Saxford, who put in a good effort in the Brocklesby Stakes on the opening weekend of the flat turf season, confirmed that early promise with a length win in the EBF Tarmac Novice Stakes at Newcastle on Saturday to give Reset his first European winner.
Having broken well, the two-year-old gelding led from start to finish and held on well inside the final furlong. Saxford, who is the first foal of seven-furlong winner Bint Makbul (by Makbul), was bred by Malih L Al Basti.
Reset is the second of the first-season Darley stallions to be off the mark following Percolator’s win last week for his sire Kheleyf. Exceed And Excel, who is currently leading freshman in Australia with nine individual scorers including Sunday's first-time-out winner Sheedy, Refuse To Bend and Sulamani will also have first-crop runners in Europe this season.
In Australia, three-year-old Acey Ducey, by Xaar, who now stands for Darley in Japan, landed the G2 Phar Lap Stakes at Canterbury while Principal Dame (Singspiel) was runner-up in the G3 Queen’s Cup at Cheltenham.
