Mitchell lands 1st G1 with Saddadd
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Jack Mitchell kissing Saddadd after they won the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden at Baden-Baden on Sept 6.
PHOTO: WETTSTAR.DE/MARC RUHL
Sharon Zhang
British galloper Saddadd gave jockey Jack Mitchell his first Group 1 success when he took out the €300,000 (S$441,000) Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden at Baden-Baden on Sept 6.
Trained by Roger Varian for Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum, the Pinatubo four-year-old ($22) defeated French challenger Parachutiste (Clement Lecoeuvre) by ½ length at his first attempt over the 2,400m trip. German runner Bright Light (Benjamin Marie) finished third.
Race favourite Giavellotto (Billy Loughnane) started prominently, but the Marco Botti-trained galloper tired in the straight to run fourth.
After winning the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes (2,000m) in April, Saddadd finished third in the Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup (2,100m). He then ran fourth to Constitution River in the Group 1 Coral-Eclipse Stakes (2,000m) last time before travelling to Germany for the first time.
Mitchell, whose previous biggest win came in the Group 2 German 1000 Guineas (1,600m) aboard the Charlie Johnston-trained Timeforshowcasing, was no stranger to German racing.
“For 13 years, I have been coming back to Germany again and again. This is the greatest triumph of my career,” said the English jockey.
“That was a great performance by the team. I’m speechless.
“Even if we started on the outside, I was able to get him into the field well. In the straight, my horse pulled away and showed his stamina.”
