Scots Wha' Hae: Flying Juveniles Have Sackville On A High

GOODWOOD, UK–Goodwood has been especially glorious this week for Ed Sackville, wearing two slightly different hats as bloodstock advisor and agent.

First, Trillium (GB) (No Nay Never) blazed a trail in the G3 Molecomb S. for the Keswick family's Rockcliffe Stud, in which Sackville has played an active role in helping to assemble a broodmare band. The filly's success was followed on Thursday by victory in the G2 Richmond S. for Dr Jim and Fitri Hay's Royal Scotsman (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who was bought by SackvilleDonald for 125,000gns at Book 2 of last year's Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. 

“I have been lucky enough to be able to buy some horses for Dr Hay in the last couple of years and I am so pleased that his trust in me has been rewarded,” said the agent.

Trained by Paul and Oliver Cole, Royal Scotsman has now won two of his four starts and was third behind Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) and subsequent G2 July S. winner Persian Force (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) in the G2 Coventry S. at Royal Ascot. 

Sackville continued, “Royal Scotsman looks like a hugely exciting prospect. I know that Alex Cole and his father and brother were disappointed in the Coventry and obviously now he has shown his true colours. Also, when one looks at the form of the Coventry, it looks like it was an exceptional race.”

Paul Cole added of the colt, “Nothing worries him, he is a fantastic horse. There is the possibility of stepping up in trip, but he has a lot of speed and is out of a fast mare. I can't see anything around that has as much speed as him. There are very good races on the horizon such as the Morny and potentially York [the Gimcrack]. I'm not good at making quick decisions.”

While Cole mulls his options, trainer Richard Hannon will be doing similar in regard to Trillium, who is now a dual winner. 

“[Wednesday] was equally exciting,” said Sackville. “It was obviously different in that she is a homebred for the Keswick family, and to me it was a truly important homebred in that the family had Snow Lantern last year, and Snow Lantern is out of [1000 Guineas winner] Sky Lantern who was originally bought as a yearling, whereas this filly Trillium is a granddaughter of Asaawir. When the Keswicks decided to form Rockcliffe Stud Asaawir was one of the foundation mares we bought from three original mares, so to win the Molecomb with a second-generation Keswick-bred filly is arguably more significant for the stud than winning the Falmouth Stakes with Snow Lantern.”

The fourth foal of Asaawir (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}) was the dual winner and Group 3-placed Marsh Hawk (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who has now produced two black-type horses for Rockliffe Stud in Trillium and the Listed runner-up Mohawk King (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}). Her Iffraaj (GB) colt foal will be consigned as lot 113 by Highclere Stud to the forthcoming Goffs UK Premier Sale. 

“We still own Marsh Hawk, who is only a 10-year-old mare. She has an Iffraaj yearling going to Doncaster and a Wootton Bassett colt foal, and she is back in foal to the great No Nay Never,” Sackville noted. 

“Trillium is a very exciting prospect. I think now that she is a group winner anything else is a bonus. We will probably aim her high, be it the Morny or the Cheveley Park or the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.”

He added, “I think that the most important thing about these two horses is that they are owned by British-based owners who have put a huge amount into the business, and obviously we as an industry are hugely grateful for the international support that we get, but I think that it is nice to have some locally-owned, high-profile winners. 

“The Arqana, Doncaster and Fairyhouse catalogues are already out online and I think that winners like these are a great reflection of the strength and depth of the British and Irish breeding industries.”