It was lucky start 13 for the Group 1 placed Too Darn Hot (GB) mare Sweltering as the Chirs Waller trained 4yo broke her maiden by a wide margin in Wednesday’s Irresistible Pools And Spas Plate (1900m) at Canterbury.
With nine initial jump outs under her belt before making her racetrack debut for original trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young with a fourth placed finish, Sweltering went on to finished second at 200/1 odds behind Benagil (Manhattan Rain) in the $1m Group 1 SAJC Australasian Oaks (2000m) just six starts later.
Sent to the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale a month after her placing, Yulong secured Sweltering before she ended her 3yo season with a down the track performance in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2000m).
Sweltering was then transferred to the Chirs Waller stable to commence her 4yo season and after three runs in NSW, she was sent to Victoria where the mare showed a glimpse of form, finishing second in the Inglis Bracelet (1600m) being beaten three quarters of a length behind Verona Rose (Castelvecchio).
Starting at prohibitive odds, Tommy Berry jumped the mare from the outside barrier where she went forward and while Copartner Pegasus tried to hold her out as they passed the winning post for the first time, Sweltering eventually crossed to the lead.
Controlling the race throughout, Berry kicked up the tempo leading into the home turn where Sweltering was two lengths clear passing the 200m mark before pulling away to break her maiden (finally) by just over three and a half lengths.
Speaking post-race Charlie Duckworth was clearly glad to see the mare win, indicating that jockey Tommy Berry took luck out of the equation as she was the best horse in the race. And now that she has broken through, she can surely go on from there.
With a win and six second placed efforts from 13 starts with $309,865 in earnings, it would be of no surprise to see the mare go on with now she knows what winning is about.
Bred by Qatar Bloodstock and offered through the Widden Stud draft at the Inglis Premier yearling sale, Sweltering was knocked down to her original trainers for just $90,000, before she was reoffered at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale where Yulong secured the Group 1 performer for $600,000.
One of five winners out of the winning Encosta de Lago mare Daring, a three-quarter-sister to the Listed winners Order Of The Sun and Risk Aversion and to the dams of Group 1 winner Summer Passage and Listed winner All That Pizazz, Sweltering is a half-sister to the Listed winner Pacific Dragon.
Daring has since visited the Magic Millions Broodmare Sale ring on two occasions, selling to Alexia Fraser Bloodstock in 2022 carrying a positive to Zousain before heading through the ring 12 months later when purchased by Stonehouse Thoroughbreds and Swettenham Stud for $100,000 in foal to Farnan.
The 3yo unraced Zousain gelding has been named Boldzou and is in the stable of Ben, Will and JD Hayes while the Farnan filly was passed in at this year’s Inglis Premier yearling sale and is yet to be named.
Daring has since foaled a colt by Tornado (IRE) and this year produced another colt, this time by Darley’s Harry Angel (IRE).
Crowned the Champion Second Season Sire last season with more than $10m in earnings headed by Champion 3YO Colt Broadsiding, Too Darn Hot covered his fifth Australian book of mare this season, standing a fee of $275,000 (Inc. GST).
