THE first foal that Josh Cameron sold through his Daymark Stud was a son of Havana Grey (Havana Gold) at the 2021 Tattersalls December Sale.

Realising 21,000gns, the colt was the first produce of the unraced Xtension (Xaar) mare Speculating. She was acquired privately in Ireland by Ed Harper of Whitsbury Manor Stud for Cameron, and the latter had spent some time helping out at the Dorset farm. Through this association, Cameron and Harper became friends.

The purchasers of the foal were The Gals Gals, a group comprising Alice Kavanagh and friends, and last October, in Book 2 of the October Yearling Sale, they watched with delight as the yearling colt sold for a profitable 150,000gns, purchased by Oceanic Bloodstock on behalf of Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm. The colt was sent to be trained in France with Jean-Claude Rouget.

Meanwhile, back on the farm, Cameron was prepping a colt foal by Showcasing (Oasis Dream) out of Speculating, another mating inspired and facilitated by the Harper friendship. He found a buyer at last year’s December Sale, selling to the Bryce family’s Laundry Cottage Stud for 60,000gns. This year Speculating has produced a third colt, this one by another Whitsbury stallion, Sergei Prokofiev (Scat Daddy), and she is pending a scan to see if she is back in foal to that group-winning sprinter.

Cameron delight

Imagine the delight for Josh Cameron and for the Bryce family when the now two-year-old son of Havana Grey made his debut on Tuesday at Saint-Cloud over six furlongs. Racing in rear after a tardy start, Havana Cigar glided into the lead after turning into the straight, and won with just a hands and heel ride from Cristian Demuro. The manner and ease of his two-length victory marks him out as a horse to watch.

Already heading for a double-figure number of juvenile winners in his second crop, Havana Grey will give it a shot at emulating his record last season of siring 43 two-year-old winners in his initial crop of runners. That crop now includes four group winners, four more stakes winners, and an additional seven pattern and listed-placed winners.

Speculating is from a solid blacktype family, with regal connections. She is out of Meadow (Green Desert) who was bred by the late Queen Elizabeth. Sent to be trained by Richard Hannon, Meadow showed some signs of ability, but was sold on after three starts for 15,000gns to Rathbarry Bloodstock Services, and was saddled for 20 starts by Paul Cashman.

Danehill Kodiac

Eventually, on what was her penultimate start as a four-year-old, Meadow managed to get her head in front over seven furlongs at Fairyhouse.

At stud Meadow largely visited the Cashman’s own stallions, but she was also sent to Tally-Ho to visit Kodiac (Danehill), then in his sixth season and standing for €7,500. The resulting colt sold for £30,000 and, named Danehill Kodiac, went on to win the Group 3 Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot.

That happened after Rathbarry had sold Meadow on for €7,500 to Ballycrighaun Stud, carrying Speculating, and what a disappointment it was when that filly could only realise the minimum €1,000 at the foal sales.

Meadow was one of 11 foals and nine winners from Marl (Lycius), a two-year-old winner herself. One of the nine, Medley (Danehill Dancer), was a stakes winner, bred a stakes winner, and is grandam of the Group 3 winner Light Refrain (Frankel). Two of Marl’s other daughters also bred stakes winners, and the standout of the pair was Flower Market (Cadeaux Genereux). Her son Spillway (Rail Link) landed his biggest success in the Group 1 Australian Cup at Flemington.

STUDY Of Man (Deep Impact) made a single start at two, late in September on heavy ground over a mile at Saint-Cloud, and won comfortably for his owner-breeders, the Niarchos family’s Flaxman Holdings, trained by Pascal Bary.

Given his breeding, his ideal trip, and his subsequent race record, it would be fair to say that no one expected a son or daughter of Study Of Man to be running in, or winning, the Brocklesby Stakes. However, he has now joined the growing list of first-season sires off the mark, and this is thanks to the debut victory of the Paddy Twomey-trained Deepone at Leopardstown last Friday week over seven furlongs.

Deepone was just the second starter for Study Of Man, the first failing by just a neck to get in the frame.

Owned by Vimal Khosla, who has tasted big race success as an owner, and who with his wife Gillian has been a multiple Group 1-winning breeder, Deepone was purchased by his trainer for 62,000gns as a yearling from Beechvale Stud. This was exactly twice the price he cost when bought as a foal from his breeder, Andreas Bezzola.

After Deepone’s victory, Paddy Twomey spoke about his promising colt who went off favourite. “He’s a nice colt and he was ready to start today. Being drawn 17, I thought that he’d have to be good to win from out there, and it was great that he did.

“He’s a nicely bred horse; he’s a Study Of Man who was a very good racehorse, and a very well-bred horse, out of a Galileo mare whose dam won the Yorkshire Oaks.” Asked if Deepone could go to Royal Ascot, Twomey added: “We’ll see how he is; there is a race there that might suit him.”

The omens are good for both Study Of Man and his first winning offspring. A Lanwades Stud resident, Study Of Man won the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club-French Derby, a race that has a record second to none for making sires. Run over 10 and a half furlongs, the win came on just the fourth career start for Study Of Man, and came after he won the Group 2 Prix Greffulhe, run over the same trip.

Attractive fee

While he failed to add any more wins at four, Study Of Man was runner-up to the subsequent Arc winner Waldgeist in the Group 1 Prix Ganay, and to Zabeel Prince in the Prix d’Ispahan.

His first crop numbers just 55, and breeders may well be regretting that they did not send him more mares at what was an attractive introductory fee of £15,000, and that was then lowered for the most recent three seasons, including 2023, to £12,500.

Study Of Man is a grandson of the brilliant Miesque (Nureyev), among the all-time great fillies before she became one of the most influential mares of the modern era. Kingmambo (Mr Prospector), her star son, became a hugely successful stallion and his tremendous record augurs well for Study Of Man.

His dam Second Happiness (Storm Cat), like her half-sister Monevassia (Mr Prospector), was only placed. That sibling is the dam of juvenile Group 1-star and champion Rumplestiltskin (Danehill) and the grandam of the Group 1 standouts Tapestry (Galileo), Real Steel and Loves Only You. The latter pair are Japanese horses who made their mark at the highest level on the international circuit and, like Study Of Man, are by the late great Deep Impact (Sunday Silence). Real Steel sired a Group 2 winner in his first crop of two-year-olds last year.

Classic heroine

Second Happiness is also a half-sister to East Of The Moon (Private Account), a dual classic heroine with an outstanding broodmare daughter. She is Alpha Lupi (Rahy), dam of the Group 1-stars Alpha Centauri (Mastercraftsman), Alpine Star (Sea The Moon) and Discoveries (Mastercraftsman).

Miesque’s descendants also include Group 1-scorers Amanee (Pivotal) and Karakontie (Bernstein) plus pattern winner and Group 1 sire Miesque’s Son (Mr Prospector), whereas one of her siblings gave us the brilliant Six Perfections (Celtic Swing).

Watch this space as Study Of Man delivers his first lesson in stallion success.