Dettori and Too Darn Hot lift Derby temperature

A star was born in the colours of Lord Lloyd Webber here on Saturday as Too Darn Hot lived up to all expectations with a four-length defeat of a Royal Ascot winner in the Group Three Solario Stakes. A move up to Group One company now seems inevitable for John Gosden’s colt, a son of his brilliant filly Dar Re Mi and he is the new favourite for the 2,000 Guineas and the Derby next season.

Too Darn Hot came into the race with the lowest official rating among the six runners, as his seven-length win in a Sandown maiden did not match up to the achievements of opponents who had already run well in Group company. He emerged as a potential champion juvenile, having displayed the class and acceleration of a Group One horse while also leaving the impression there will be better yet to come as he adds experience to the mix.

Frankie Dettori settled his mount close to the pace and asked the even-money favourite to quicken with around a quarter of a mile to run. The response was immediate and decisive as Too Darn Hot swept into a clear lead and Arthur Kitt – who showed a good turn of foot himself to win the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot in June – could not get any closer than four lengths behind the winner at the line.

“A Group One is the next step,” Dettori said, “so I gave him as much experience as I could. I gave him a couple of flicks and he has put a very good field to bed in impressive fashion.

“He’s got options. We know he can stay a mile but he also showed speed over seven today, he had the race won by the furlong-and-a-half.

“He’s quite neat and compact and I rode most of the family, Dubawi [Too Darn Hot’s sire], Dar Re Mi and So Mi Dar and the rest. He’s pretty special.”

Too Darn Hot is now top-priced at 8-1 for the Derby at Epsom next June with GentingBet, and the same price to win the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket with the same firm on 4 May. In the latter market, he displaced Ten Sovereigns at the head of the market after Aidan O’Brien’s colt had spent around 15 minutes as clear favourite thanks to his second win in the space of eight days in the Group Three Round Tower Stakes at The Curragh.

The son of No Nay Never beat 24 opponents by seven lengths under a hand ride at The Curragh last Sunday and Donnacha O’Brien, his jockey, was once again all but motionless in his saddle as the 1-3 favourite eased nearly four lengths clear at the line.

Ten Sovereigns will now be aimed towards the Middle Park Stakes over six furlongs at Newmarket on 29 September.

“He travels very strong and has a lot of speed,” the winning trainer said. “You’d be delighted to see the last furlong, he got there and opened up. He’s now going to the Middle Park after having two runs and he should have enough experience, we will look forward to that now.”

Veracious, third in Group One company on her two previous starts this year, dropped back to a Group Three in search of her first win of the season and had little trouble seeing off a small field for the Atalanta Stakes, the main supporting race on the Sandown card.

Sir Michael Stoute’s filly has had a stop-start season having been forced to miss the 1,000 Guineas this year, but she is likely to remain in training at four. “I’m sure she’ll be even better next year,” Chris Richardson, the racing manager for Cheveley Park Stud, said, “and I wouldn’t discount the top Group Ones later in the year.”