More Stakes performances from sons of Havana

It was another big weekend for 2-year-olds by Havana Gold as the granite-tough Chipotle won his second Listed race and ex-Euro import Picota finished third in a Listed race in the US.

Chipotle has now won the Brocklesby Stakes at Doncaster, the Class 2 Royal Ascot Two-Year-Old Trial at Ascot, the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Listed Two Year Old Trophy at Redcar.

He has run nine times this year and proved better than ever on Saturday, also strong at the finish on his first try over six furlongs. Chipotle has earned £139,714 for his connections – he was a superb buy for just 10,000gns by his trainer Eve Johnston Houghton and Highflyer Bloodstock.

Johnson Houghton told press afterwards: “He has danced every dance.

“I think he'll improve again for going up to six furlongs, and he's really tough.

“It's rare for a horse to do what he's done, win the Brocklesby, at Ascot and still be winning in October - but he's pretty good."

The trainer also touched on Chipotle’s entry in the Autumn Horses In Training Sale at Tattersalls:

"There's nothing left this year for him, and he was bought for a two-year-old syndicate, so he's got to go to the sales unfortunately.

"That was the name of the game when we bought him. Some of them might get together and buy him back, I don't know, but his next appointment is in the sale.

"It's not a bad way to sign off anyway - he's done them proud."

Picota was also a bargain buy at 20,000gns from the Tattersalls Book 3 Yearling Sale. After being placed on all three starts for Mark Usher in Britain he was sold to continue his career with Philip d’Amato in North America.

Picota made an instant impact in the US by finished third in the Listed Zuma Beach over a mile on turf at Santa Anita on Sunday, running on late. He follows in the hoofprints of Havana Gold’s son Hariboux who was a British 2-year-old in 2019 before winning Stakes races at Santa Anita last year.