having won six of her 13 starts, including Group 1 events in England and France, the 4-year-old lit up the tote at Park Paddocks, selling to HRH Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdulaziz's Najd Stud for 3.6 million guineas early Tuesday evening during the second Sceptre Session. Consigned by Jane Chapple-Hyam Racing, Saffron Beach was a winner in Group 3 company at career start number two and capped a successful 3-year-old campaign in Newmarket's G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. Victorious in this year's G3 Duke of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot, having finished a highly creditable fourth in the G1 Dubai Turf on seasonal debut, she easily accounted for the G1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville and was also runner-up in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown on Irish Champions weekend. Saffron Beach holds an invitation for the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile Dec. 11, but connections explained that the filly would be pointed for the G1 Saudi Cup next February.

 

 

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Saffron Beach To Tattersalls But Door Remains Open for $4m HK Mile

There must have been times when those connected to Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) in her early years were shaking their heads in frustration. 

Four times she was entered for a sale as a young horse. She made the first of those engagements, no problem, when she was sold by Ballylinch Stud at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale on behalf of her breeder China Horse Club. Liam Norris, a man with a noted eye for foals, signed for her at 55,000gns, bought for a partnership headed by Ben Sangster, with the intention of bringing the New Bay filly back to the yearling sales the following October. 

Thereafter, she was scratched from October Book 2, then the December Yearling Sale and, during the following topsy-turvy first year of Covid, she was also withdrawn from the July Sale, in which she would have appeared as an unraced two-year-old. By that stage, however, the minor foot issue which had meant Sangster and Saffron Beach's co-owner James Wigan had to forget the yearling sales, had come good, and Jane Chapple-Hyam had paid a visit to Manton to see the filly and to decide if she would like to train her. Fortunately she did like her. Very much so, in fact, and with a raft of group wins now to her credit, it's easy to imagine that Saffron Beach has shot to the top of the charts of Chapple-Hyam's all-time favourite horses. 

It will, then, be a bittersweet moment for all involved at Abington Place when their stable star returns to Tattersalls for the December Mares' Sale, even though as a full-fledged dual Group 1 winner she reflects much credit on the yard. And there could yet be the opportunity for one last hurrah.

“She's being sold as a horse in training and hopefully the lucky purchaser might enjoy having a trip to Hong Kong,” says Chapple-Hyam. “She's in the $4 million Hong Kong Mile and we've accepted the invitation, so it would be a lovely swansong.”

It would indeed, but then right from the off, the filly from the first crop of New Bay has fuelled the dreams of her trainer and ownership team of Lucy Sangster, Ollie Sangster and James Wigan.  Making her debut at Newmarket on September 26, 2020, the powerful chestnut strode away from her 14 rivals in her maiden race to finish more than four lengths clear of her nearest pursuer. Such an eye-catching start made her fully entitled to step straight into pattern company, which she did just a fortnight later, back at her home track, in the G3 Oh So Sharp S.

“She's just gone from strength to strength,” says Chapple-Hyam. “But in a funny kind of way, her first two runs showed a lot when she won a maiden, and then two weeks later she backed up for the Oh So Sharp. And when Adam Kirby got off her, we knew there and then because he said she felt like a special filly.”

Kirby, a jockey not prone to hyperbole, was spot on. Put away for the winter, Saffron Beach returned to run second in her 1,000 Guineas trial, the G3 Nell Gwyn S., and was then runner-up in the Classic itself, finishing just a length behind the winner Mother Earth (Ire).

Failing to properly see out the mile and a half when contesting the Oaks at Epsom, Saffron Beach had unleashed her true potential by the end of her three-year-old season, winning the G3 Atalanta S. en route to landing her first Group 1 in the Sun Chariot back at her beloved Rowley Mile.

“She did really well in the Nell Gwyn,” her trainer recalls. “We used that as a stepping stone and she was probably only 85% fit, then we waited another two weeks to run in the Guineas. So that was a highlight and then since then she's picked up Group 1s, whether it be at Newmarket or over in Deauville, and she's just proved a tough, consistent filly.”

