Saffron Walden (horse) Aidan O'Brien at Ballydoyle. He was ridden in all but two of his races by Mick Kinane. The horse's name was originally spelled "Saffron Waldon" but was later amended to match the name of the town in Essex. The error was believed to have occurred when a fax message was misread and was only corrected after the colt won the Irish 2000 Guineas. He was from the eleventh crop of foals sired by Sadler's Wells, who won the Irish 2000 Guineas, Eclipse Stakes and Irish Champion Stakes in 1984 went on to be the Champion sire on fourteen occasions. Saffron
Saffron Walden (horse) in straight he was beaten one and a half lengths by the Jim Bolger-trained filly Athlumney Lady. On his three-year-old debut Saffron Walden started odds-on favourite for a maiden race over one mile at the Curragh on 28 March. Despite sweating up before the start he tracked the leaders before going to the front a furlong from the finish and won "easily" by a length from Carhue Gold. Three weeks later the colt contested the Listed 2000 Guineas Trial Stakes over the same distance at Leopardstown and started 8/11 favourite ahead of the National Stakes winner Mus-If. He turned into