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The Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained Saffron Beach has drifted out to 16/1 for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf race next month after she scoped dirty over the weekend.

The four-year-old is a doubt for the trip to Kentucky after a disappointing run at Newmarket on Saturday.

After winning at Deauville and Leopardstown in her last two runs, William Buick was expected to steer Saffron Beach to victory. She touched 13/8 and went off as the 6/4 favourite in Suffolk, but ultimately disappointed and was beaten by 16 1/2 lengths.

The filly was riden two lengths out and she soon weakened to finish eight of nine behind winner Fonteyn. After finding another gear winning the Matron Stakes in Ireland last month, she failed to challenger her rivals.

She had won impressively in France in August, where she was giving away 7lbs to younger rivals and shes shortened to 8/1 for the Lexington showpiece. But her latest run left her connections scratching their heads.

Jane Chapple-Hyam said: "It is very unfortunate. We got her back to the yard and we scoped her, because she was sound.

"We thought we had better put a scope down her to see if there was anything going on inside, and she scoped dirty, with mucus. She is on a course of antibiotics."

It was a performance reminiscent of her poor showing at Newmarket in July 2021. She finished 11 of 13 that day and started at 14/1, but slumped badly and she did the same over the weekend.

There were no signs of the problem to come when she started on the Rowley Mile.

Chapple-Hyam said: "It was very similar to when she ran a nothing race in last year's Falmouth Stakes. She looked fine on Saturday and got the 'best-turned-out' award, too.

"The frustrating thing is we scoped her after her last gallop, just to check, and everything was clean and she has showed no signs of coughing. Yet we put the scope down after the race and she had a dirty lung."

The plan for the daughter of New Bay is now on hold and Chapple-Hyam will speak to the owners, Lucy, Ben and Ollie Sangster and James Wigan this week to determine her pathway.

Chapple-Hyam added: "We will regroup and I will see the owners at the Tattersalls Sales later in the week.

"She has a few weeks to recover, but I don't know at this stage how the treatment will go.

"At least we have got an answer, because you can be left not knowing."