Norfolk Exacta For Havana Grey As Orthodox Goes Two-For-Two

The Stateside raiders put it up to their European counterparts in Royal Ascot's G2 Norfolk Stakes, a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series “Win And You're In” qualifier for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, but had to give best in the closing stages as Clive Cox trainee Orthodox (Havana Grey) surged on by inside the final furlong to lead home an exacta for his Whitsbury Manor Stud-based sire.

“Orthodox won at Salisbury and that was exciting, but we were only scratching the surface,” said trainer Clive Cox, who won this with Reckless Abandon in 2012. “Since then, he has surprised me with the way he has gone with older horses. I thought the guys riding the lead horses at home were getting it wrong a few times, but clearly not. I am proud of everyone, especially the horse. He has been amazing and is just really, really special. His auntie, Heartache, won the Queen Mary for us and that was a special day, but this fellow is the next level. He will go six furlongs and I do not think that will be a problem. Reckless Abandon went from here to the Robert Papin, which was five-and-a-half furlongs in the old days, but is six now. The five-furlong options tend to dry up a little bit and I think he will get six quite cosily. He is just so talented and so fast. Orthodox is an absolute Christian. He has got a wonderful mind and, please God, we can continue the journey.”

Winning rider Rossa Ryan added, “I have been lucky to ride good colts like Persian Force in the past and we were never too far away in races like these, but this lad got me excited. I think he got everyone excited. He went to Salisbury green and he still is. He is still learning and is as laid-back as they come. When I sat into him two down, I was thinking 'watch this.' Once I opened him up, he really dropped down and galloped for me. He is a nice colt, that's for sure. I was a small bit worried would we see what we see on the gallops in the morning, but we saw it today in a true-run race. He has got a smart future ahead of him. He is naturally quick and he has got a great make-up. He is very chilled out, nothing bothers him, and I think stepping up to six will be no problem. Mentally, he is different gravy and I have not dealt with a horse like this lad before and it's quite exciting. Luckily, we've found a nice one and he's done the job.”

The Salisbury maiden winner was positioned in mid-division as the Wesley Ward-trained trio Ez Tina (Golden Pal), Through The Years (No Nay Never) and Fanshell Beach (Corniche) blazed a trail on the front end through the halfway mark.

Urged forward approaching the quarter-mile pole, the well-backed 9-2 chance subdued the latter with 100 yards remaining and powered clear to defeat 150-1 outsider El Floridita (Havana Grey) by 3 1/2 lengths.

The once-raced maiden Mussab (Ten Sovereigns), a 66-1 chance, emerged from the chasing pack to claim third, a neck adrift, nearing the line.

Nigel Tinkler was delighted with the performance of second home El Floridita and said, “He was sold at the Goffs [London] Sale on Monday and cost them £100,000, but I think it was money well spent now. I sold a third of him that day and I don't know now if I should be really pleased or not, but it is nice to have these American fellows putting their money where their mouth is, so best of luck to them. I thought he would finish in the first six or seven and I would have taken sixth. Obviously the winner won very easily, but ours was given a great ride by Rowan [Scott] so happy days. He is not very big but he is strong. He thinks he is too good for this place, he is full of confidence and is a lovely little horse. He will stay at this trip, he is a five-furlong speedster and will go for all those good races now, definitely the [G3] Molecomb. He will stay with me hopefully.”

ORTHODOX takes the @BreedersCup Challenge Series race Norfolk Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot.

The son of Havana Grey was ridden by @Rossaryan15 for trainer Clive Cox. pic.twitter.com/4FPlQMkWQ2

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) June 20, 2026

Pedigree Notes
Orthodox is the latest of three foals and one of two scorers out of the dual stakes-placed Heartwarming (Showcasing), herself a full-sister to G3 Cornwallis Stakes third Unbreak My Heart.

Her second dam, the stakes-placed G3 Prix de Saint-Georges third Place In My Heart (Compton Place), is also the dam of G2 Queen Mary and G2 Flying Childers victrix Heartache (Kyllachy).

Heartache, in turn, is the dam of Group 3-winning G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and G1 Matron Stakes placegetter Exactly (Frankel), Listed Ruby Stakes victor Salt Lake City (Galileo) and the dual Group 3-placed Signora (Frankel).

Saturday, Royal Ascot, Britain
NORFOLK STAKES-G2, £175,000, Ascot, 6-20, 2yo, 5fT, :59.42, g/f.
1–ORTHODOX (GB), 129, c, 2, by Havana Grey (GB)
                1st Dam: Heartwarming (GB) (MSP-Eng), by Showcasing (GB)
                2nd Dam: Place In My Heart (GB), by Compton Place (GB)
                3rd Dam: Lonely Heart (GB), by Midyan
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (175,000gns Wlg '24 TADEWE; €175,000 Ylg '25 GOFORY). O-J Goddard; B-Whitsbury Manor Stud; T-Clive Cox; J-Rossa Ryan. £99,243. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $142,296. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–El Floridita (GB), 129, c, 2, Havana Grey (GB)–Ascot Jungle (Ire), by Bungle Inthejungle (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (25,000gns RNA Ylg '25 TATSOM; £50,000 2yo '26 GOUKB). O-K Dole; B-Whitsbury Manor Stud; T-Nigel Tinkler. £37,625.
3–Mussab (GB), 129, c, 2, Ten Sovereigns (Ire)–Exuding (GB), by Showcasing (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (5,000gns Ylg '25 TATOCT; £54,600 2yo '26 TATGBU). O-Sheikh Abdullah Almalek Alsabah; B-D J & Mrs Deer; T-Richard & Peter Fahey. £18,830.
Margins: 3HF, NK, NK. Odds: 4.50, 150.00, 66.00.
Also Ran: Social Symbol, Fanshell Beach, Ez Tina, Mr Macartney (GB), Agamemnon (GB), Carry The Flag (Ire), Blake's Monarch (Ire), Sovereign Glory (GB), Where Love Lives (Ire), Star Prospect (Ire), Tribeca (Ire), Underdog (GB), Through the Years (Ire), Force Noir (Ire), Persian Spring (Ire), Savage Mariner (Ire), Flight Signal (GB), New Yorker.