Unbeaten Vandeek to Shuttle to Arrowfield Stud
Arrowfield Stud announced March 24 that the two-time group 1 juvenile winner Vandeek by Havana Grey will shuttle to Arrowfield from Cheveley Park Stud, UK in 2025.
Arrowfield’s Chairman John Messara says, “He’s a great-looking, unbeaten champion 2-year-old by a brilliant young stallion—that all makes Vandeek an attractive prospect for us, especially in light of the Australian market’s enthusiasm for stallions like Too Darn Hot and Wootton Bassett, with top-class European 2-year-old sprint form.”
Described as “a pure ball of speed” by jockey James Doyle, Vandeek raced exclusively at six furlongs (1,200 meters) and won all four of his starts at 2, beginning with his striking debut at Nottingham where he recovered from missing the start by four lengths to win by a length going away.
A fortnight later he stalked the pace and unleashed in the final furlong to score impressively in the Richmond Stakes (G2) at Glorious Goodwood. That performance confirmed a start in the Deauville Prix Morny (G1), where Vandeek met and defeated the best juveniles of France, England, and Ireland. Again, he settled comfortably behind the speed and after a momentary check, picked up in brilliant style to chase down the favorite, subsequent group 1-winner Ramatuelle.
Vandeek was then set for the Newmarket Middle Park Stakes (G1), which he claimed in breath-taking fashion, taking control of the race a furlong out and sprinting clear to win by more than two lengths.
Named the champion 2-year-old colt in France, he returned at 3 to finish third in both the Haydock Sandy Lane Stakes (G2) and, like Danehill, the Newmarket July Cup (G1) before a minor injury ended his racing career.
Vandeek’s co-trainer Simon Crisford said after his retirement, “His amazing turn of foot set him apart from the others. He had a wonderful temperament and he was such a great pleasure to train. His Juddmonte Middle Park victory was sensational and I don’t think I’ve seen a better winner of that race…He was pure class.”
Vandeek is the best performer to date by European sire sensation Havana Grey, whose 22 stakes winners have successively made him Europe’s leading first, second, and third-season sire.
A specialist 1,000-meter sprinter, Havana Grey is from the Sadler’s Wells sire-line that is proving so effective in Australasia, thanks to Dundeel and his sons Castelvecchio and Super Seth, So You Think, Tavistock and Toronado .
Vandeek’s dam Mosa Mine is out of Baldemosa, whose half sister, group 1-winner Balbonella is the dam of champion sprinter and leading dual-hemisphere sire Anabaa, and French One Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Always Loyal .
Bred and reared by the boutique Welsh farm Maywood Stud, Vandeek topped the 2023 Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale when sold for 625,000 guineas ($815,386) to HH Sheikh Khalid Al-Khalifa’s KHK Racing.
Arrowfield bloodstock manager Jon Freyer, who inspected Vandeek at Cheveley Park earlier this month, says, “Vandeek is a stunning individual, combining athletic strength and quality. He has a great girth, shoulder, and hip, and a super masculine head. He looks very much what he was—fast! He’s like a silver bullet.”
Vandeek has received excellent first-season support from British and European breeders and Cheveley Park is sending him 22 mares, including dual group 1-winner Integral and group 1-producer Zykina .
Vandeek’s 2025 fee at Arrowfield has been set at AU$22,000 (US$13,860) and the stud will be giving him strong support from its broodmare band.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
