Arrowfield cop big blow as Vandeek ruled out for season

Arrowfield Stud have suffered a major and late blow on the eve of the breeding season, with shuttle sire Vandeek (Havana Grey) ruled out of action for the entire spring.

The five-year-old was found to have incurred a tendon injury while in quarantine in Victoria ahead of his transfer to the Hunter Valley.

He had been due to stand his second shuttle season, at an unchanged $22,000 (inc GST), after a hugely popular first Australian spring last year in which he served 151 mares.

But the grey sprinter will now recover at Arrowfield before being returned to England’s Cheveley Park Stud ahead of the northern season.

Arrowfield owner John Messara said the news came as a heavy setback so close to the September 1 start of the breeding season, with Vandeek having filled a speed berth in the farm’s seven-stallion roster, as well as a two-year-old profile.

“It’s a big disappointment so close to the season starting,” Messara told ANZ News.

“It’s a blow because we’re getting the first of his foals and they’re very nice foals and we’re very keen about this horse. He’s a terrific speed horse for us.

“And his half-brother Gstaad has done so well in Europe in the last 12 months, to add a bit of sauce to the meal.”

The Aidan O’Brien-trained Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) has won four of his ten starts and placed second in his other six since debuting in May, 2025. His wins have included two at the elite level – in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (Gr 1, 8f) at Del Mar in November, then in his second start at three in the Curragh’s Irish 2,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m), by three lengths.

Coincidentally Gstaad was this month ruled out of a fourth clash with his great rival, and now also retired, Bow Echo (Night Of Thunder), who had beaten him into second in three Group 1s – due to a cut and infection on a hind leg incurred in one such runner’s up finish in Goodwood’s Sussex Stakes (Gr 1, 1m).

Vandeek’s injury is also to a hind leg. Some mystery surrounds how it was suffered, with no outward signs that he’d hit himself while in quarantine, such as a cut or an abrasion.

But the fact the injury was sustained in a hind tendon meant the task of serving some three mares a day on his hind legs would be beyond him.

“We’ve had various vets look at him and by far the most prudent way forward is to give him time to recover,” Messara said.

“He’s recovering, but he needs more time to recover.

“We’ll let him recover here until we feel comfortable that he’s over it and can travel back to England. We like to send the package back as well as it arrived.”

Messara said Arrowfield would be eager to have Vandeek return next year.

“We’re very bullish about the horse,” he said. “We like the pedigree, he’s a great type, and he’s thrown these lovely foals.

“We’ve only got a few of his foals so far but we like them all. And other people are happy with theirs too.

“So we’re hoping he can resume stud duties with us next year.”

With his oldest northern progeny yearlings, Vandeek fed the thirst for pure speed at Arrowfield alongside its stallions generally associated with longer distances – flagbearer The Autumn Sun (Redoute’s Choice), Dundeel (High Chaparral) and his son Castelvecchio, and Japanese shuttler Maurice (Screen Hero) and his son Hitotsu.

Another superbly bred English shuttler Lead Artist (Dubawi), who won from 1600 metres to 1800 metres, will stand his first season this spring.

Vandeek’s debut 2025 book included 12-time stakes winner Catkins (Dubawi), and Group 2 victor Noire (Foxwedge), while 2018 Spring Champion Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) queen Maid Of Heaven (Smart Missile) was also covered by the stallion but missed.

The shuttler also served stakes-winner producers including Cries And Whiskers (Street Cry), the dam of dual black type victor Weeping Woman (Lonhro), Cat By The Tale (Tale Of The Cat), Infiorata (Dream Ahead) and Private (Encosta De Lago).

The 151 mares covered by Vandeek in his debut season – booked in before breeders could clap eyes on him at Arrowfield’s stallion parade – made him Arrowfield’s third-most patronised sire of 2025, behind only the 178 of The Autumn Sun – who missed the previous season with injury – and Castelvecchio’s 155, according to studbook figures.

Acquired to fill a speed and juvenile hole bearing in mind the advanced years of Snitzel (Redoute’s Choice) – who ultimately died in June last year – Vandeek had brought some Australian blood back down south, as the fifth foal of Mosa Mine (Exceed And Excel).

That mare didn’t win in 11 starts but is out of a half-sister to Balbonella (Gay Mecene), the Group 1-winning dam of Champion Sprinter and leading dual hemisphere sire Anabaa (Danzig) and French 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) victor Always Loyal (Zilzal).

Described by regular rider James Doyle as “a pure ball of speed”, Vandeek had six starts, all at 1200 metres, and was unbeaten in four outings at two. Those included two elite titles in Deauville’s Prix Morny and Newmarket’s Middle Park Stakes.

After being named France’s Champion 2YO Colt, he returned at three to finish third in a Haydock Group 2 and Newmarket’s July Cup (Gr 1, 6f) before being retired to stud after a minor injury.

Boasting a Sadler’s Wells (Northern Dancer) sireline and carrying a 5f x 3m duplication of Danehill (Danzig), Vandeek is also the best performer so far by hot stallion Havana Grey (Havana Gold), who earned laurels as Europe’s leading first, second and third season sire.

Messara was delighted to have secured Vandeek last year.

Arrowfield at first made enquiries about securing Havana Grey himself, but when they were unsuccessful the farm looked a generation lower.

To their considerable excitement, they discovered a chance had arisen to buy into new sire Vandeek, with a stake Messara recalls as around 25 per cent being put up for tender.

“We thought he was the best son of Havana Grey, and if we can’t get the old man, let’s go for Vandeek,” Messara said last year.

“He was a champion sprinter, and with a nice pedigree. And while we’ve got stallions who would get a two-year-old, we didn’t really have an obvious, or a specialist, two-year-old getter, with Snitzel starting to look like he might be on the way out.

“We thought Vandeek would fit well into our roster.”

Arrowfield moved to buy that stake in Vandeek that would hopefully help them secure him as a shuttler.

Unfortunately, they missed. Fortunately, an old friend hit.

“The farm that won the tender was Cheveley Park, and one of our favourite people runs it in Chris Richardson, an old friend from way back,” Messara said.

After Arrowfield’s Jon Freyer flew to England for a glowing inspection of the stallion, a shuttle deal was struck.

Vandeek arrived in July last year armed with a ballistic fertility rate from his first season in Britain exceeding 90 per cent.

“I think he’s a horse who suits our local conditions,” Messara said at the time. “If I didn’t think that, I wouldn’t have chased him.

“He’s good-looking, sound-looking, a very classy-looking individual. He’s athletic and was an early goer. And at his price he’s great value.”