Havana Anna Stars As Charles Darwin Flops In The Lacken

Marking her return to action on Sunday with a hard-fought win in Naas's G3 Goffs Lacken Stakes, Havana Anna (Havana Grey) booked her ticket to Royal Ascot.

While the even-money favourite Charles Darwin (No Nay Never) proved a major disappointment fading out of contention to be last of the eight runners, the Donnacha O'Brien-trained Cheveley Park Stakes runner-up took full advantage to edge a four-way go.

In the firing line from the outset under Gavin Ryan, the 9-4 second favourite who had won both her starts here at two held the 50-1 outsider Oh Cecelia (Starspangledbanner) by a head at the line, with Tahcawin (Sioux Nation) a further neck away in third and Royal Bay Cen (New Bay) a head behind her as the fillies dominated.

“I thought there was plenty to work on today, it was kind of a starting point,” Donnacha said. “I think she'll improve a lot for that, so we'll head for the Commonwealth Cup all being well. For a filly that wasn't over-big last year, she has grown and strengthened.”

!

Donnacha O'Brien's inmate benefits from a @gavinmryan masterclass in the Group Three @Goffs1866 Lacken Stakes pic.twitter.com/fGqRlPtTOk

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 17, 2026

Pedigree Notes
Havana Anna is the sole black-type performer out of John Pearce's homebred Miss Villefranche (Danehill Dancer), a daughter of the Listed scorer Miss Corniche (Hernando) whose son Moyenne Corniche (Selkirk) was Group 2-placed in Australia. The third dam Miss Beaulieu (Northfields), who captured the Listed Lupe Stakes and was placed in the Sun Chariot and Nassau Stakes before they were upgraded to the highest level, is the ancestress of several classy runners including last month's Listed Blue Riband Trial Stakes runner-up Rebel Rocker (Cityscape).

Miss Villefranche has the two-year-old filly Miss Roquebrune (Caturra) and a yearling filly also by Caturra who was a 35,000gns purchase by Tally-Ho Stud at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.