Showing he taken benefit from his debut third behind the promising Shalaa (IRE) colt Roselyn's Star on March 13, the Too Darn Hot colt Hezdarnhottoo (NZ) made no mistake at start two in Wednesday's Toyota Forklifts Hcp (1100m) at Randwick-Kensington.
Tommy Berry was confident enough on the Bjorn Baker-trained 2-year-old to sneak a look over his shoulder on the turn as Hezdarnhottoo led the field through honest fractions. Showing no signs of stopping, the son of Too Darn Hot (IRE) safely held the heavily backed favourite, the $1,600,000 Snitzel debutant Imperial Force, by one and three-quarter lengths.
The Brave Smash (JPN) first starter, Smashing Time, finished solidly to be a further three-quarters of a length back in third.
"He's a lovely colt, a bit raw; he jumped in the air at the start the other day. To Tommy's credit he didn't drive him mad, let him find his feet and he worked to the line well," stable representative Luke Hilton said.
'He jumped well today, and Tommy took the race by the scruff of the neck.
"He had a nice colt with wraps on it behind him today."
Bred by Lib and Katrina Petagna's JBL Bloodstock, Hezdarnhottoo was a $170,000 NZB Karaka Book 1 purchase from the Elsdon Park draft for Bjorn Baker Racing / Clarke Bloodstock (FBAA) $170,000.
He is the third winner from as many to race for the stakes-placed Savabeel mare Rosa Carolina.
Bruce Perry Bloodstock purchased Rosa Carolina for $220,000 at the 2015 NZB Premier Yearling Sale. She is a daughter of the O'Reilly mare Ombre Rose, a multiple stakes winner who placed in the Group 1 NZ stakes and Group 1 International Stakes.
Roger James and Robert Wellwood went to $220,000 for Rosa Carolina's Almanzor filly consigned by Elsdon Park to the 2024 NZB Karaka Book 1.
Rosa Carolina was covered by State Of Rest (IRE) last spring.
Hezdarnhottoo is the fifth Australian first-crop winner for Darley Stud's Too Darn Hot (GB). The son of Dubawi joins Tassort and Alabama Express on that figure.