Returned to training at four, Saffron Beach's warm-up fourth place in the G1 Dubai Turf at Meydan proved the perfect springboard for another lucrative summer campaign in Europe. At Royal Ascot she waltzed away with the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. before beating dual Group 1 winner Tenebrism (Ire) in the G1 Prix Rothschild in Deauville.  She also had her fellow Sceptre Sessions entrant Pearls Galore (Fr) behind her that day, but the tables were turned when all three classy fillies met again on Irish Champions Weekend, with Pearls Galore landing the G1 Matron S. ahead of Saffron Beach in second, and Tenebrism third, with the Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs (Ire) claiming fourth.

Saffron Beach, who hails from the family of the young sire Cotai Glory (GB), was the first Group 1 winner for her upwardly mobile sire, and she has been joined in that category this year by Bay Bridge (GB) and Bayside Boy (Ire), who notched a notable Group 1 double for the Ballylinch Stud resident on British Champions Day.

Chapple-Hyam says of the statuesque trailblazer, “She's feisty, but she's a nice, feisty mare. She's she's got a kind side to her. It's going to be hard when she goes because she's in box one, and so for a couple of years, [we've been] seeing her every morning. But hopefully she'll have a nice career at stud and go to some top stallions.”

She adds, “It will be up to the new purchasers if they would like her to run in Hong Kong in their colours and we will do some quick paperwork, but we're all set at this end.

“Everyone's very thrilled with what she's done throughout the last couple of years so I'm sure they'll all miss cheering her on. But we were lucky enough to keep her on as a four-year-old so, especially the last month, we've just been enjoying seeing her every day.”

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Beckett ‘Happy’ With Kinross For BC Mile, As ‘Saffron’ Ruled Out Of BC With Poor Blood Work

Sharp miler Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) has pleased trainer Ralph Beckett in his preparations for the GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland, the trainer revealed on Friday.

Marc Chan's 5-year-old gelding is riding a four-race winning streak, and after victories in the G2 City Of York S. and the G2 Park S. in August and September, found France to his liking with a two-length victory in the G1 Prix de la Foret. He added an exclamation point to his season with a 2 1/4-length tally in the G1 British Champions Sprint S. at Ascot on Oct. 15 and appears in prime condition to add to his laurels at Keeneland next month.

“He's been training well,” said Beckett, who won the 2008 Breeders' Cup Marathon with Muhannak (Ire) (Chester House). “We are treading quite a fine line as he has been so busy. I'm happy with him, he is moving well and looks well.”

Added Beckett, “I don't think he will better that performance on Champions Day. That is as good as it gets–to drop back to six furlongs and win as he did, it takes a bit of doing. He will have to equal that performance in America if he is to win.

“The [GI] Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint would have been too sharp for him. He is very adaptable. He has won around Goodwood and York, it comes all alike to him in that sense, so I have no concerns around him handling the track at Keeneland.

“He is very effective on soft ground. I don't think he is capable of winning over six furlongs on fast ground, but he won the City of York S. over seven on fast ground. The ground won't matter to him.”

 

'Saffron' To Stay Home

Dual Group 1 winner Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), who will be offered during the Sceptre Sessions of the Tattersalls December Mares Sale at the end of November, will not take her chance in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf after returning poor blood work, according to trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam.

Racing in the red and white colours of Ben and Lucy Sangster, their son Ollie and James Wigan, the 4-year-old claimed the G1 Sun Chariot S. in 2021, and after running a good fourth in the G1 Dubai Turf in March, scored a resounding success in the G2 Duke Of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot. A 2 1/2-length tour-de-force in the G1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville in August followed, and she was second in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown last month. She ran eighth in defence of her Sun Chariot crown on Oct. 1, and returned a dirty scope off of that effort.

Chapple-Hyam said, “I drew blood on Wednesday to look at her profile and it wasn't good, so we started her on a course of antibiotics and we looked at the profile again on Thursday.

“Even though it had improved, it is not in the right zone to be putting her on an aircraft and potentially giving a bug to everyone else and perhaps getting travel sickness.

“We couldn't take the risk for the welfare of her and all the others on the aircraft, so we decided not to go.”

Chapple-Hyam has entered the chestnut in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile on Dec. 11, and, depending on who purchases Saffron Beach at Tattersalls, an international campaign has not been ruled out.

