Hotazhell all Courage in William Hill Futurity - Third Group 1 Winner Too Darn Hot

Mark Smith - Sunday October 27

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.

Two-horse war (image Sporting Life)

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.

Advertisement

"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.

Hotazhell a 70,000gns Tattersalls October yearling and 200,000 gns Breeze Up

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.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Pride’s Outsider Estadio Mestalla Wins Winter Stakes
The lone stakes race on Rosehill’s ten-race card on Saturday saw Joe Pride’s race outsider Estadio Mestalla (Galileo Gold) take out the $200,000 Listed ATC Winter Stakes (1400m) in a boilover.
Sires With Winners - Saturday July 5
Here is the full list of 112 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Divine Prophet’s Fortunate Kiss Captures Elusive Black Type Win
With nine top five finishes in previous black type races, it was better late than never as 6yo Divine Prophet mare Fortunate Kiss charged along the inside to win the $300,000 Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday – her first black type victory.
Flemington Victory for Tarzino Mare
Quirky but talented mare Miss Tarzy has come from last win the Leilani Series Final (1400m) under a patient Jett Stanley ride.
Snitzel Filly Bridal Waltz Wins A.R. Creswick Stakes
While many felt the winner of Saturday’s Listed $175,000 VRC A.R. Creswick Stakes (1200m) had raced two weeks prior in the Shop Flemington Handicap (1100m) – and they would’ve been correct – but it was not the result many punters felt it would be!
Marble Nine Brings Up Second SW For Aquis Sire Kobayashi
The withdrawal of the top weight in Saturday’s $175,000 Listed VRC Santa Ana Lane Sprint Series Final (1200m) at Flemington saw the field down to just six, with Marble Nine continuing his outstanding recent form to secure his first black type victory.
Sweet Redemption for Stable Favourite Jimmy the Bear
Patrick and Michelle Payne enjoyed a red letter day at Flemington on Saturday with their rising star Buccleuch winning the Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final and then later in the day stable favourite Jimmy the Bear won the Listed VRC Winter Championship Series Final (1600m).
Invincible 3YO Wins G3 Winx Guineas
The $300,000 Group III Winx Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday featured a big field of 16 up and comers and following the late scratching of favourite Mister Bianco, Angela Jones took luck out of the equation on I Am Invincible gelding The Three Hundred.
Kiwi Bred Good Banter Finds Winning Form
Four-year-old mare Good Banter was back in the winner’s circle when narrowly prevailing in the Catanach's Jewellers Handicap (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday for trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton.
Buccleuch - First Stakes-Winner for Peltzer
The $175,000 Listed VRC Taj Rossi Series Final (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday was won back in 2020 by Cherry Tortoni, who went to on to become a multiple Group winner of nearly $1million and the same colours were carried by this year’s winner Buccleuch.