Success home and away: Havana Gold gets first winner down under

The Tweenhills Stud-based Havana Gold was provided with his first Australian winner when the Tim Martin-trained Caribbean Gold opened his account at the third time of asking at Kembla Grange in New South Wales on Thursday.

Bred by Theakston Stud, Caribbean Gold was purchased by Yeomanstown Stud for 28,000gns at the 2015 edition of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale and after failing to make his reserve at the Goffs Orby Sale, was sent to the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale, where he was acquired by Sydney-based syndicators Import Racing for £34,000.

He finished out of the frame in this first two starts at Hawkesbury and Gosford, but there was no denying the three-year-old gelding on Thursday, leading all the way to comfortably beat High Potential by just over a length in the Mullet Creek Mile Maiden Plate over a mile.

The three-year-old gelding is out of two-time winning Hurricane Run mare Fugnina, who was herself bred by Azienda Agricola Francesca, and she was bought by Theakston Stud for 15,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2011.

Caribbean Gold is a half-brother to useful hurdler Lord Topper, a winner on the Flat for Charlie Hills and later twice successful over hurdles for Jamie Snowden.

His other half-sibling is two-time winner Fanfair, who is in training with Richard Hannon and raced by Theakston Stud after she was also bought back for 7,000gns at the Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale.

Fugnina herself is out of the Listed-winning and 2004 Italian Oaks runner-up Step Danzer, making her a half-sister to four winners including Group 2 Ascot Summer Mile winner Fanunalter. Step Danzer is a daughter of Listed winner Salsa Sound, who in turn produced Italian Group 3 winner Baila Salsa.

Caribbean Gold is the sole representative in Australia for Havana Gold, while in the northern hemisphere he has sired 38 winners in total, five of them stakes winners, including Group 2 winner Havana Grey and Group 3 scorerTreasuring.

By Darley’s former shuttler Teofilo - who will not return to Kelvinside this spring having commenced covering duties in the southern hemisphere in 2009 - Havana Gold stood at Tweenhills Stud in Gloucestershire for a fee of £15,000 this year.

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