Too Darn Hot bounces back in style to land easy Prix Jean Prat win
TOO DARN HOT (5-6f) silenced his doubters with a scintillating performance in the Prix Jean Prat.
Frankie Dettori and John Gosden were in the winners’ enclosure once again as their top notcher landed the Deauville Group 1.
He had the form to do the business, and didn’t disappoint.
Taking a keen hold early on, the star three-year-old launched his challenge with a furlong to go and his blistering turn of foot was too much for his rivals to handle.
Nothing really got into the contest from the home team, with Charlie Appleby’s Space Blues (3-1) bolstering his recent efforts to finish a clear second.
Fox Champion (22-1) made it a clean sweep for England in third.
Having looked a potential superstar at the start of the season following an exciting two-year-old campaign, the victory will come as a relief to connections after placed efforts in the Dante, Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James’s Palace suggested he might struggle to land a Group 1.
John Gosden is as shrewd as they come, though, and found the perfect opening for his well-bred colt in the Deauville contest.
The trainer said: “We’ve finally got him over the correct trip and an easy flat mile should be no problem. He’s a very fast two-year-old and this is very quick ground here.”
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The victory makes the weekend that little bit sweeter for Gosden and Dettori, after they landed the Coral-Eclipse yesterday with Enable.
He added: “The trainer and manager have finally got it right. He’s a beautiful colt and very quick. He’s got bundles of speed. He was lame when the Guineas was on and we rushed him and the horse has got us out of trouble.”
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Winning owner Lady Lloyd-Webber was delighted: “One word is phew. He did that fantastically well. We saw the real Too Darn Hot today.
“This is where we started our season. We’ve got a long year ahead. The Sussex Stakes might come into consideration now.”
Charlie Appleby, trainer of runner-up Space Blues, said: “I’m delighted with him. We knew we had the winner to beat and that if he turned up with his A game than he’d be tough to beat.
“He’s placed in a Group 1 now and we’ll have some fun with him in the Autumn.”