‘The hottest stallion in the world right now’ – Why Too Darn Hot’s return means so much for Godolphin in Australia

The significance of Too Darn Hot returning to shuttling duties after a 12-month absence can’t be underestimated.

Godolphin confirmed late on Tuesday that, after weeks of speculation which reached fever pitch at the Inglis Easter sale, Too Darn Hot would indeed rejoin Darley’s stallion roster at Kelvinside in 2025.

His considerable fee of $275,000 (inc GST) puts him in the upper echelon of stallion talent and in the same realms of Australia’s top sires Extreme Choice, Zoustar, I Am Invincible and Snitzel.

That’s not to say he hasn’t earned it, with his first Australian-conceived crop producing nine stakes winners, headed by Godolphin’s own champion two-year-old and now four-time Group 1-winning colt Broadsiding. 

Second-crop son Rivellino, the winner of his first three starts and fourth and fifth in the Golden Slipper and Sires’ Produce respectively at Group 1 level this autumn, has added to Too Darn Hot’s growing reputation in both hemispheres. 

In the north, he’s the sire of 13 stakes winners including Irish Thousand Guineas heroine Fallen Angel and fellow Group 1 winner Hotazhell.

After Too Darn Hot was ruled out of shuttling last year due to a minor bout of colic just two months out from the 2024 breeding season, leaving mare owners scrambling to find alternative sires, the fact the son of Dubawi will be back on a plane this year is a significant show of faith after an autumn beset with rumours about the long-term plans for Godolphin in Australia.

Straight Shorts – Tuesday April 8 – Too Darn Hot returns, Declan Maher on the move, Leilani Lodge latest, Vinrock on ice and Asfoora’s French connection

In today’s Straight Shorts, Darley announces Too Darn Hot return, Declan Maher to open Gold Coast stable, ATC calls for expressions of interest in famous stable, Vinrock spelled and Asfoora ready to resume.

The StraightStaff Writer

It’s an obvious boost for the Australian stallion ranks, but it’s also an important one for Godolphin and the leadership of the local arm’s managing director Andy Makiv, who was appointed to the role last September.

“What he’s done so far in his career to date is amazing, really. I mean, he’s just made an unbelievable start at stud,” Darley’s head of stallions Alistair Pulford told The Straight.

“We’re saying he’s the hottest stallion in the world right now and I think that’s what he is. He’s the horse that everyone’s talking about and everyone wants to go to and he’ll be book full in no time, obviously.”

Too Darn Hot is jointly owned by Godolphin and Watership Down Stud’s Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber, so such a decision wasn’t as simple as it may otherwise have been.

“We’re saying he’s the hottest stallion in the world right now and I think that’s what he is.” – Alistair Pulford

Watership Down Stud’s long-time racing manager Simon Marsh on Tuesday acknowledged the circumstances surrounding Too Darn Hot’s non-arrival last year but equally he was pleased the horse would be back shuttling this year.

“Obviously, we let people down by announcing it so late, but it was definitely in the best interests of the horse. And we’ve always got to have the horse in mind before any of these decisions are made,” Marsh said.

“The horse is doing fantastically well. We’re delighted with the way he’s doing in Australia and so it seems absolutely right that the horse will come back down to Australia this year.”

Too Darn Hot, in his absence from Kelvinside last year, wasn’t completely in abeyance. 

He covered 59 mares last year to southern hemisphere time. and he’ll be covering a yet-to-be determined restricted book of mares again in 2025. 

Compared to the 537 mares he covered in his four previous Australian shuttle stints, 59 is a small number, but with the rise in quality of stock, it should be enough to maintain Too Darn Hot’s momentum in the sales ring and on the racetrack.

Pulford holds no fears about Too Darn Hot not shuttling last southern hemisphere spring, pointing to Darley shuttlers such as Street Cry and Street Boss missing years before once again making their mark.

“He’s a young horse who is very much on the rise. I think the whole country’s been looking for a horse like him. He’s a complete outcross to Danehill,” he said.

“And he’s got all the quality and attributes to become an absolute breed-shaping stallion. He started off in such tremendous style. And you can only think it’s going to get better.

“I’ve always gone back to the depth of his pedigree and his own performance. Obviously, he was a very high-class Group 1 champion himself. His father was a champion.

“His mother was a champion. And all four of his grandparents are Group 1 winners. You just don’t see that in any horse.

“So, he has got as good a blood going around as any horse I’ve ever seen and that’s coming to the fore.”

Godolphin will support Too Darn Hot heavily this year, as will Watership Down Stud, which owns mares in partnership with Yarraman Park, has plans to import two others from the UK to be served by the stallion.

Marsh indicated Watership Down could also buy mares at the Chairman’s and Magic MIllions National sales to support their champion first season and leading second season Australian sire.

It’s also at the Chairman’s sale where Watership Down could sell Too Darn Lizzie, a first crop daughter of Too Darn Hot bought by agent Johnny McKeever for $1 million on behalf of Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber as a yearling at the 2023 Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

The three-year-old is now a Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed filly who is in training with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.

“She’s going to be offered at the Chairman’s Sale in May … and if we sell her, we sell her, but if we don’t, we’re very happy to keep her and breed from her,” Marsh said.

“She’s a very exciting prospect, not only as a broodmare prospect, but also as a racing prospect. So, we’re excited about that and if we sell her, we’ll reinvest the money and buy some mares for Too Darn Hot.”

Watership Down Stud bought the Ole Kirk sister to Bjorn Baker’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic-winning filly O’ Ole for $650,000 with agent Johnny McKeever at the Inglis Easter sale on Monday and the Lloyd Webbers also took a share in a $700,000 Too Darn Hot colt to be trained by Australian Guineas-winning Dom Sutton.

The Ole Kirk filly, who was bred and sold by Gilgai Farm, will be trained by Waterhouse and Bott.

Godolphin is expected to confirm later this month the remainder of its two-state Australian stallion roster, which features Anamoe, Bivouac, Harry Angel and Pinatubo.