Havana Class, arguably the top dual distance sprinter/standard runner of the last couple of years has been retired after breaking a hock in the opening round of the M Lambe Construction Birmingham Cup at Perry Barr.
The Liz McNair trained fawn was well clear of his field when breaking down at the second bend. It was the only race on the night before the meeting was abandoned due to the announcement of the death of the Queen.
Rab McNair said: “There is a bit of me that thinks, if the announcement had come sooner, the injury wouldn’t have happened. But you could drive yourself mad with those kind of thoughts. Who is to say it wasn’t going to happen next time, and possibly be more serious.
“As far as I am concerned, the dog is fine. His racing career is over but he will go back to his breeder Drew Richards in Ireland and Drew has a couple of bitches lined up for him. He has moved onto a different part of his career and will have a great time. These things happen and there is no blame at all attached to the track. The racing surface looked to be in excellent condition. I love racing at Perry Barr, it is a great track and we are always well treated there.”
A son of World Class (who also sired champion sprinter Jimmy Lollie), the July 2019 whelp out of Havana Lottie went to traps on 52 occasions for 25 wins and 15 seconds. The two-bend victories included the Watling Street Sprint, where he set a new 270m track record at Towcester of 15.45 and the Sussex Sprint Trophy at Hove. He dead heated in the 2022 Notebook Sprint on Derby Final night and finished runner-up in the Sovereign Stakes, the Northamptonshire Sprint and the Silver Salver. Over four bends, he won the 2021 Laurels and was short-headed by Candy Man in the same year’s Birmingham Cup.
Rab added: “He is an absolutely lovely greyhound with perfect manners. What a greyhound he would have been on the flaps! Put him in the van and you wouldn’t fear anything and he could run any track without a trial. Dogs like Havana Class don’t come along very often.”
Photo: STEVE NASH
