Too Darn Hot set to sizzle in Darley Dewhurst

Newmarket trainer John Gosden's star two-year-old colt, Too Darn Hot, was out on Warren Hill this morning as he continued his preparation for what promises to be the juvenile race of the season at Headquarters next Saturday.

Owned and bred by the musical theatre composer and impresario, Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber, the Dubawi colt will line up for the Darley Dewhurst Stakes when his potential opponents will include the unbeaten colts, Sangarius, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, and Aidan O’Brien’s Ten Sovereigns, successful in last Saturday’s Group 1 Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes, plus Martyn Meade’s, Advertise, winner of both the Group 2 Arqana July Stakes at Newmarket’s July Course and the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at The Curragh.

Too Darn Hot, who completed a couple of routine canters in the hands of Maisie Hainey, has a lineage to die for being a full brother to both this year’s St Leger runner-up, Lah Ti Dar, and the 2016 Group 3 Musidora Stakes heroine, So Mi Dar, while his dam, Dar Re Mi, won three Group 1s including the 2010 Dubai Sheema Classic and all were trained by Gosden. Incidently his full brother is due to go under the hammer at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 at Park Paddocks on Wednesday and is sure to attract plenty of attention.

"The Dewhurst is shaping up like a good race and it is going to clear up who the champion two year old is," said Gosden.

He explained that it was an injury sustained when he was just 16 days old which prevented Too Darn Hot being sold as a yearling by his owner breeder, whose stud policy is to sell the colts they breed and kept the fillies.

That setback certainly has had no detrimental effect on Too Darn Hot who has recorded comprehensive victories in all three of his starts, first winning a maiden at Sandown Park by seven lengths, then returning to the same venue to win the Group 3 Solario Stakes by four lengths and then taking the Group 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.

“It’s not often that a horse goes from a maiden to a Group 3 to a Group 2 like him but he’s a quick learner and is more precocious than the rest of the family. He did really well at Doncaster given that he was following a horse who turned out to be not right in himself,” said Gosden.

“I am not surprised that he came to hand quickly because he is a very happy , joyful horse, who has always been on the front foot. He’s a happy, cheerful horse, which is helpful as they let you know when they are bouncing. He is more precocious than other members of the family and has got a great turn of foot. He will certainly stay a mile and a quarter, I am not sure about a mile and a half yet.

"The Dewhurst is the definitive two year old race and hopefully it will be good ground which will be fair to everyone.

“He will do a little piece of work tomorrow morning but not a huge work as he is a fit horse, it’s just a matter of keeping him in the zone.

“His favourite thing is eating. After he gets back to the yard this morning, if he does not get his feed pot within two minutes he will start stamping – he wants to eat.”