Masar, Too Darn Hot Join Dalham Hall Roster for 2020

Masar and Too Darn Hot will stand their first seasons at Dalham Hall Stud in 2020, with their fees to be announced at a later date.

The pair will join their respective sires New Approach and Dubawi at Darley's Newmarket premises.

It is no surprise last year's Investec Derby (G1) hero Masar heads to Dalham Hall, being a Godolphin home-bred hero in the Epsom classic out of the UAE Oaks Sponsored by Al Tayer Motors (G3) and UAE Derby Sponsored by the Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group (G2) winner Khawlah.

The chestnut won the Betbright Solario Stakes (G3) as a juvenile and placed in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere-Grand Criterium (G1) as well as landing the Bet365 Craven Stakes (G3) and finishing third to Saxon Warrior in the QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas (G1) at 3.

Off for more than a year after the Derby, he could not recapture that form in two more starts for Charlie Appleby and was retired in the summer along with star sprinter stablemate Blue Point.

"It is an honor to stand a horse of the quality of Masar," said director of stallions Sam Bullard. "He won the race we all strive to win but had the speed to beat a group 2-winning sprinter (Invincible Army) on his six-furlong debut before going on to win the group 3 Solario Stakes.

"He became the first Derby winner to wear the Godolphin blue and beat champion Roaring Lion all three times they met. From one of the best families in the studbook, he had a higher juvenile rating than his illustrious relatives Galileo and Sea The Stars. Prudent breeders will have him on their list."

Too Darn Hot was last year's champion 2-year-old, winning the 188bet Solario, the Howcroft Industrial Supplies Champagne (G2) at Doncaster, and later beating a high-class field in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes (G1).

The Watership Down Stud-bred colt then placed in the Tattersalls Irish Two Thousand Guineas (G1) and St. James's Palace Stakes (G1) before getting back on the group 1-winning spree in the Qatar Prix Jean Prat and Qatar Sussex Stakes. 

Out of the redoubtable Dar Re Mi and a full brother to William Hill St. Leger (G1) second Lah Ti Dar and multiple stakes winner So Mi Dar, Too Darn Hot was retired due to a hairline fracture of a hind cannon bone a few days after his Goodwood triumph.

"When we set out to create Watership Down Stud with the purchase of Darara, we wanted to breed the best," said Simon Marsh, racing manager for Watership Down Stud. "Too Darn Hot comprises everything the Lloyd Webbers set out to achieve. He has taken us all on an incredible journey and has everything you want in a stallion—talent, precocity, pedigree, and looks."