Small in stature, Havana Grey is one of Europe’s hottest and most interesting sires and Australian breeders should probably learn a bit more about him given his Champion 2YO Colt Vandeek (GB) is shuttling to Arrowfield Stud this spring.
Overnight at Naas in Ireland, Havana Grey sired his 26th stakes-winner when the Donnacha O’Brien trained two year-old filly Havana Anna took out the Listed Marwell Stakes (5f) as favourite.
Placed at her first two starts before winning her maiden at Naas last month, she made it two wins on the trot with a facile three and a half length romp with Gavin Ryan in the saddle.
Havana Anna has an entry for the Group II Lowther Stakes at York next month.
A €65,000 euro purchase for her trainer from the Castlebridge Consignment from Goffs Orby Book 1, she was a pinhook winner having been bought from the Tattersalls December Foal Sale for 41,000 guineas.
Havana Anna is the first stakes-winner among six winners from Miss Villefranche, a winning Danehill Dancer daughter of stakes-winner Miss Corniche.
A fast and precocious juvenile that trained on at three to win the Group I Flying Five (5f) at The Curragh, Havana Grey was at his best over the minimum trip of 5f.
He started at a modest fee £8,000 before dropping as low as £6,500 and has proven adept at transmitting his dazzling speed with his first four crops producing 26 stakes-winners at 8.3% SW to runner and all of those SW’s are sprinters.
Havana Anna is one of 20 2YO winners from 44 starters so far this year and is his second juvenile SW this year.
Havana Grey earned a big fee increase to stand at £55,000 in 2024 and then had his fee announce as private for this year with a height restriction imposed on the mares he covers.
“Although Havana Grey is still very much open for business for a restricted number of outside mares, we have decided to make his fee private. This is due to the importance of managing his mares to be of suitable height for him in the covering shed and for his own welfare and continued good fertility,” Joe Callan, head of bloodstock and sales at Whitsbury Manor, said when fees were announced earlier this year.
According the Wetherbys stallion book Havana Grey stands at just 15.2 ½ hands, so Whitsbury Manor Stud will take only mares standing 16 hands or less.
The first Group I winner for Havana Grey, Vandeek is a much larger model than his sire and stands at 16.1 ½ hands.
His fee at Arrowfield is $22,000.
