Too Darn Hot is set to be crowned Champion Australian Second Season Sire and is headed back to Darley Australia this spring at a fee of $275,000 and overnight he produced two new stakes-winners in the UK and Ireland.
The Group III Princess Margaret Stakes (6f) at Ascot went the way of the Hugo Palmer trained two year-old filly Fitzella, who started favourite.
Fourth at Royal Ascot in the Group III Albany Stakes, she bounced out of that run to score a length victory for Oisin Murphy and has now won two of four starts.
“Oisin [Murphy, jockey] was upset when he came in after the Albany because he felt he sat too close to a very strong pace. He did realise and took back, but the damage was done by then and we felt on reflection that it was Fitzella’s class which allowed her to finish fourth,” Hugo Palmer said.
“The plan today was to hold her up and race more patiently, and to use her finish, but she absolutely pinged the lids and Oisin went to plan b. It worked very nicely and he didn't go hard.”
Fitzella made £170,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale when bought by Sackville Donald/Manor House Stables after selling for 60,000 guineas at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.
Bred by Parks Farm Stud she is a half-sister to stakes-placed Admiral Nelson and is the first stakes-winner among four winners from stakes-wining Exceed and Excel mare Shamandar.
At Gowran Park in Ireland, Joseph O’Brien saddled three year-old colt Emit to win the Listed Marble City Stakes (1m4f).
A homebred for the Niarchos family owned Flaxman Stables, he won by half a length taking his overall record to two wins and three placings from seven starts.
“He was game and tough. Emit was unlucky in the Curragh in that Group race where he came out the worst of it and Ascot didn't really go to plan,” said Joseph O’Brien.
“We decided to come here up in distance and he seemed to really enjoy it. He fought really well. Dylan (Browne McMonagle) said he'd even go a mile-and-six. I suppose he's into Group races now.”
Emit is a half-brother to stakes-winner Norwalk Havoc and is the second stakes-winner from stakes-placed Kitten’s Joy mare Light of Joy, who comes from the family of Group I winning stayers Light Shift and Ulysses.
Fitzella and Emit bring Too Darn Hot’s stakes-winner tally to 26.
