Saffron Beach

Saffron Beach is a chestnut filly with a white star bred in Ireland by China Horse Club International Ltd. As a foal in December 2018 she was entered in the Tattersalls Sale and bought for 55,000 guineas by Norris Bloodstock.

On her three-year-old debut Saffron Beach contested the Nell Gwyn Stakes (a trial race for the 1000 Guineas) over seven furlongs at Newmarket on 14 April when she started at odds of 4/1 and finished second, beaten three quarters of a length by Sacred.

[10] A drop back in distance for the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket in July saw little improvement as she finished eleventh of the thirteen runners behind Snow Lantern, beaten twelve lengths by the winner.

After being in contention from the start, she overtook the front-running Auria two furlongs from the finish and "kept on strongly" to win by two and a quarter lengths from the Dick Hern Fillies' Stakes winner Waliyak.

"[13] Saffron Beach returned to Group 1 class for the Sun Chariot Stakes over one mile on 2 October when she was partnered by William Buick and started the 5/1 third favourite behind Mother Earth and Snow Lantern.

In a change of tactics, Saffron Beach led from the start, broke clear of the field approaching the final furlong and won in "impressive" style by three lengths from Mother Earth.

The last furlong was a hard slog to watch and the whole race felt like it was two miles instead of one, but it's good to get the group 1 win next to her name... You don't mind waiting if they do it in the end.