Too Darn Hot - New Winner

Yulong has wasted little time in making a mark on New Zealand racing this spring, and those emerald green and white colours were carried to another feature-race win by Azeezle in Sunday’s Levin Truck Services Levin Stakes (1200m) at Otaki.

Last Saturday provided Australian racing fans with a bewildering array of 15 Black Type events spread across four states, so with a newly minted Group I winner and a couple of other horses we see as having G1 potential, a closer look at the pedigrees got me thinking.

Peachy Keen capped a super-consistent spring campaign with a last-gasp victory in Sunday’s $50,000 Happy Hire Cromwell Cup (2030m).

Last Saturday in Australia there were an astonishing 15 stakes races run in a time period most trainers see as being out of season, barring the Perth Summer Carnival, when we consider that our elite horses are programmed towards spring and autumn, so what is going on?

New stakes winners for resident stallions Redwood and Tarzino were celebrated by Westbury Stud at the weekend.

Stephen Marsh has his sights set on further feature-race success, with his proven performer Provence confirmed for Saturday’s Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at Trentham.

While it may have taken until his fifth start to break his maiden, 3yo Pierata colt Kilbrannan has pedigree on his side and with the step up to 1300m, the Gary Portelli trained colt impressed at Newcastle on Sunday when breaking his maiden for Laurel Oak Bloodstock and partners.

Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh won the Gr.3 Jennian Homes Wellington Stakes (1600m) for the fifth time at Otaki on Sunday with emerging talent Ammirati, but this was a win unlike any other.

Talented Too Darn Hot (GB) colt Perspiration came from last to defeat the short-priced favourite Gatsby's in Saturday’s Listed Petaluma Heritage Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill.

After finishing second at his first two starts at Randwick and Caulfield, Perspiration made short work of six opponents in Saturday’s $150,000 Asset Painting Services Mornington Sires (1100m) to ring up the eighth winner from the first crop of Too Darn Hot (GB).