Sacred emerged as a contender for next month's Qipco 1000 Guineas with a decisive victory in the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket.
A winner on the Rowley Mile at the start of last season, the Cheveley Park Stud-owned filly went on to fill the runner-up spot in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Lowther at York and the Flying Childers at Doncaster.
The daughter of Exceed And Excel disappointed on her final juvenile start in September’s Cheveley Park Stakes – but stepping up to seven furlongs for the first time on her seasonal reappearance, she showed her true colours in a first-time tongue-tie.
Settled in behind the pacesetters for much of the race by Ryan Moore, the 6-1 shot briefly looked as though she could be all dressed up with nowhere to go racing out of the dip.
However, when the gap did come, Sacred displayed smart acceleration to take it and grab the lead – and she was ultimately well on top as she passed the post with three-quarters of a length in hand over the previously unbeaten Saffron Beach.
The @Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes goes to Sacred! 🥇
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) April 14, 2021
Ryan Moore gets the daughter of Exceed And Excel home in front for William Haggas 👏 pic.twitter.com/LgseoEyO70
Winning trainer William Haggas said of Sacred: "She got beat in three Group Twos last year, which was frustrating, before she went off the boil.
"But I’ve always maintained she’d stay, and she’s proved that today. She’s got a nice turn of speed and she picked up really well."
Haggas confirmed the plan to return to Newmarket for next month’s Classic.
"I don’t know the quality of the race – Saffron Beach is a very acceptable first-four shout in the Guineas, I think," he said.
"Ryan said seven is her trip, but I think it’s a no-brainer to come back in two weeks – there’s only one of them a year, and she can always drop back down later.
"I don’t think she does much in front either, so if you’re brave you can wait longer.
"It’s difficult to know with Ryan, because he doesn’t say much even without a mask – so with one on it is hard to get it!"
Saffron Beach is also Guineas-bound.
Her trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam said: "I thought she ran well – I was really pleased, Adam (Kirby) was happy with her, and she ran right through the line.
"She had a good blow, which we knew she would because she’s 85-90% fit, so we’ll look forward to the Guineas now.
"She looked to me as if she’s ready for a mile now, comfortably. She was coming back at the line."
My Oberon (7-1) made an impressive winning start to his campaign for Haggas in the bet365 Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket.
The son of Dubawi shaped with considerable promise as a three-year-old last season, with victory at York followed by successive runner-up finishes at this Group Three level in the Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood and the Superior Mile at Haydock.
Making his first appearance since finishing fifth in Listed company at Redcar in October, My Oberon faced just three rivals on the Rowley Mile – and looks set for a profitable campaign, judged on a clear-cut success.
Always travelling strongly in the hands of James Doyle, the Dubawi colt quickened up smartly to reel in the pace-setting Marie's Diamond before pulling two and a half lengths clear.
Favourite Global Giant, bidding to provide Frankie Dettori with a comeback winner on his first ride in Britain this year, finished last of the quartet.
My Oberon bags a group race! 🏆
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) April 14, 2021
The Group 3 @bet365 Earl Of Sefton Stakes goes to the William Haggas yard, with @the_doyler in the saddle 🎉 pic.twitter.com/2M6Ob8p7zy
Haggas said of the winner: "We always hoped he’d be a nice horse. He’s out of a nice Group-winning mare – and being by Dubawi, they get better with age.
"That was a good start. He ran well against Top Rank last season – and he’d won well with a penalty at Doncaster."
My Oberon is likely to head for the Group One Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury next month.
"I think we’ll go to the Lockinge now – that looks very likely," he said.
"There doesn’t appear to be a standout miler this season.
"I’m quite keen at some stage this season to get him up to 10 furlongs, but I want to run him in a Group One now and try and make him a stallion – so the Lockinge is the obvious one.
"I think he handles soft ground, and obviously Dubawis go on it.
"I haven’t watched a replay yet, so I don’t know if it was the front two getting at it too far out and us picking up the pieces or whether we quickened all the way home. Either way, it was a nice start."
Tactical (6-1) set up a return to Royal Ascot as he provided Britain's Queen Elizabeth with a poignant winner in the bet365 European Free Handicap.
Successful at the Royal meeting last season, the Andrew Balding-trained Toronado colt had questions to answer as his form had tailed off.
When Oisin Murphy had his original path blocked by Adam Kirby on Royal Scimitar he looked like being an unlucky loser, as Naval Crown attempted to make all. But William Buick's mount drifted off the rail, allowing Tactical just enough room to get up and win by a neck.
John Warren, the Queen’s bloodstock adviser, said: "Andrew and I had been discussing with the Queen about his trip and we needed to find out if he was a Jersey horse, a St James’s Palace one or Commonwealth Cup horse.
"Today was a learning mission to see if we’d come back to six (furlongs), but he’s proved seven is no problem so I think all roads lead to Ascot for perhaps the Jersey. He’ll probably have an entry in the St James’s.
"It’s been our imponderable over the winter why his form tailed off, there were mitigating circumstances in the Morny and perhaps he lost his way after that.
"He’d been working very well at home and Andrew was very happy with him. He’s trained on nicely."
Murphy said: "Normally when you get stopped here it’s the end of your race, but watching the replay it didn’t perhaps seem as abrupt as it felt.
"Newmarket’s uphill finish means it’s the slowest part of the race which meant I was able to catch William.
"As he relaxes so well I wouldn’t rule out a mile, but at this time of year there are better options over seven."
