A whole series of firsts

THERE were plenty of firsts about the victory of Saffron Beach in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket last Saturday. It was the three-year-old’s first win at that level, she is the first foal of her winning dam Falling Petals (Raven’s Pass), and she provided her Ballylinch Stud sire New Bay (Dubawi) with his first top-level winner, and in his first crop.

This was also a timely victory as Saffron Beach’s Australia (Galileo) half-sister went under the hammer at Tattersalls on Tuesday, selling for 450,000gns to Blandford Bloodstock. The yearling, and her three-year-old sibling, were bred by the China Horse Club who bought Falling Petals for €235,000 at Goffs in 2016.

She was carrying to Exceed And Excel (Danehill) and the resulting colt paid for the mare when he sold as a foal for 210,000gns.

Saffron Beach is the mare’s second produce, while the third is Eshkaal (Exceed And Excel), a 120,000gns yearling buy who was placed two weeks ago on his second start for Richard Hannon. Meanwhile, Saffron Beach has a full-brother who was born this spring.

Falling Petals was trained by John Gosden, and she won and was placed from just three starts. She is a three-parts sister to Huntdown (Elusive Quality) who was placed in the Group 1 Middle Park stakes, and also to Continua (Elusive Quality).

The latter did not race but she is dam of the exciting first-season sire Cotai Glory (Exceed And Excel). He is already sire of more than 30 individual winners in 2021, and the number is sure to grow.

New Bay, the 2015 French Derby winner, also sired Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes winner New Mandate in his first crop. His current juvenile crop is led by the recent Group 2 Champagne Stakes winner Bayside Boy who goes in search of Group 1 glory this weekend in the Dewhurst Stakes.