Havana Gold's Havana Grey Wires The Flying Five

Havana Grey | Racing Post

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   Lining up as favourite for Sunday's upgraded G1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five S. over The Curragh's five panels, Havana Grey (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) had annexed the July 22 G2 Sapphire S. over course and distance, but slipped off the board in the Aug. 3 G2 King George S. at Goodwood and Aug. 24 G1 Nunthorpe S. at York last time. Away sharply to assert for control after the initial strides, last term's G1 Prix Morny runner-up was scrubbed along at halfway and kept on resolutely under a power drive inside the final quarter mile to hold on for a career high, enhancing a banner weekend for trainer Karl Burke and earning a berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs in November. At the line, he had a half length and a neck to spare over Son of Rest (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Sioux Nation (Scat Daddy), who emerged best in a four-way blanket finish for the minor placings. “It's what dreams are made of,” said Burke after claiming his second top-level winner of the weekend after the victory of Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in Saturday's G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown. “He deserved this as he's been so consistent, he's turned up to every gig and is still only three. There is plenty of interest in him to go to stud so we'll have to sit down with the owners and see what we do–whether he stays in training next year or whether he's sold now. He was quite small last year, but he's got a fantastic walk for a sprinter and I was always confident he'd train on. It was always going to be tough at the start of the year because there just isn't the oportunities. We were disappointed with a couple of his early runs [this year], but I always had it my mind that he'd come good and thankfully he has. Richard [Kingscote] gave him a great ride and he went down [to post] like an old sheep. He pinged the stalls and was very straightforward. This is a fantastic weekend and we've been looked after brilliantly.” Looking ahead, the trainer added, “He's in the [Oct. 7 G1 Prix de l'] Abbaye [on Arc day] and I'd say that will be top of the agenda. I don't think I'd run him in the Abbaye if it came up very soft. He wouldn't want it rock hard either, but nice ground suits as he's got a high cruising speed with a good kick.”

   Havana Grey is a full-brother to the placed 2-year-old colt Havana Ooh Na Na (GB) and a colt foal and half to a yearling colt by Fast Company (Ire). They were produced by a winning half-sister to G3 Molecomb S. runner-up Fast Act (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}), from a family featuring G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine and G1 1000 Guineas runner-up Al Bahathri (Blushing Groom {Fr}), herself the dam of five stakes performers headed by G1 2000 Guineas-winning sire Haafhd (GB) (Alhaarth {Ire}) and G1 Coronation S. runner-up Hasbah (Ire) (Kris {GB}).

Sunday, Curragh, Ireland
DERRINSTOWN STUD FLYING FIVE S.-G1, €350,000, Curragh, 9-16, 3yo/up, 5fT, :59.59, g/y.
1–HAVANA GREY (GB), 129, c, 3, by Havana Gold (Ire)
1st Dam: Blanc de Chine (Ire), by Dark Angel (Ire)
2nd Dam: Nullarbor (GB), by Green Desert
3rd Dam: Bloudan, by Damascus
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (42,000gns Wlg '15 TATFOA; €70,000 Ylg '16 ARAUG). O-Global Racing Club & Mrs E Burke; B-Mickley Stud & Lady Lonsdale (GB); T-Karl Burke; J-Richard Kingscote. €206,500. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng & G1SP-Fr, 14-6-3-0, $551,719. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”bba-ireland-shell”][bullet ad=”sold-by-coulonces-consignment-haras-du-grand-chene”]2–Son of Rest (GB), 130, c, 4, Pivotal (GB)–Hightime Heroine (Ire), by Danetime (Ire). (40,000gns Wlg '14 TATFOA; €70,000 Ylg '15 GOFORB). O-B Parker; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-Fozzy Stack. €70,000.
3–Sioux Nation, 129, c, 3, Scat Daddy–Dream The Blues (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Fethard Bloodstock (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. €35,000. [bullet ad=”irt-shell”][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred”]Margins: HF, NK, HF. Odds: 1.85, 22.00, 5.00.
Also Ran: Hit The Bid (GB), Take Cover (GB), Different League (Fr), Gorane (Ire), Battle of Jericho, Now You're Talking (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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