Havana Gold sires Group 1 winner
Havana Gold sired his first Gr. 1 winner when Havana Grey justified favouritism in the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh on Sunday...
Havana Grey was already one of five Stakes winners for Havana Gold before the race - he'd won two Listed races, a Gr. 3 and the Gr. 2 Sapphire Stakes (over the Flying Five course and distance) - and he cemented his status as one of the best sprinters of his generation.
Havana Grey was sent off at 15/8 and made all under Richard Kingscote - with regular jockey P. J. McDonald injured - by half a length from Son of Rest and Gr. 1 winner Sioux Nation. It was a second Gr. 1 winner of the weekend for the Karl Burke yard after Laurens had won the Matron Stakes the previous evening.
Burke told the press after the race: "It's what dreams are made of and this horse really deserved this. He's been so consistent all year and turned up at every gig and yet he's still only a baby."
Kingscote added: "That was pretty straightforward; he knows his job well, pinged the lids and it was a great spare ride to get. He gave me a lovely ride today."
Havana Grey's season hasn't finished yet either as connections intimated that the Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp and Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs, both Gr. 1s, remain on the agenda.
David Redvers has described Havana Grey's victory as "incredibly important" for Havana Gold.
Less than 24 hours after celebrating Roaring Lion's superb win in the Gr. 1 Irish Champion Stakes a Leopardstown, David was still on cloud nine.
He told the Racing Post: "That breakthrough Group 1 win is always incredibly important as it proves the stallion is as good as a stallion as he was a racehorse, so it's a wonderful thing.
"It's particularly good news for his breeder Richard Kent [of Mickley Stud, who bred the colt with Lady Lonsdale] and his support of the stallions - I'm thrilled for him.
"Havana Gold covered 180 mares and was extremely busy this year and will be for several years to come I would think, because next season breeders will be using him following his biggest and best book."