“She has an entry in the Tattersalls December Mares' Sale and if the lucky purchaser would like to run her in the Hong Kong Mile, if she is fit and well, she has been invited to that race and I have accepted,” Chapple-Hyam added. “It is disappointing not to run in the Breeders' Cup, but that is horse racing. We take the good and the bad.

“We have been very lucky to win two Group 1s with her and, who knows, the new owner may want to run her in Hong Kong.”

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Charlie Appleby and Jane Chapple-Hyam Outline Breeders’ Cup Plans

Charlie Appleby is readying a strong team for the Breeders' Cup, headed by globetrotting millionaire Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), while Jane Chapple-Hyam has given the green light for dual Group 1 winner Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) to make the trip to Keeneland next month.

Appleby boasts a tremendous record at the meeting, winning six Breeders' Cup races from just 11 attempts and he has some proven travellers bidding to enhance that record this year.

Leading the charge is last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Modern Games, who has secured Classic honours this season and is reported to have bounced out of his British Champions Day assignment well when second in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S.

“Modern Games has come out of the race in great form–tough as teak he is,” said Appleby. “He put up one hell of a performance on ground that was right against him. William [Buick] said right from the get-go he was up against it, but he's brave as a lion and will head to Keeneland.”

The Godolphin handler landed the GI Breeders' Cup Turf with Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) 12 months ago and although he is siding against asking his Derby hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) to line up in Lexington, in Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), he has two horses who have already been and done it on the international stage this term.

He said, “You've got to know your horses and know their characteristics and how they will be travelling and adapting to a different style of training over there.

“We've had a few who haven't done it, like Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) last year, but thankfully a lot of the horses we've chosen in the past have been able to adapt to the change of scenery and training.

“The 2-year-olds will be the ones with the question marks, but the two we are intending to take over in Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) have plenty of experience under their belt now.”

Also entering the equation for Kentucky is Creative Force (Ire), who was a gallant third in defence of his G1 British Champions Sprint crown at Ascot. The son of Dubawi (Ire) has run only three times this season and could take his place in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

“Creative Force is a possible,” said Appleby. “He has low mileage this year and as we know, at this time of year the ground can be a bit on the slower side so fingers crossed.

“I was delighted with him [at Ascot], he was just unfortunate they raced in two different groups and he got caught on the wing and perhaps over-raced if anything. William felt he would have been better with a bit of cover.”

Also bound for the Breeders' Cup is dual Group 1 heroine Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {Ire}), who is set to be offered at the Tattersalls December Mares' Sale during the elite Sceptre Sessions in December. She will bid for a third Group 1 win before that when lining up in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.

Chapple-Hyam said, “She is fine and galloped good at Chelmsford on Tuesday. She went about seven furlongs with William Buick on board. She is going to run in the [GI Breeders' Cup] Filly & Mare [Turf] over about nine and a half [furlongs].

“She scoped dirty after Newmarket and needed a bit of time, like humans, a course of antibiotics and a bit of doctoring, and she has come good.

“She has an entry for Hong Kong but she has got the sales at Tattersalls–the December Mares' Sale–and it all depends on whether the new purchaser will want to run her in the Hong Kong Mile or whether they would want her with me or another trainer.”

The trainer added, “Some people have their own trainer, you never know. If a stud farm got her, I would imagine she will go straight to stud, but if there was a racing partnership and stud got her, they might want to see her run in their colours at Sha Tin. You just never know.

“At least you know she will get fantastic stallions for the rest of her career and go to a fantastic stud farm and be very well looked after. It is great to know that going forward. She will get lovely accommodation. In the meantime, we will start to make arrangements for Keeneland.”

Gary and Linnet Woodward's G2 Challenge S. hero Pogo (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) is also pointing for the Breeders' Cup, although it is not certain he will gain a berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. A winner of the G3 John Of Gaunt S. at Haydock in May and the G3 Criterion S. at Newmarket in July, the 6-year-old entire does offer pertinent form, as he was only 1 1/4 lengths behind multiple Group 1 winner Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in the G2 City Of York S. in August. That rival is also set to contest the Mile.

“He seems in good form and he is nice and fresh for this time of year,” said trainer Charlie Hills. “He ran well at Newmarket and that form behind Kinross is looking better after he won again on Saturday.

“I think that mile on the turn at that track [Keeneland] will be brilliant for him. James Doyle has been booked to ride.”

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