G1 Aspirations for Saxon Warrior Colt

Deep Impact’s dual Group I winning son Saxon Warrior has a very smart colt in Victoria Road (2c Saxon Warrior x Tickled Pink, by Invincible Spirit), who notched his third victory in a row when taking out the Group III Prix de Conde (1700m) at Chantilly on Saturday.

The Aidan O’Brien trained colt was a last start winner of the Listed Criterium du Fonds European de l’Elevage and stepped it up another notch to win by a neck for Ryan Moore with a good margin back to the third horse.

“We are delighted with the horse and delighted for Saxon Warrior as this is his first Group winner,” said Coolmore representative Hermine Bastide.

“Ryan [Moore] says that the horse does the minimum, but hasn't stopped improving. He is a late foal, so that is a very good sign. He is in the [Group I Prix Jean-Luc] Lagardere, but that is over seven furlongs. I am sure Aidan [O’Brien] will have a look at the program and decide which race is best for the horse. He will most certainly be entered in the [Group I] Criterium de Saint Cloud.”

Purchased for 115,000 guineas by MV Magnier from the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, Victoria Road is the first stakes-winner among five winners produced by Group III winning Invincible Spirit mare Tickled Pink.

Victoria Road comes from an outstanding family with Tickled Pink a half-sister to multiple Group I winning blue hen Halfway to Heaven, the dam of two champion fillies by Galileo in Magical and Rhododendron.

Already the sire of 13 winners in the Northern Hemisphere, Saxon Warrior will have his first Australian runners this season and returns at a fee of $19,250.