Star European two-year-old Vandeek to shuttle to Arrowfield
Arrowfield Stud are set to welcome dual Group 1-winning European juvenile Vandeek (Havana Grey) to their stallion roster for the upcoming Southern Hemisphere breeding season where he will stand for an introductory fee of $22,000 (inc GST).
The son of sire sensation Havana Grey (Havana Gold) will shuttle from Newmarket’s Cheveley Park Stud, where he is currently serving his first book of mares, to John Messara’s Hunter Valley operation.
Arrowfield’s bloodstock manager Jon Freyer, who inspected the stallion at Cheveley Park earlier this month, said: “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!
“Vandeek has a flawless two-year-old record including 1200-metre Group 1 wins on both soft and good ground. Importantly, he was able to back up quickly between runs, travel to France and perform at the highest level and win on all types of going. However, the quick ground he struck for his dazzling performance in the Middle Park seemed his preference as it complemented his superb action.”
Named Champion Two-Year-old Colt in France, Vandeek raced exclusively over six furlongs as a juvenile and won all four of his starts that season for trainers Simon and Ed Crisford.
His career began with a striking win at Nottingham in July of 2023, where he overcame a poor start to score by a length going away. Immediately he was stepped up to stakes level, resulting in an explosive victory in the Richmond Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) at Glorious Goodwood two weeks later.
That performance confirmed a start in the Prix Morny (Gr 1, 1200m) at Deauville, where Vandeek picked up in brilliant style to defeat some of the best juveniles in Europe, including subsequent Group 1 winner Ramatuelle (Justify).
His final start that season came in the Middle Park Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) at Newmarket, which he claimed with authority by over two lengths.
Before a minor injury truncated his racing career at three, Vandeek finished third in both the Sandy Lane Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) at Haydock and Newmarket’s July Cup (Gr 1, 6f).
“He was a brilliant two-year-old and his amazing turn of foot set him apart from the others,” Crisford said. “He had a wonderful temperament and he was a great pleasure to train. His Middle Park victory was sensational and I don’t think I’ve seen a better winner of that race.”
Vandeek topped the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale in 2023 when selling to HH Sheikh Khalid Al-Khalifa’s KHK Racing for 625,000gns (£785,695/A$1,613,582).
He was bred by Maywood Stud out of Exceed And Excel (Danehill) mare Mosa Mine – from the family of champion sprinter and leading dual hemisphere sire Anabaa (Danzig) and French 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Always Loyal (Zilzal) – and is the best performer to date by Havana Grey, whose 22 stakes winners made him a leading first, second and third season sire in Europe.
“Joint owners, KHK Racing and Cheveley Park Stud are delighted Vandeek is to be made available to breeders in the Southern Hemisphere and will be standing at Arrowfield Stud, one of Australia’s leading thoroughbred stud farms,” Cheveley Park Stud’s managing director Chris Richardson said.
“Vandeek is being the ultimate professional this season and I am truly excited by the quality of his first book of Northern Hemisphere mares.”