Havana Blue

The most striking thing about Havana Blue is what he does at Newmarket. That track is one of the most demanding in Britain — a long, straight, exposed gallop that asks serious questions of any horse — and Havana Blue has won there twice from just 7 attempts. That is a win rate of nearly 1 in 3 at a single course, which stands out sharply against his overall record. He clearly has something for the place. It was at Newmarket in May 2023 that he got off the mark as a career winner, and the jockey at the time, John Fahy, was clear on why it worked: the ground was faster and more forgiving than it had been on his previous run. His trainer Julie Camacho has been equally direct about what suits him — fast, dry ground and a stiff track with a proper test of stamina, like the seven-furlong straight at Ascot.

Camacho trains out of Norton in North Yorkshire and has sent out 46 winners already this season, which tells you this is a yard operating at full tilt. Havana Blue is one of the horses she has spoken warmly about in public, which means something. His most recent win came at Beverley in August 2024 — nearly two years ago now — and since then he has gone six races without adding to his tally, his last six finishes reading 5-4-6-5-4-2. That second place is the most recent, just one day ago, which suggests he is close to something without quite getting there.

Ryan Sexton has ridden him in 12 of his 27 races and has one win to show for it — roughly 1 win in every 12 rides together. At Class 3 level, which is where Havana Blue most often competes, he has won just 1 from 9 races. These are not numbers that demand attention, but they belong to a horse that finishes in the first four more often than not, keeps getting placed, and clearly comes alive on the right ground at the right track. The next time the sun dries out Newmarket, he is worth a second look.