Saracen was an impressive debut winner
China Horse Club’s European breeding division looks to have produced another exciting prospect after the striking colt, Saracen, trounced rivals in an effortless debut by a widening four lengths at the Curragh yesterday.
The performance was timely, coinciding with the opening day of the 2024 Arqana October Yearling Sale when China Horse Club was selling three yearlings including the full brother to Saracen who was prepared by Ecurie de Monceaux.
At the close, the three yearlings netted a collective €700,000 with a pretty Dark Angel x Easter Lily yearling assessed by the assembled buying bench as one of the fillies of the sale. It was One Agency who secured the light grey filly for €300,000, just a breath above the €290,000 George Mullins secured the full brother to Saracen (Siyouni x Soteria) for. The third of the trio, a New Bay half-brother to G3 winner Patrick Sarsfield, was secured by the inform David Menuisier stable for €110,000.
Dark Angel x Easter Lily yearling was assessed as one of the fillies of the sale
On a Curragh programme that included fellow CHC graduate, Cercene, in the feature G3 Staffordstown Stud Stakes, it was Saracen who had heads turning yet again.
With a price tag of €500,000, the 2023 Arqana August Yearling Sale graduate has always been a standout but such was the appeal of China Horse Club’s offering at that particular auction he was cast into something of a shadow by the frenetic trading for a €2.2 million Siyouni colt and an €800,000 Wootton Bassett colt.
However, that is unlikely to be a problem the Al Shaqab owned two-year-old is likely to face again such was the manner of his display. Post race there was rightly talk that he could be a Guineas prospect next spring.
Under the guidance of jockey Dylan Browne, Saracen was always within striking distance of the leaders and rolling comfortably. When asked for his effort inside the final two furlongs he worked through his gears in good style to stretch away by a widening margin the further they went. On the line, Browne had the luxury of standing up in his irons.
“[Saracen] was impressive, he’s a nice colt and had been showing up well at home,” trainer Joseph O’Brien said postrace.
“He was going to make his debut a few weeks ago, but just had a little setback. He quickened up really smartly there and looks like a smart horse for next season. I’m delighted to have, what potentially looks like, a good horse for Al Shaqab and the team. They’ve been good supporters of ours.”
O’Brien already has his sights on next season with his prospect saying: “This guy will come back for a Guineas trial in the spring. We were a little bit worried about [soft] ground conditions, but you have no choice at this time of year. We were hopeful that he’d cope with them, but given his pedigree and how he looks I’d expect him to be better on a faster surface. Obviously, he’ll have no problem going a bit further as well, given his pedigree.”