Too Darn Hot the new Irish 2,000 Guineas favourite as Magna Grecia drifts

Punters are continuing to support last year's champion juvenile Too Darn Hot for his clash with Magna Grecia in Saturday's Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas, with bookmakers cutting the colt to as short as 5-4.

Too Darn Hot was forced to miss the Newmarket Classic after suffering a setback before being beaten at evens on his return to action over 1m2½f in the Dante Stakes at York, when he raced keenly and failed to see out the trip in the final furlong, prompting trainer John Gosden to drop him back to a mile.

However, despite that first loss of his career, he has been supported to bounce back in style, and punters fancy him to emulate his sire Dubawi by gaining Classic glory at the Curragh.

Too Darn Hot is now a general 11-8, while Magna Grecia is a best-priced 13-8.

"The swing has been weight of money," said William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams. "The vast majority are small bets and clearly the general public really fancy him. The general public love this horse and Too Darn Hot looks certain to go off as a terrible result for the bookies."

Sky Bet also have flip-flopping favourites, with Too Darn Hot usurping Magna Grecia at the head of the market, and the firm's spokesman Michael Shinners said: "Too Darn Hot has been very popular in a lively market since we opened the book and is now our clear favourite.

"Certainly from a betting perspective he has the momentum behind him and looks at this stage as if he’ll go off favourite in front of Magna Grecia."

Too Darn Hot is being turned out just nine days after his reappearance run, but Simon Marsh, racing manager to owner Lord Lloyd-Webber, does not envisage that being a problem and is expecting a big run.

Marsh said: "John is very pleased with the horse and the way he has come out of the race. He thrives on work and it's very exciting for everyone involved. Hopefully he can run a good race and give a good account of himself. He'll love the ground and the horse is well. John wouldn't be sending him there unless he thought he was 100 per cent."

Too Darn Hot is a brother to Lah Ti Dar and So Mi Dar, who have both proved effective over further, and Marsh has not given up hope the colt will eventually prove his mettle at beyond a mile.

He added: "I'm not sure that he didn't stay in the Dante as he wasn't fully tuned up due to his setback, but going back to the mile is the obvious thing to do with him at this stage. There's no reason to think he wouldn't stay a mile and a quarter later in the season."

Magna Grecia: 2,000 Guineas hero is on the driftCredit: Mark Cranham

O'Brien is seeking his 12th Irish 2,000 Guineas winner, while Gosden is looking for his second following Kingman's victory five years ago.

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