Sally Wright profiles Havana Grey, a transformative new force on the breeding scene

A British-bred and trained grey (by Havana Gold out of Blanc De Chine by Dark Angel), he was foaled in 2015 and trained throughout his racing career by the North Yorkshire-based Karl Burke, running at two and three years as a five-furlong specialist, winning six of his sixteen outings, with three seconds. He showed great toughness as a two-year-old, winning his second start at Ayr by five lengths before taking a pair of listed events at Sandown. At a rain-soaked Glorious Goodwood, Havana Grey won the Molecomb Stakes by a length-and-three-quarters from the favourite, Invincible Army, and completed his debut season with narrow second-paced efforts in the Prix Morny and Doncaster’s Flying Childers Stakes (half a length behind Heartache). He was classified as a ‘smart’ performer by Timeform at this stage.

The next year, he raced another eight times, competing against top European sprinters, including the Timeform 136-rated Battaash, Prix de l'Abbaye winner Mabs Cross and Phoenix Stakes victor, Sioux Nation. After a couple of lesser pot-boilers, Havana Grey was back to his best, winning the Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh (by a length from Caspian Prince) before going on to crown his superior sprinting status with a front-running victory in the Flying Five at Group 1 level back at the Curragh, taking the race by half a length from Son of Rest, with Sioux Nation further back. His trainer described the win as “the stuff dreams are made of,” although Timeform thought that the performance fell short of the elite depth it demanded, citing the colt’s previous defeats. Defending his charge, Burke praised the consistency and tenacious nature of one “still only a baby” whilst facing older rivals all season. This, though, was to be the peak. A respectable but unplaced finish in the Prix de l’Abbaye proceeded a well-held effort in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs, despite a characteristic burst of speed. Havana Grey then retired at the end of 2018, having achieved a Timeform master rating of 118 and total earnings of £416,421. Sent to the prestigious Whitsbury Manor Stud in Hampshire, England, he stood for an initial (and what would be bargain) fee of £8,000.

WATCH: Havana Grey wins the G1 Flying Five at the Curragh

Combining the paternal bloodlines of Galileo and (on his dam’s side) the rarer Royal Applause, through the grey Dark Angel, Havana Grey has topped sires lists by getting precocious and hardy progeny rated at equal to or above himself. He earned the title of Champion First‑Season Sire (in GB & Ireland) of 2022 and then added Leading Second and Third Crop Sire accolades in Europe as well as specifically in GB & Ireland.

Several Group 3-winning sprinters emerged from his very first crop, foaled in 2020. With over forty winners, including more than a dozen black-type runners, this debut offering included Eddie’s Boy, who won the Prix Eclipse (by over six lengths from Denver Chop) and placed second in the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte. Lady Hollywood dominated in the Prix d'Arenberg to give trainer Alice Haynes her first Group winner, and Rumstar took the Cornwallis, Palace House and Coral Charge (Sprint Stakes), the last named by three-quarters of a length. Shouldvebeenaring won the Prix de Ris-Orangis, earned €663,982 and equalled his sire’s Timeform master rating of 118 before retiring to the Irish National Stud for the 2025 breeding season. Mammas Girl won the seven-furlong Nell Gwyn Stakes and stayed a mile and Almendares won at six furlongs in Ireland before shipping to the US, where he won a Grade 3 event at a mile and stayed a bit further.

Havana Grey’s second crop progressed further. The unbeaten-at-two Vandeek raced solely at six furlongs and stood out with his commanding displays in the Prix Morny (he was subsequently voted Champion 2-y-o Colt in France) and Middle Park Stakes, the latter event being won by over two lengths in “breath-taking fashion.” Described by his jockey James Doyle as “a pure ball of speed,” he later retired to Arrowfield Stud in Australia to pass along his speedy genes and, no doubt, his inherited grey coat. Another grey, Jasour, won the July Stakes by a decisive two lengths at two years and the Pavilion Stakes (Commonwealth Cup Trial) the following year. Elite Status achieved a Timeform top rating of 119, winning the Prix de Cabourg and Hackwood Stakes before joining the Whitsbury Manor Stud stallion roster alongside his sire. He recently had his first mares scanned as being in foal. Finally, the highly tough and multiple-winning sprinter, Rosy Affair, showed significant improvement with age, winning the Prix de Meautry in 2025 as well as a listed event at Haydock on only her second start in 2026 as a five-year-old. Another filly, Beenham, had form as a sprinter in Britain before being sent to Italy to win the Premio Regina Elena at a mile.

From his third crop, Arabian Dusk’s only win to date came as a two-year old in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket but she maintained her Timeform rating of ‘useful’ through to mid-2025, and British/UAE performer Symbol of Honour won the Sandy Lane Stakes at Group Two level at Haydock in the same year. Havana Anna, from her sire’s still-maturing fourth crop of 2023, finished less than a length behind subsequent 1000 Guineas winner True Love in the Cheveley Park Stakes in 2025 before taking the Lacken Stakes (by a head from Oh Cecelia) at Naas in her comeback this year. Sukanya won the Fred Darling Stakes in April of 2026 (by ¾ length from Touleen) and is expected to stay up to a mile. America Queen won her debut then posted a fourth-place finish in the Cheveley Park Stakes as well as finishing a close second to Azleet in the Nell Gwyn. Yet another filly, Black Caviar Gold, won the Weld Park Stakes at the Curragh in 2025 before a solid runner-up effort in the Athasi Stakes there.

Havana Grey has become a dominant European speed sire within a short timeframe. Appearing to nick very well with dams by speedsters such as Showcasing and Sakhee’s Secret, he has also produced reliable results from the daughters of Verglas and Dansili, stallions who both stayed a mile. In 2025, he sired fifteen stakes-winning two-year-olds, achieving a global record.

With a humble stud fee that dipped down to £6,000 before rising to £55,000, Havana Grey has stood for a private price since 2025, and in the days of modern genetic research Whitsbury Manor Stud has demanded a very specific requirement of his mares, in that they be no taller than sixteen hands high. This is to aid the physically compact frame that has brought so much success. To add to this, Havana Grey’s progeny often commands high-end prices in the sales ring. An unraced two-year-old colt, Celestial King (out of Show Stealer), brought a record 1,750,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale in 2025, with countless other progeny fetching up to the region of 650,000 guineas. Already influential, Havana Grey’s bloodline seems more than secure, with every possibility that the best is yet to come.

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