Dark Saffron shone once again and secured a golden double for Bin Harmash
- Turf Diario
- 28 mar
- 2 Min. de lectura
The sprinter repeated in the Golden Shaheen and, alongside Native Approach, completed a historic day for the local team
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Special for Turf Diario).— On a night where sprinters set the pulse at Meydan, one name stood above the rest: Dark Saffron. The defending champion once again demonstrated his class by claiming the Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) and completing an unforgettable G1 double for the team of Ahmad bin Harmash and Connor Beasley, who shortly before had celebrated with Native Approach (Too Darn Hot) in the Al Quoz Sprint(G1).
The preparation for Dark Saffron was far from simple. After a promising start to the season in November, his performance faded across several outings, including some heavy defeats. An incident in the starting gates affected his confidence and threw him off balance for much of the Dubai Racing Carnival.
But at the right moment, he returned to his old self. Breaking from an outside gate, Beasley put him in the race from the first jump. Fast and aggressive, the horse dove straight into the battle for the lead alongside Tuz (Speightstown) and Khanjar (Kodiac), while the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) champion, Bentornato (Valiant Minister), was left uncomfortable, forced to run off the pace.
And that was the key. Passing the 500-meter mark, Dark Saffron took control and, when the pressure arrived, he responded like a true champion. Bentornato tried to close in the straight, but never managed to reach him. The local runner always had an extra gear and crossed the wire authoritatively, confirming his dominance.
Further back, Cats By Five (Audible) completed the podium, while Tuz, urged early on, faded in the final stages.
With this triumph, Dark Saffron joined a select list of horses capable of repeating in the Golden Shaheen, alongside names like Caller One (Phone Trick) and Mind Your Biscuits (Posse), further reaffirming the weight of international sprinting on the card.
“After what happened during the season, we knew he was getting back to his best level,” Beasley explained. “The last work gave us a lot of confidence. Today he was the horse we knew again.”
Meanwhile, from the Bentornato camp, there was self-criticism. His trainer, José Francisco D’Angelo, noted: “The start conditioned us. We had never seen him run off the pace before. Still, we have time, and the objective remains the Breeders’ Cup.”
For Bin Harmash, the day was perfect. For Beasley, it was unforgettable. And for Dark Saffron, it was confirmation that when champions regain their confidence, they become fearsome once more. At Meydan, under the world's most intense racing lights, he shone brightly on his own terms.
