Burke in dreamland after Grey gives him another Group 1

Havana Grey gave Karl Burke a “dream” Group 1 double on Champions Weekend when claiming the Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh this afternoon.

The grey was sent to post the 15/8 favourite for the sprint contest, which was awarded Group 1 status for the first time this year.

Richard Kingscote soon had his mount to the fore and he had a willing partner in the closing stages.

The three-year-old stuck on well inside the final furlong to record a half length success. Son Of Rest flew home on the outer to grab second as there was a bunch finish in behind the winning raider.

Havana Grey had landed a Group 2 prize over course and distance on his last visit to these shores in July and had been fifth behind Alpha Delphini in the Nunthorpe at York on his last outing.

What an @IrishChampsWknd for @karl_burke - Havana Grey wins the Group 1 @Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes at @curraghrace under @RKingscote: pic.twitter.com/7h2NDt5yPM

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 16, 2018

“It's what dreams are made of. If someone said at the start of the year that you'll have two Group 1 winners on a weekend you'd think they were dreaming,” said Burke.

“As far as this horse is concerned he deserved it as he's been so consistent. He's turned up to every gig and he's only three as well, he's only a baby.

“There is plenty of interest in him to go to stud so we'll have to sit down with the owners and see what we do, whether he stays in training next year or whether he's sold now.

“There were a couple of very shrewd judges, that I'd respect, that were after him last year for stud and telling me he wouldn't train on as he was only a little two-year-old.

“He was quite small last year but he's got a fantastic athletic walk for a sprinter and I was always confident he would train on.

“It was always going to be tough for those five furlong horses at the start of the year because there just isn't the races for them.

“We were disappointed with a couple of the early runs but not overly so because our horses weren't generally running that well at that time either.

“I always had it my mind that he'd come good and thankfully he has.

“Richard said he gave him a great ride, he went down like and old sheep, pinged the stalls and he was very straight-forward.

“My career has been a bit of rollercoaster and more roller than coaster most of the time. The last five or six years have been fantastic since I came back after the year off with the ban.

“Libertarian to start with, second in the Derby and winning the Dante. Every year we've managed to hit lucky with some nice horses at the sales.

“This is a fantastic weekend and we've been looked after brilliantly. All credit to the Champions Weekend team as they couldn't have done anymore for us.

“I was very surprised the way this race broke up, I can't say I was unhappy about it, but I was surprised.

“He's in the Abbaye. That was a win and you're in for the Breeder's Cup and I'd say that will be top of the agenda. I don't think I'd run him in the Abbaye if it came up very soft.

“He wouldn't want it rock hard but nice ground as he's got a great turn of foot. He's got a high cruising speed with a good kick.

“He showed a little bit of that today but Richard said he was either waiting for them or labouring a bit on the ground in the last furlong.”

Kingscote added:- “He picked up well and I was always holding them off. He was very straight forward. Soft ground suits him although it was a little bit dead today.”