Some horses find ways to get beat and some find ways to win and one of those is Dion Luciani's four year old mare Hot And High (Too Darn Hot), who got out of jail to win the G3 Asian Beau Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
She was sequestered away on the rail with no room to move as the field headed for home behind all-the-way leader Playin’it Sweet ( Playing God). Chris Parnham and race favourite Hot And High were strung up behind that horse in the closing stages of the 1400m feature, while Bonjoy (Maschino) and Zipaway ( Playing God) with all the momentum were flying down the middle of the track.
But like a ballerina on her tippy-toes, Hot And High was able to find a way around the leader, and once in clear air she balanced up in a split second and burst through under hands and heels to win by half a length.
A neck separated second Zipaway (Neville Parnham's 2023 WA Guineas winner in a surprise return to form at 40/1) and third placed Bonjoy at 6/1.
Hot And High has now won eight of her nine starts and was runner up in the other. She has amassed $566,760 in earnings with the promise of plenty more to come!
Her Asian Beau victory exempts her from the Railway Stakes ballot, and she now sits atop the betting market for the upcoming carnival’s marquee event.
“She’s just a winner …” She certainly is! Another brilliant performance from the Dion Luciani trained Hot And High as the 4YO mare captures the Group 3 Asian Beau Stakes over 1400m at Ascot – her 8th win from 9 starts. With 4 stakes victories to her credit and a black type 2nd (her only defeat), Hot And High is bred & raced by Cape Falls Thoroughbreds and is among 40 stakes winners for @DarleyAus' Too Darn Hot. @PerthRacing
— Aushorse (@Aushorse_TBA) October 31, 2026
Trainer Dion Luciani was all smiles as his gallant young mare returned to a warm reception from the big Ascot crowd.
“She was great today,” he said.
“I was worried - it just didn't look like she was going to get into the clear, but she was sharp when she got out and I loved the way she attacked the line.
“She's a funny mare. After her last run Chris was talking about how she didn't like being on the inside of horses and being hampered.
“ It was probably a bit the same today, she must really dislike horses crowding her, but that might be why she's got such an electric turn of foot when she gets in the clear.
“It would be great to draw a good gate in the mile ( Railway) but at least she's qualified now, and we've got three weeks to play with, so we'll just reset our sights on the Group One.
“I think the filly appreciates getting out to a mile. It was her best run last campaign at that distance (Belmont Guineas) so she's certainly still on an upward spiral”.
Hot And High’s brave win gave jockey Chris Parnham his third Asian Beau Stakes.
“Her record shows that she likes to get the job done,” said the hoop.
“She never travelled boldly in the run, though she was a little bit more on the bridle today, but the more she sees daylight the more she wants to hit the line.
“She just seems to find that little bit extra when most don't - and they're the good ones!.
Hot And High remains undefeated at Ascot, and unbeaten second up.
The daughter of Darley supersire Too Darn Hot ( Dubawi) is bred and raced by the renowned Brett Fogarty of Cape Falls Thoroughbreds.
She is the third foal, second to race and first winner /stakes winner from the beautifully bred Snitzel daughter High Conviction, a winner of three.
High Conviction's 2021 colt Desert Waves (Pride Of Dubai) has won three races, and her 2024 filly by Zousain named Sarre Jewel is yet to race.
The mare visited Street Boss at Darley but missed to him, before producing a filly this season to his son Traffic Warden.
High Conviction is one of nine named foals from the brilliant Paris Petard (WATC Gimcrack Stakes LR, Belgravia Stakes LR, G3 Sires Produce Stakes) a daughter of Danzig's G1 Dewhurst Stakes winning son Mujahid. The best galloper sired by him was the 4 x G1 winning sprinter Danleigh.
Paris Petard retired from breeding in 2020.
Her daughter Paris Cracker (Viscount) owned by Oakland Park Stud, is dam of the durable stakes winning sprinter miler Saloon Bar (Sessions).
Oakland Park sold Paris Petard as part of a 30-mare dispersal through the 2011 Perth Magic Millions Autumn Sale, and she was picked up for $100,000 by Cape Falls Thoroughbreds.
Cape Falls retain her remaining daughters, the winners Seeking Alpha (Pierro), Parlons (Lonhro) and High Conviction.
Paris Petard's dam Nitrate was a Newcastle maiden winner producing only three foals, but they were Paris Petard, her half sister by Seignorial, Paris Heart (a good producer), and the handy performer Zentrate (Zentsov Street).
Nitrate by Paris House was a half sister to G1 winner Arkady and multiple stakes producer Arkadina from the Marscay daughter Briscay.
This damline goes back to the taproot mare of family 1-c Mustard, through Fair Duchess GB 1876 who was imported into Australia.
Mustard's dam Morel is also the ancestress of the breed shaping sire Princequillo.
Hot and High is bred
Danzig x 5m,4m
Her dam High Conviction is sex balanced 4f x 5m to Storm Bird, and is also linebred to the Princequillo son Round Table.
A really neat bit of linebreeding in this pedigree involves Too Darn Hot's 5f x 5f cross of Blue Hen Sunbittern - a grand daughter of the great broodmare sire Herbager, who was himself bred x 2 to Firdaussi.
Firdaussi is from the 1-c family of Princequillo and of Hot And High herself!
Too Darn Hot stands at Darley NSW on a fee of $275,000
