On Wednesday, 15 May Too Darn Hot was recognised at the annual Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association (HTBA) in Scone for his fantastic results in the southern hemisphere.
More than 300 people – representing many studs, their clients, sponsors, suppliers and enthusiasts – gathered at the Scone Race Club to honour outstanding people and thoroughbreds from the district.
Held for over 30 years, the awards are decided by representatives with varied expertise in the thoroughbred industry.
Too Darn Hot topped the 2024 HTBA Champion First Season Sire category, giving Darley back-to-back success after winning the same award with Harry Angel 12 months ago.
Darley Australia Head of Stallions Alastair Pulford said he was delighted to accept the award on behalf of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, Godolphin and for Lord and Lady Andrew Lloyd-Webber.
Too Darn Hot was bred and raced by the Lloyd-Webbers’ Watership Down Stud in England. He was a three-time Group 1 winner and the Champion Two- and Three-Year-Old Colt of Europe in 2018 and 2019.
Champion Two-Year-Old in Great Britain, Too Darn Hot was Champion Three-Year-Old Miler in Europe.
By the United Kingdom’s best stallion, Dubawi out of triple G1-winning mare Dar Re Mi, Too Darn Hot won the G1 Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket at two and added the G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville in France and the G1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood as a three-year-old.
“After winning his third Group One, he retired with high expectations and those expectations are now being fully met,” Pulford said.
“He finished his first northern hemisphere season with four individual Group winners, no European stallion has ever sired more, and is well on his way to similar success here.
“Too Darn Hot is the leader in what looks to be a top-class group of first-season stallions.”
From 22 runners in Australia this season, Too Darn Hot has sired nine winners of 12 races – highlighted by the Godolphin-trained juvenile Broadsiding (out of Speedway by Street Cry).
The colt won the G1 Champagne Stakes and the Listed Fernhill Mile during the autumn carnival in Sydney.
Since retiring to stud in England in 2020, Too Darn Hot now has 48 winners worldwide of 69 races, including seven individual Stakes winners of 10 Black-Type races.
Fallen Angel won the G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh last year, while Boiling Point saluted in the Listed King Charles II Stakes at Newmarket this month.
In thanking the HTBA, sponsors and awards night attendees, Pulford said Too Darn Hot had been a dream stallion to promote.
The progeny of Too Darn Hot has been in high demand at four major yearling sales in Australia this year.
His 29 lots sold have averaged $262,413, to a high of $1.9 million at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Too Darn Hot will return to Australia in late July to stand at Kelvinside in the Hunter Valley this season for a service fee of $110,000, GST inclusive.
