The 2-year-old Too Darn Hot (GB) colt Hotazhell stood tall in a monumental battle with the favourite Delacroix in the Group 1 William Hill Futurity Trophy Stakes at Doncaster.
The pair went toe to toe for the final 400m, with the judge finding a nose margin for Hotazhell over Coolmore's son of Dubawi.
Ridden by Shane Foley for Jessica Harrington, Hotazhell put an exclamation mark on a busy season that saw him win the Group II Beresford Stakes, Group III Tyros Stakes, a maiden at the Curragh, and was a length second to Henri Matisse the Group II Coolmore Stud Wootton Bassett Irish EBF Futurity Stakes at the Curragh.
Foley said Hotazhell relishes a battle.
"He's a very good, tough horse. We all thought he wanted a bit of slow ground, but this was probably a bit too slow for him," Foley said.
"He nearly bucked me off going down to the start, but that's just him. We work hard every day and we've had a very good year, but it's been a while since we had a Group One, it's a couple of years since the Oaks now.
"And what a trainer that woman, Mrs Harrington, is. Kate is a big part of the team.
"A lot goes on behind the scenes and she's a legend to work for and a legend to ride for.
"From a five-furlong two-year-old race to a three-mile novice hurdle at Cheltenham, it doesn't really matter to her. I'm just in a privileged position. I had a hip replacement operation a couple of years ago and it's taken a while to get to full health again but I'm fighting fit now and have a good few years left in me."
Bred by Blue Diamond Stud Farm, Hotazhell was a 70,000 gns purchase for Linehan Bloodstock at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale before selling to Silverton Hill for 200,000 gns at the Tattersalls Breeze Up Sale.
He is the best of four winners from six to race for the Danehill Dancer mare Azenzar, whose unraced dam Dashing (Sadler's Wells) is a half-sister to 5-time Group 1 winner Alexander Goldrun, Group III winner Medecis, and to the dam of Listed Coline Hayes Memorial Stakes winner, Mantastic.
M V Magnier & White Birch Farm splashed 380,000 gns for Azenzar's No Nay Never colt at the recent Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
Azenzar was sold for just 16,000 gns, in foal to Blackbeard, at the 2023 Tattersalls December Mare Sale.
Hotazhell is the third Group 1 winner for Darley Stud's Too Darn Hot (GB) after Broadsiding and Fallen Angel.
