Fine result for Whitsbury Manor and mob-handed Havana Grey

With three-fifths of the field in Friday's BetVictor St Hugh's Stakes at Newbury, Havana Grey had given himself every chance of maintaining the flying start to his stallion career.

Six of the 10 runners is an impressive feat in a Listed race for any sire, let alone one with his first crop on the track, and it was to get even better for his home at Whitsbury Manor Stud as Cuban Mistress led home her paternal half-sister Union Court.

The Hampshire operation, which has been standing Havana Grey at a fee of £6,000 this year, was also breeder or joint breeder of both the winner, the second and of fifth-placed Star Of Lady M, an ultra-reliable performer this term.

Cuban Mistress was bought privately by trainer Rod Millman and arrived here having earned black type with a second in the Listed Dragon Stakes and had seemingly failed to last out six furlongs in the Weatherbys Super Sprint.

View result and watch the replay here

Out of a placed half-sister to smart sprinter and now stallion Pearl Secret, she made all the running to score by three-quarters of a length under Ross Coakley.

"We invited Rod to come and see a few of the horses, Star Of Lady M was also there that day," said Whitsbury director Ed Harper. "He liked her and later sold some of her on to Middleham Park. I think he'll be knocking our door down to come back this year!

"To breed the first two and for Havana Grey to have six runners in the race is very special."

Cuban Mistress was becoming Havana Grey's second stakes winner to follow Lady Hollywood in the Marwell Stakes at Naas, while Union Court was becoming his ninth black type performer overall.

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