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Varian contemplating step up in trip for Saddadd
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Thu 16 Jul 2026
Roger Varian is contemplating a move up in distance with Saddadd, with a trip to Germany to avenge a defeat suffered by the handler’s former Group One star Defoe a possibility in the autumn.
The son of Pinatubo has always been held in high regard by the Carlburg Stables team and outlined his top-class credentials when winning the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown earlier in the season.
Relive Saddadd's Gordon Richards Stakes victory.
He followed that up with a fine third on his first taste of Group One action at the Curragh in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and although not disgraced when fourth in the Coral-Eclipse behind Constitution River most recently, Varian has now been left to ponder if the time is right to test the waters over further.
Varian said: “We’re just giving Saddadd an easy couple of weeks, he came out of the Eclipse fine, but we’re just considering where we will go with him.
“He ran to me like a horse who is well worth moving up to a mile and a half and he just didn’t look quick enough on summer ground against those top mile and a quarter horses.
“He stayed on admirably and didn’t disgrace himself and over a mile and a half, if he was to get the extra distance, then I still think he has Group One capabilities and he showed that the time before at the Curragh.
“He didn’t run quite as well as in Ireland at Sandown but for whatever reason he was a little slow into stride and a little bit on the back foot after that.”
Varian is yet to decide on the destination of Saddadd’s next start, or in fact when to enact the colt’s move to a mile and a half, but one race the trainer does have in mind is Baden-Baden’s Grosser Preis von Baden on September 6.
William Haggas’ Dubai Honour went close in the Group One event 12 months ago, but back in 2018 it was Varian’s Defoe who suffered an agonising defeat in the race at the hands of Saeed bin Suroor’s Best Solution, with the continental contest providing somewhat unfinished business for the Newmarket handler.
“I’ve not settled on his next start yet and it might depend on how far I do decide to go with him but I quite like the idea of that Group One in Baden-Baden in September,” said Varian, who retains the utmost confidence in Saddadd.
“Defoe was just beaten in that race so I would like to go back and try to win that.
“I still think Saddadd is a horse with his best days ahead of him and I think a mile and a half is worth a go at some stage, whether that is next time or later in the autumn.”
Saddadd may have fallen short at Sandown during Eclipse weekend, but there was another taking victory for stablemate Sallaal after the ever-improving son of Frankel followed up his demolition in handicap company at Epsom by picking up Listed honours in the Gala Stakes.
He will now head to a race scheduled for Haydock on August 8 and Varian said: “Sallaal is in great form and he’ll next go to Haydock for the Rose of Lancaster, the Group Three over 10 furlongs.”
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