Hotazhell and Shane Foley © Photo Healy Racing
Jessica Harrington and Shane Foley completed doubles on the night, with Hotazhell proving too strong for a quartet of opponents in the Group 3 Japan Racing Association Tyros Stakes at Leopardstown.
An eye-catching fourth on his racecourse debut over course and distance, the Too Darn Hot colt stepped up on that when winning his maiden at the Curragh subsequently.
Sent off 10/3 here, Shane Foley had the colt well placed in second from the outset, chasing the race leader Swagman
Ranging up to challenge over a furlong out, the Harrington trained colt led over 150 yards out, staying on in determined fashion to land a one-and-a-half length success.
“That was nice, he's a nice colt,” said Jessica Harrington.
“He quickened up well, they went a good old gallop the whole way. He's tough and he'll probably just have one more run this year.
“He had to do it the hard way because he had to go and catch the pacemaker and then go away from him.
“Shane was thinking the other horse would come to him and take him along but it didn't and he had to go and commit.
“He'll go a mile, probably even this year. I don't think we'll go to the National Stakes, I'd say we'll wait for something over a mile in September.
“We've got two nice milers and we'll keep them well apart!”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
