Landmark first Classic success for Havana Grey as Beenham wins the Italian 1,000 Guineas

Sunday was a red-letter day on both sides of the Irish Sea as Whitsbury Manor Stud's Havana Grey sired his first Classic winner Beenham, who is also a first winner of that type for her young breeders Conor Quirke and Kathryn Birch.

Beenham, who was bred by the couple at their Cork farm of Hunting Hill Stud, captured the Group 3 Premio Regina Elena (Italian 1,000 Guineas) on her first start for trainer Fabio Boccardelli, having been acquired privately for her new Italian connections.

She is the eighth individual Group winner from the first two crops of her sire Havana Grey who has been an enormous success for Whitsbury Manor Stud, where he has been based since retiring in 2019. Beenham is from the same crop as last season's Group 1 Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes winner Vandeek and is one of 17 stakes winners by the son of the late Havana Gold, who was successful at the highest level in the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes.

His first Classic winner is one of five successful produce from seven runners for the Listed Prix de la Vallee d'Auge third Ares Choix, a Choisir half-sister to Group 3 Chartwell Fillies' Stakes winner Emerald Star, by Mount Nelson. They are out of Listed Prix de la Seine winner Ares Vallis, a daughter of Caerleon.

Further back, the family is that of Australian Derby winner Angel Of Truth.

A three-parts sister to First Name Terms by Havana Gold, Beenham was offered for sale by her breeders' Hunting Hill Stud at the Goffs November Foal Sale where she was unsold at €12,500.

Birch and Quirke took her to the Tattersalls Somerville Sale and trainer Rod Millman went to 30,000gns to secure the filly who would go on to win a 5f Goodwood novice in early May last year. Placed on two further occasions on her nine starts at two, she was offered from Millman's stables on behalf of then owner David Klein at the Tattersalls Autumn Horses-In-Training Sale where she was an 18,000gns buyback.

Ares Choix has a yearling filly by Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Awtaad and foaled a daughter by Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner and 2,000 Guineas second King Of Change this spring.

It continues a remarkable run of success for Birch and Quirke, who in his role as bloodstock agent sourced last year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, Group 2 Flying Childers and Group 3 Molecomb Stakes winner Big Evs.

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