Pedigree puzzler Too Darn Hot shows his speed in Prix Jean Prat romp

The optimum trip of last year's champion two-year-old Too Darn Hot has left connections and punters scratching their heads this year; having bounded away with the Dewhurst in October, he looked sure to flourish over a mile and further at three, but after suffering a setback that ruled him out of the 2,000 Guineas he has failed to get his head in front in the Dante, Irish 2,000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes.

The colt, trained by John Gosden for owner-breeders Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber, demonstrated that he has more speed than we might have assumed from his early form with a decisive three-length victory, albeit against not a truly top-class field, in the Prix Jean Prat over its new distance of seven furlongs at Deauville on Sunday.

View full result

The clues to Too Darn Hot's preferred distance available in his pedigree have perhaps also served to muddy the waters.

He is by Dalham Hall Stud's standout sire Dubawi, a top-class miler who patently failed to stay the Derby trip when third at Epsom; but Dubawi was arguably faster than we might have expected from scanning his breeding, as he is by an outstanding ten-furlong horse in Dubai Millennium out of an Italian Oaks winner in Zomaradah, who in turn is related to the Derby hero High-Rise.

Too Darn Hot's dam Dar Re Mi meanwhile was a brilliant middle-distance racemare who put up her seven best efforts on Racing Post Ratings over 12 furlongs, including her peak performance when she defeated Buena Vista and Spanish Moon to take the Dubai Sheema Classic.

Dar Re Mi is stoutly bred, being by stamina influence Singspiel out of Prix Vermeille winner Darara, making her a half-sister to Prince of Wales's Stakes and Dubai Sheema Classic winner Rewilding, Audemars Piguet Queen Elizabeth II Cup scorer River Dancer and Ranvet Stakes victor Darazari. Darara was in turn by one Prix du Jockey Club winner in Top Ville, and a half-sister to another in Darshaan.

Dar Re Mi had been mated with Dubawi twice before Too Darn Hot's conception, and the results were the six-year-old mare So Mi Dar, who excelled at around ten furlongs, winning the Musidora Stakes and finishing third in the Prix de l'Opera, and the four-year-old filly Lah Ti Dar, a gallant runner-up in the St Leger last season who has twice run third over 12 furlongs in Group 1 company.

Too Darn Hot, who racecourse evidence tells us has far more toe than his sisters, serves as another reminder of the genetic variance that can occur even between full-siblings.

It will therefore be fascinating to follow the career of Too Darn Hot's year-younger brother who topped Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when sold to David Redvers on behalf of Qatar Racing for 3,500,000gns last year. Now named Darain, he is also in training with Gosden.

Dar Re Mi also has a yearling filly by Dubawi and was covered by the same stallion again last year. She is now joined by daughter So Mi Dar in the Watership Down Stud broodmare herd and that mare delivered her first foal, a Galileo filly, in February. So Mi Dar visited Galileo's half-brother Sea The Stars this year.

The Prix Jean Prat represented a fine result for Dubawi, as Too Darn Hot was followed home by another son of the stallion in Space Blues, a colt out of Challenge Stakes winner Miss Lucifer.

If you enjoyed reading this, you might also like...

Summer Romance giving her breeders the Donworths a major thrill

Tiggy Wiggy's son Year Of The Tiger roars to success at Naas

Golden Horn supplies his first winner as West End Girl dazzles on debut