Havana Anna made a winning seasonal return in the Goffs Lacken Stakes at Naas on Sunday, edging 50-1 outsider Oh Cecelia by a head and handing odds-on favourite Charles Darwin a surprise defeat in one of the meeting’s key Royal Ascot trial races.
Havana Anna Topples Charles Darwin at Naas
Donnacha O’Brien-trained Havana Anna struck late to win the Group 3 Goffs Lacken Stakes over 5f 205y at Naas.
With Gavin Ryan, who has ridden her in all of her eight career starts, steering the filly to a head verdict after she raced close to the pace and took command inside the final stages.
Havana Anna returned as the 9/4 winner on the Sporting Life, with the race run on good ground, with the official winning time returned at 1m 11.93s.
Oh Cecelia, trained by K J Condon and ridden by Billy Lee, kept on strongly for second at 50-1, while Tahcawin finished another neck back in third for Joseph G Murphy.
Donnacha O’Brien said after the race – “I’m delighted with her. I thought there was plenty to work on today. It was kind of a starting point.
“I think she’ll improve a lot for that so, we’ll head for the Commonwealth now all being well. She deserves a crack at a big one, so I’m really delighted.
“For a filly that wasn’t over big last year she has grown and strengthened. You never know going two to three whether they’ll train on, but she seems to have anyway. She tries very hard and she’s always well able to jump.”
4:56 Naas Result (Sunday 17th May, 2026)
🥇Havana Anna (9/4)
🥈Oh Cecelia (50/1)
🥉Tahcawin (14/1)
Winning Trainer: Donnacha O’Brien
Winning Jockey: Gavin Ryan
Havana Anna Cut Into 10/1 For The Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot
The best horse racing betting sites reacted by cutting Havana Anna into 10/1 joint favourite for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot on Friday 19th June.
With the O’Brien filly now alongside Albert Einstein and Venetian Sun in the market and Charles Darwin now pushed out to 20/1.
Royal Bay Cen was only a head away in fourth, underlining how tightly bunched the finish was behind the winner.
By contrast, Aidan O’Brien’s Charles Darwin, who was sent off the 1/1 favourite after his Listed comeback win at Navan, faded out of contention and was eased in the closing stages to finish last of the eight runners.
𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚𝐚!
Donnacha O'Brien's inmate benefits from a @gavinmryan masterclass in the Group Three @Goffs1866 Lacken Stakes 👊 pic.twitter.com/fGqRlPtTOk
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 17, 2026
Big Juvenile Form Carries Into Her Three-year-old Season
The result gives Havana Anna a notable black-type success at the start of her three-year-old campaign.
Pre-race coverage from Racing TV had pointed to her previous Naas record and also her 2025 Cheveley Park Stakes second as reasons she could emerge as the main threat to Charles Darwin if returning at her best.
Which was proved correct, with that Cheveley Park form already well-advertised after the winner True Love landed the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket recently.
Havana Anna Career In Numbers
- Age: 3
- Runs: 8
- Wins: 3
- Group Wins: 1
- Prize Money: £144,399
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