Saffron Walden (fr)

Published: 28 May 1999

The Stewards of the Jockey Club have exercised their powers under Rule 31 (xi) of the Rules of Racing and approved the correction in the spelling of the name Saffron Walden (FR), originally registered as Saffron Waldon (FR).

The decision follows a request from the owners of Saffron Walden (FR) and consultation with the French racing authorities, where the colt was bred.

Notes for Editors

1. Rule 31 (xi) states that “A name may not be changed for any horse that has run under the Rules of any Recognised Turf Authority….except that by express permission of the Stewards of the Jockey Club, a correction may be made when, through an error, an incorrect name has been published.”

2. Though trained in Ireland by Aiden O’Brien, the names of Irish based horses are registered by Weatherbys. Consequently, it was the Stewards of the Jockey Club who received the request from Saffron Walden’s owners to consider correcting the spelling of the name. A typing error at the time of the original submission of the name was apparently responsible for the mis-spelling.

3. The names of horses must also be registered in the country where they were bred. Consequently, approval for the name change had to be given by the French authorities as well.

4. Saffron Walden (FR) won the Irish 2000 Guineas last weekend and is an intended runner in the Vodafone Derby at Epsom on Saturday 5th June.