Havana Grey (GB)

Less than 10 lots into the second session of the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale, lot 98 quickly equaled Tuesday's top price of 525,000gns, going, once again, to Anthony Stroud on behalf of Godolphin. Consigned, just like Tuesday's New Bay (GB) colt topper, by Katie Walsh's Greenhills Farm, the Havana Grey (GB) filly is a full-sister to four-time winner Secret Guest (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) from the family of G1 Prix de l'Abbaye winner Gilt Edge Girl (GB) (Monsieur Bond {Ire}). She was picked up for 80,000gns out of the Tattersalls...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Observations features the return of a multiple group-placed son of Justify. 15.30 Chelmsford, Cond, £100,000, 3yo, 8f (AWT) CAPULET (IRE) (Justify) is a big draw for Chelmsford in this Woodford Reserve Cardinal Conditions Stakes which acts as part of the "Road To The Kentucky Derby" series. Runner-up in...

The flooded fields that line the approach to Spigot Lodge might suggest differently, but spring has finally arrived in Middleham and that can only mean one thing in these parts. On Good Friday, as tradition dictates, a handful of the town's racing stables will invite the public in for a look behind the scenes as part of the annual Middleham Open Day, organised by Racing Welfare. Spigot Lodge promises to be the first port of call for many visitors, with trainer Karl Burke expecting to welcome between 200-300 people during...

   Juddmonte stallions Frankel (GB) and Kingman (GB) have been announced as the big winners in the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA)'s annual Flat statistical-based awards. The awards take into account British and Irish statistics for British-based stallions for 2023. Frankel took the BBA Silver Cigar Box for the second time in three years as Britain's leading sire by total earnings in 2023 with £7,143,651. Frankel, who was crowned champion sire in Britain and Ireland, sired 11 individual Group 1 winners in 2023, with his notable runners on home soil including...

Havana Grey (GB) was the most profitable British- and Irish-based yearling sire of 2023 according to the newly-published Weatherbys Bloodstock Sales Review. Havana Grey topped the standings with a profitability index of 10.75, comfortably ahead of the next best stallion, Sioux Nation, on 6.61. Those figures were calculated by dividing each sire's 2023 yearling average by their covering fee of 2021, when the offspring in question were conceived. It was another hugely successful year on the racecourse for the progeny of Havana Grey, with the G1 Prix Morny and G1...

Of the 95 lots catalogued for the Tattersalls Online January Sale from Jan. 17-18, the highlight is undoubtedly a breeding right in sire-on-the-rise Havana Grey (GB) (lot 95), who stands at Whitsbury Manor Stud. The grey is now the sire of the dual Group 1-winning juvenile Vandeek (GB) and other group winners Jasour (GB), Elite Status (GB), Mammas Girl (GB), Rumstar (GB), Eddie's Boy (GB), and Lady Hollywood (GB) among his best runners. There are also breeding rights in Cracksman (GB) (lot 92), the sire of the undefeated G1 Prix...

A breeding right to Havana Grey (GB) will highlight 113 lots catalogued for the Tattersalls Online December Sale, which takes place Dec. 13-14. The sale includes 66 horses in/out of training, 16 foals, 13 broodmares, nine breeding rights, five yearlings, a pair of store horses, one point-to-pointer and a stallion. A breeding right to the son of Havana Gold (Ire) topped the Online November Sale at 280,000 guineas. This season's leading second crop sire has sired 16 group/listed winners and 31 group/listed performers in his first two crops, led by...

  In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Unconquerable Keen at Del Mar.   Keen Rides Out The Storm At Del Mar It was another stakes victory for the Phil D'Amato barn with the former European runner Unconquerable Keen (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) in the Stormy Liberal S. at Del Mar on Saturday (video). Bred by Nicholas Hartery, the 4-year-old gelding managed a pair of victories in his native land in the...

The Aga Khan Studs' Zarak (Fr) took pride of place in Tuesday's Arqana November Online Sale, with a share in the Group 1 sire topping the sale at €420,000. Sold as lot 1 to 53 Racing, the share was one of 15 lots offered on the day. Zarak sired his first Group 1 winner in Germany this year with Zagrey (Fr), and is also represented by group winners Haya Zark (Fr), Parnac (Fr), Princess Zelda (Ger), and Shagara (Ire). Sire-of-the-moment Havana Grey (GB), who topped the first day of the...

Bobby O'Ryan and Dermot Weld purchased the top two lots during the second session at the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale on Thursday. A filly (lot 727) from the family of Gilt Edge Girl (GB) (Monsieur Bond {Ire}) by Havana Grey (GB) topped the session and the two-day sale at €65,000 from the consignment of Erenagh House Stud. Earlier in the day, lot 538, a son of Blue Point (Ire), brought €50,000 from the same duo from the draft of Rochestown Lodge Stud. Across the two days, the clearance rate dropped...

Dual Group 1 winner Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) will not run in the G1 Dewhurst S. and instead be prepared for a 3-year-old sprinting campaign, according to Chris Wall, racing manager for KHK Racing. Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, the grey colt is undefeated in four six-furlong starts, beginning at Nottingham in July, followed by the G2 Richmond S., G1 Prix Morny and Saturday's G1 Middle Park S. in the yellow-and-black-striped colours of Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa's KHK Racing. Royal Ascot's G1 Commonwealth Cup S. is...

Ruthlessly efficient and utterly dominant in Saturday's G1 Juddmonte Middle Park S. at Newmarket, KHK Racing's sprinter supreme Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}--Mosa Mine {GB}, by Exceed And Excel {Aus}) sealed his elevated status by becoming the sixth G1 Prix Morny winner to double up here since 2012. Sent off the heavily-supported 5-4 favourite to add to his tally which as well as the Deauville highlight also includes the G2 Richmond S., the Simon and Ed Crisford trainee was over-enthusiastic in the early stages as James Doyle struggled to contain...