By Tom Frary
Odds of 4-11 suggested the outcome of Saturday's G2 Howcroft Industrial Supplies Champagne S. was never in doubt and TDN Rising Star Too Darn Hot (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) came out the other side clear best to provide the Lloyd-Webbers with the first part of what could have been a golden double at Doncaster. While the colt's full-sister Lah Ti Dar (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) failed to seal the deal in the main event, the famed connections have much to look forward to after the latest progeny of Dar Re Mi (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) maintained his unbeaten record with a twist of style. Anchored with only one behind early by Frankie Dettori and detached from the searing pace set by Cardini (Magician {Ire}), the bay who had won Sandown's G3 Solario S. a fortnight earlier cruised through the rain-softened ground to pick up that Ballydoyle representative approaching the furlong pole. As the G3 Acomb S. scorer Phoenix of Spain (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) chased gallantly, Too Darn Hot kept delivering to hit the line with a 1 3/4-length cushion as Cardini ended up 2 1/2 lengths further back. “He was very impressive and it took Frankie a long time to pull him up,” John Gosden said. “I'm happy with him and he did everything right. He quickened up from a long way back–he's a young, talented horse.”
Too Darn Hot, who looked here to possess all of the speed required to be a force to be reckoned with in a Guineas, was maintaining pole position in the lists for the Newmarket Classic ahead of stablemate Calyx (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Ten Sovereigns (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Friday's Listed Flying Scotsman S. winner Sangarius (GB) (Kingman {GB}). While initial talk was of the Derby after his seven-length debut success over a mile at Sandown Aug. 9, subsequent racing evidence and physical appearance suggests a mile could suit better than the mile and a half of the blue riband. In contrast, Lah Ti Dar's performance over the extended 14 furlongs of the Leger gives abundant hope that the Derby could be within his reach and his immediate family members all proved best over middle distances. Gosden has time to work out a plan, but Frankie Dettori was non-committal about where the winner will end up. “We'll take it one step at a time–we're only learning about him,” he said. “That was very special. What he did between the three and the one blew me away. When you run him on a flat track you can really feel his gears. He's learning how to race and everything he did today was amazing.”
The aforementioned Dar Re Mi was successful three times at the highest level in the Pretty Polly S. over 10 furlongs and Yorkshire Oaks and Dubai Sheema Classic at a mile and a half. She is a daughter of the 1986 G1 Prix Vermeille heroine Darara (Ire) (Top Ville {Ire}) who produced So Mi Dar (GB) by Dubawi to win the 2016 G3 Musidora S. and finish third in the G1 Prix de l'Opera over a mile and a quarter. If Too Darn Hot turns out to be a miler, he will be going against the grain from a dynasty made up of strong-staying middle-distance performers like Rewilding (GB) (Tiger Hill {Ire}), Darshaan (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}) and Daliapour (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). Keeping up the recent trend, Dar Re Mi has both a yearling colt and filly foal by Dubawi.
Saturday, Doncaster, Britain
HOWCROFT INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES CHAMPAGNE S.-G2, £75,000, Doncaster, 9-15, 2yo, c/g, 7f 6yT, 1:23.92, gd.
1–TOO DARN HOT (GB), 126, c, 2, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Dar Re Mi (GB), by Singspiel (Ire)
2nd Dam: Darara (Ire), by Top Ville (Ire)
3rd Dam: Delsy (Fr), by Abdos (Fr)
O-Lord Lloyd-Webber; B-Watership Down stud (GB); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £42,533. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $98,160. *Full to So Mi Dar (GB), GSW-Eng & G1SP-Fr, $242,742; Lah Ti Dar (GB), MSW & G1SP-Eng, $306,179; and 1/2 to De Treville (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), MGSP-Fr, $114,187. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Phoenix of Spain (Ire), 126, c, 2, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Lucky Clio (Ire), by Key of Luck. (78,000gns Wlg '16 TATFOA; 220,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Tony Wechsler & Ann Plummer; B-Mrs Cherry Faeste (IRE); T-Charles Hills. £16,125.
3–Cardini, 126, c, 2, Magician (Ire)–Perfect Step (Ire), by Iffraaj (GB). ($95,000 Wlg '16 KEENOV; 210,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Lannister Holdings LLC (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. £8,070.
Margins: 1 3/4, 2HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.35, 8.00, 40.00.
Also Ran: Van Beethoven, Bye Bye Hong Kong, Dark Vision (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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