Headway gives Havana Gold Third Stakes Win
Tweenhills' second-crop sire Havana Gold gained his third Stakes win when Headway came late to win the Listed 32Red Spring Cup at Lingfield on Saturday...
Headway had already twice been placed in Gr. 2s as a two-year-old, including when beaten just a head by Rajasinghe in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, and he made his triumphant return in dramatic circumstances, making up many lengths in the home straight to catch runner-up Rufus King strides before the line.
William Haggas was winning the Spring Cup for the third straight year after Ertijaal in 2016 and Second Thought in 2017, though it was a first win in the contest for Headway's ice-cool rider James Doyle.
It was no surprise Headway relished the step up to seven furlongs the Spring Cup given his dam, Medicean mare On Her Way, was successful over 11 furlongs and is half-sister to useful winner up to a mile On Our Way. Headway could now step up to a mile himself in a Guineas - he's now into 25/1 with several firms for the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, though also has the options of Classics in France or Germany.
Our congratulations go to Headway's owners The Royal Ascot Racing Club and his breeders Whatton Manor, Global Equine and Larry Stratton. Headway was bought at Tattersalls Book 2 by John and Jake Warren for 60,000gns, which looks money extremely well spent.
Headway's winning reappearance whets the appetite for the returns of some of Havana Gold's other flagbearers. His Gr. 3-winning son Havana Grey is 16/1 for the Gr. 1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, while the unbeaten trio of Raid, Tabdeed and Worship could be anything. Havana Gold's second Group winner, the filly Treasuring, is still owned by Qatar Racing but now with Simon Callaghan in North America.
