'She's improved again' - Saffron Beach set for Sun Chariot repeat bid

Jane Chapple-Hyam believes that her star filly Saffron Beach has “improved again” as she prepares to defend her Royal Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes () crown at Newmarket on Saturday.

The four-year-old provided Chapple-Hyam with her first Group 1 winner in the £266,875 contest last year under William Buick. Saffron Beach was beaten in the Matron Stakes when ridden by Hollie Doyle last time out but reunites with Buick, who boasts an unbeaten record on the filly, having partnered her to a Royal Ascot win in the Duke Of Cambridge and a second top-level triumph in the Prix Rothschild this season.

Saffron Beach is yet to finish outside of the first two in five starts on the Rowley Mile and is a general 11-8 favourite to repeat last year’s win.

“She enjoys going down two miles down the road, rather than getting a train or a ferry, and I think she’s improved again going into the Sun Chariot,” said Chapple-Hyam.

“There’s some rain forecast for Friday, but the ground won’t be like Leopardstown, where she couldn’t extend and stretch like she normally does but still ran a good race to be second in another Group 1.”

Although she is being offered at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale on November 29, Saturday may not be the final start of Saffron Beach’s racing career.

Chapple-Hyam said: “She’s in the QEII at Ascot on QIPCO British Champions Day, although she’d have to win easily on Saturday to go there, and we’ve had one eye all year on the Breeders’ Cup, which is why we’ve spaced her races and missed the Falmouth for example.

Prosperous Voyage: Falmouth winner out to give Rob Hornby more Group 1 gloryCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

One man who would have been relieved not to bump into Saffron Beach in the Falmouth is Rob Hornby, who secured a first British Group 1 of his career when overturning long odds-on favourite Inspiral aboard Prosperous Voyage.

Of Saffron Beach’s challengers, the Ralph Beckett-trained three-year-old and Homeless Songs are the only other Group 1 winners in the nine-runner field. Prosperous Voyage was only beaten a neck in the 1,000 Guineas last time she tackled the Rowley mile and Hornby said: “The straight track is crucial I think and the stiff mile on both Newmarket courses plays to her strengths as she’s a strong stayer at a mile.”

“On official ratings I think we are only 2lb behind Saffron Beach, who is a very talented filly and has done Jane and her team proud, so on our best form we ought to have a good chance.”

Hornby will be riding Westover for Juddmonte in Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but the owner-breeders will be hoping that their exciting filly Laurel will have the beating of the rider in the Sun Chariot.

Laurel has won both her novice events effortlessly and could have the talent that's required to strike in an open age Group 1 on just her third start. She represents John and Thady Gosden, who won the race two years ago with Nazeef, and also saddle by Grande Dame.

Sun Chariot runners and riders

Lights On Richard Kingscote
Mrs Fitzherbert David Egan
Saffron Beach William Buick
By All Means Simon Planque
Fonteyn Neil Callan
Grand Dame Jamie Spencer
Homeless Songs Chris Hayes
Laurel Robert Havlin
Prosperous Voyage Rob Hornby

Sun Chariot Stakes verdict and 1-2 prediction

1 Saffron Beach
2 Homeless Songs

Three Group 1 winners are set to clash here and Saffron Beach is likeliest to add another. She easily landed this race 12 months ago and has probably surpassed that form in 2022, notably when comfortably winning at Royal Ascot and at Deauville where she made most of the running and was never seriously threatened.
Stuart Redding, tipster

This content was first published in Wednesday's Racing Post Weekender. Read more from Stuart and star Weekender contributors such as leading tipsters Tom Segal and Paul Kealy and exclusive columnist Ed Walker every week.

Royal Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes (2.42 Newmarket, Saturday)

Sky Bet: 6-5 Saffron Beach, 7-2 Laurel, 4 Homeless Songs, 5 Prosperous Voyage, 12 Grande Dame, 20 Fonteyn

Gale Force Maya goes for hat-trick glory

Gale Force Maya has enjoyed a superb season for Michael Dods and makes a rare journey south to Ascot for the John Guest Racing Bengough Stakes (3.00).

The consistent six-year-old aim to follow up a pair of Listed wins with a first at Group level, with dual Stewards Cup scorer and Ayr Gold Cup runner-up Commanche Falls also stepping up in grade for the Durham-based trainer. The latter will be hoping to reverse the form with Summerghand.

Gale Force Maya: steps up to Group company at Ascot on SaturdayCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Charlie Appleby elected not to declare Creative Force and instead relies on Al Suhail while Royal Ascot winner Rohaan returns to the Berkshire venue for the first time since his Wokingham win in June.

William Haggas has a strong hand with Tiber Flow and Perfect News and also has two in the Cumberland Lodge Stakes (2.25), the other Group 3 on the card, in the form of market leader Hamish and Duke of Edinburgh scorer Candleford.

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