Too Darn Hot Could Reappear Quickly for Irish 2000 Guineas

The last few months have been a bit of a rollercoaster for those following Too Darn Hot. After being the champion two year old last season, he was the favourite for the 2000 Guineas and the Derby over the winter. He missed the Guineas due to a foot injury, and then we were told it would be all systems go for the Derby.

That plan gave him an entry in the Dante Stakes at York last Thursday, where he finished second. As soon as jockey Frankie Dettori got off the horse, he told trainer John Gosden that the horse would not stay the Derby trip of an additional two furlongs, and a drop in trip would suit as opposed to staying at 1m2f.

From there the plan changed, and the big target was then the St James’ Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, however we could now see him appear a little sooner than that. He was entered in the Irish 2000 Guineas a long time ago, but left in the race on Tuesday after he has allegedly come out of York great. A decision will be made on Thursday, but there appears to be a genuine possibility of him running in Ireland, where he would take on Magna Grecia in a ‘what could have been’ clash, had Too Darn Hot been fit for the English Guineas.

Magna Grecia won the English version of the race in great style, and looked like he could be top class. Straight after the race, Aidan O’Brien told reporters that the horse looks as though he is a miler, and he would remain at that. His two targets are the 2000 Guineas and the St James’ Palace Stakes, so we could see these two meet twice in the space of a month if both follow their entries and go to Ireland followed by Royal Ascot.

The betting has Magna Grecia as the current favourite, which is no surprise as he has already shown a high level over one mile this season. However, Too Darn Hot is not too far behind in the betting and if he runs in the race, he will provide formidable opposition.

This is a horse who was the champion two year old last year, and one who ran very close behind a strong Derby fancy over a trip that was described as slightly too far last week. Assuming he is well out of that, which we have to trust John Gosden with, if he is slightly better over a mile as expected, then he is going to provide Magna Grecia with a tough task, and we look set to have a great race between the two.