'An example of what perfect balance in a racehorse looked like' - the late Group 1 winner and sire Havana Gold

Havana Gold: his face greeted visitors to Tweenhills Credit: David Redvers

Group 1 Prix Jean Prat winner and sire Havana Gold, who died after sustaining a fatal pelvic injury in his paddock, was a real homegrown success story for the British bloodstock industry.

Aged only 13, Qatar Racing's son of Teofilo is at the head of a more precocious and quicker branch of the Galileo sire line, and from the Tweenhills stable he had called home since retiring to stud in 2014, he became the leading British-based first season sire of 2017 and in 2021 was the leading sire of two-year-olds based in Britain.

"He was one of those proper commercial stallions that could really get a mare going for you - he was a very good sire of two-year-olds and was leading sire of two-year-olds in this country on a couple of occasions," said David Redvers on Friday.

However good he was as a sire, it was as much for his kind nature and friendly temperament Havana Gold endeared himself to all those who came into contact with him and for the Redvers family, whose lives are intertwined so closely with Tweenhills, he will be missed greatly.

"He leaves a big hole in Tweenhills," said David Redvers. "Anybody who has been to Tweenhills knows the stallions sort of live in the house, they're next door to our home and when you look out the kitchen window you can see them.

"Everybody loved Havana Gold. His was the first face you saw when you came up the drive at Tweenhills, as he was looking out the window at you."

Homegrown success for British bloodstock industry

The handsome bay was bred by the late Sir Eric Parker out of the Desert Style mare Jessica's Dream, winner of the Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes and Premio Omenoni. He was offered as a foal by the family's former farm, Crimbourne Stud, at the Tattersalls December Sale. Retained by his vendors, he returned to Newmarket as a yearling and was purchased by Amanda Skiffington for 80,000gns at Book 1.

Havana Gold: sire of 27 stakes performersCredit: Tweenhills

His physique, handsome looks and wonderful conformation were apparent as a yearling, and became even more pronounced in his second career, as he let down into a magnificent stallion.

It was Havana Gold who Redvers would call on to demonstrate the ideal physical make-up of a racehorse.

He said: "I used to pull him out and use him as an example for people who came to see the stallions of what perfect balance in a racehorse looked like, because he had the most wonderful symmetry. He was a very correct horse and very good-looking with a sensational shoulder and hip."

That beautiful balance contributed to his highly successful racing career. Trained by the Hannons, he won a 6f maiden at Newmarket on his debut and followed that with victory over a furlong further at Ascot on his second start. He was struck by misfortune when his saddle slipped in the Listed Prix Francois Boutin at Deauville on his next run, a race won by subsequent Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Style Vendome.

Those first three runs were in the silks of Carmichael Humber. When Havana Gold reappeared in Haydock's Listed Ascendant Stakes, he carried the famous claret of Qatar Racing to victory. His next run, his first at Group level, resulted in victory in the Somerville Tattersall Stakes.

He rounded out his juvenile campaign with a close second in the Tattersalls Millions 2YO Trophy at Newmarket.

Havana Gold made his return in the Craven Stakes, in which he was runner-up to Toronado, who would go on to win the Sussex that year and the Queen Anne the following season.

In an incredibly close finish to the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, he was fifth, just three-parts of a length behind Style Vendome, with Intello in third. Havana Gold went on to be fourth in the Irish 2,000 Guineas to Magician.

His own golden day came on his return to France, where at Deauville he showed tenacity and determination in addition to his talent to earn Group 1 glory in the Prix Jean Prat, defeating top-level winners including Mondialiste and Style Vendome plus the multiple Group 1-placed Anodin.

First-crop Group 1 winner

Havana Gold retired to his new Gloucestershire home and, from the first season his offspring took to the track, established himself as a reliable source of juvenile and sprinting talent.

Redvers said: "The truth is there were younger stallions that were more exciting for people, no doubt, but as far as being a truly dependable commercial sire who year in, year out got tough and reliable two-year-olds particularly and sprinters, he was right up there."

In his very first crop he sired the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes winner Havana Grey, who was successful in the Molecomb, Dragon Stakes and National Stakes at two and as a three-year-old also won the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes.

Havana Gold: brilliant sire will be much missed at longtime home TweenhillsCredit: Tweenhills

The grey retired to Whitsbury Manor Stud and is one of the most exciting young stallions in Europe, having emulated Havana Gold when crowned Britain's leading first-season sire for 2022.

Havana Gold has sired 27 individual stakes performers, with last season's Group 2 Sandy Lane winner El Caballo one of four Group winners by him. His other leading offspring include Group 3 winners Treasuring and Tabdeed.

Trainer Eve Johnson Houghton has handled the careers of two of Havana Gold's best juveniles. First was Chipotle, who won the 2021 Brocklesby and gave his sire a breakthrough Royal Ascot winner in the Windsor Castle Stakes. Chipotle ended his two-year-old season by winning Redcar's Listed Two Year Old Trophy. 

The latest star by Havana Gold in Johnson Houghton's yard is the unbeaten Streets Of Gold, whose five successes last season included the Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale Stakes and culminated in the British EBF £100,000 2YO Series Final at York. He holds an entry in the Irish 2,000 Guineas.

There will be ample opportunity for Havana Gold's progeny to burnish his legacy, with 42 named two-year-olds and 57 yearlings by him still to race. He covered more than 50 mares last spring, with the resulting foals arriving now, and already this month had served around a dozen mares as the new breeding season got under way. 

Redvers added: "We've been here before and everybody who works with horses knows we'll be here again. It's a reminder of how briefly they can be with you and to make the most of them when they're here."

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