Havana Anna Reignites Breeders' Dashed Hopes

There can be few crueller blows than Classic dreams being dashed after a winter fuelled by expectation and excitement. 

This was sadly the case for all those connected with last year's champion two-year-old Gewan (Night Of Thunder), who suffered a fatal injury in April while being prepared for the 2,000 Guineas. Trained by Andrew Balding for Forz Europe, the colt would have been an obvious prospect for that same owner's fledgling stallion operation at Ace Stud.

Gewan's breeders, Charlie Wyatt of Dukes Stud and Simon Sweeting of Overbury Stud, were this week included on the shortlist of nominees for the TBA's Special Merit Award, while his dam Grey Mystere (Lethal Force) is shortlisted for Broodmare of the Year at the TBA's Flat Awards for 2025, which are to be announced on July 8 at a ceremony sponsored by Ace Stud.

For Wyatt and Sweeting, however, it was not solely Gewan who gave them cause for cheer in 2025. In the list for the TBA's Filly of Merit Award is Havana Anna (Havana Grey), who was also bred under the Dukes Stud and Overbury Stallions partnership and who was runner-up to subsequent 1,000 Guineas winner True Love (No Nay Never) in last year's G1 Cheveley Park Stakes. She also won the Listed Marwell Stakes and was beaten a nose when second in the G3 Prix d'Arenberg during a productive juvenile campaign for Gaynor Bloodstock and Donnacha O'Brien. 

Over the weekend, Havana Anna reignited the Group 1 dream for her breeders by winning the G3 Goffs Lacken Stakes, setting her up for a shot at the Commonwealth Cup.

“I presume they are heading to Royal Ascot, and why not?” says Wyatt, whose family-owned Dukes Stud sits just outside Newmarket. “It's very exciting. They've had a lot of fun with her; let's hope the dream continues.”

As longstanding friends, Wyatt and Sweeting decided to buy a few mares together some 25 years ago, with some living at Dukes Stud and others at Overbury. They enlisted another friend, Richard Brown, to guide them in their purchases. The modest duo joked last year that after they had “thrown enough mud at the wall” some of it had stuck, resulting in one of the most exciting juvenile colts in Europe in 2025. Perhaps Havana Anna went a little under the radar compared to Gewan, though not for her breeders. 

“To have had those two in the one year was extraordinary,” Wyatt says. “Now we're down to the one, so every success Havana Anna can have is wonderful. We're so pleased for her connections and for Donnacha O'Brien, just as we were so sad for Forz Europe and Andrew Balding. 

“Apparently Gewan's work had been very good and everything was looking rosy. But then look at Bow Echo – the Guineas winner was so impressive. Who knows how he would have fared? But anyway, it wasn't to be, and so we will try again with something else. It may take us another 25 years!”

Havana Anna, right, wins the Goffs Lacken Stakes | Racingfotos

In fact, though, they may not have to wait much more than 25 days before Havana Anna lines up for her next Group 1 target, and her success on the track last year earned her dam Miss Villefranche (Danehill Dancer) a trip to Banstead Manor Stud to visit Chaldean. Following Havana Anna are yearling and two-year-old fillies by Overbury Stud resident Caturra. 

“She didn't get in foal to Caturra last year and, nothing against him, but Chaldean's foals sold extremely well at the December sales. They were very good looking, so we sort of jumped on the bandwagon a year too late,” Wyatt explains. “The mare spends most of her time at Overbury, and she was covered way back in February and got in foal first pop.”

While Sweeting has custody of Miss Villefranche, Wyatt's star resident is the nine-year-old Grey Mystere – at least she will be once she returns from Ireland, having been covered again this year by Gewan's sire, the reigning champion Night Of Thunder. The mare's latest colt by Native Trail was sold at last year's December Foal Sale for 500,000gns and is also now in the ownership of Ace Stud, as is Grey Mystere's first offspring, Too Darn Mystery (Too Darn Hot), who was bought the following week as a broodmare prospect. 

“She's 80-something days in foal and she will be coming back from Ireland at some stage,” Wyatt says of Grey Mystere.

The mare will eventually be joined at Dukes Stud by the homebred First Instinct, who should provide some entertainment prior to Royal Ascot by lining up in Saturday's G2 Temple Stakes at Haydock. Trained by William Haggas, the four-year-old daughter of Bated Breath also holds entries for the G1 King Charles III Stakes and the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. 

“This is nothing to do with Sweeting. This is the family's Dunchurch Lodge Stud Company,” Wyatt says. “First Instinct is Group 2-placed and a Group 3 winner, and she's four now, so we're trying to sneak a bit more black type if we can, though I have a feeling we're going to bump into Wathnan's Night Raider.”

He added of the drive to Haydock from Newmarket, “I can't wait to sit in the car all day long. It's a long flipping way. I asked Richard Brown if I could jump in his aeroplane but unfortunately he's coming from Dublin.”

The miles may fly by – if not literally – on the way home, however, as First Instinct has shown a liking for Haydock already, having won a novice fillies' contest there at two and then placing in last year's Sandy Lane Stakes. 

Wyatt added, “I did that drive last year and she came third in the Group 2, so it made it all worthwhile.”