Roger Varian’s patience could be rewarded when his London Gold Cup hero Saddadd takes the next step of his promising career at Sandown on Saturday.
The exciting son of Pinatubo, who is closely related to Ed Walker’s star performer Almaqam, has like many been kept on the sidelines on account of the dry summer since his taking display at Newbury in May.
However, the Carlburg Stables handler is now hoping conditions can prove suitable in Esher for the talented three-year-old to serve a reminder of his potential in the Read Meg Nicholls’ Blog At betmgm.co.uk Handicap.
Gutsy!
Saddadd chases down Lightening Mann to win the London Gold Cup at @NewburyRacing!@SilvDSousa | @varianstable pic.twitter.com/jsTwzwXbRF
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 17, 2025
Varian said: “We’ve been waiting for the ground with Saddadd and I thought we got away with the ground at Newbury in the London Gold Cup. Hopefully Sandown can catch a few of those forecast showers and he can race on a nice kind surface on Saturday.
“He’s a horse with a big future and he is a big, burly horse, so who knows he might be a bit rusty on Saturday, but hopefully not and he’s been training nicely and he’s a lovely horse for the future.”
A considered approach is also hoped to pay dividends with Raammee who set plenty of tongues wagging with the style he won his opening outing at Kempton.
Remarkable! Raammee thunders home to make a winning start for @varianstable @kemptonparkrace 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Y4UXp7lXyP
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 6, 2025
Carrying the same colours of Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum as Saddadd, it took Varian until the August of his three-year-old season to unleash the son of Persian King, but he delivered in spades with a fast-finishing display that hints at a bright future.
He is set to be kept to calm waters for the time being, with Varian saying: “He’s a lovely horse and I think we’ll turn up in a novice somewhere in September then take it from there.
“We’ll take it slowly and he’s required a degree of patience as you can imagine and we were rewarded with a promising debut effort. We’re now looking forward to seeing how he can build off that.”