Full Brother to Champion Too Darn Hot to Debut

Darain—the top lot at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in 2018—will face his first racecourse test when lining up in the second division of the 10-furlong novice stakes at Newbury July 8. 

There will be sharp contrast between the behind-closed doors meeting and the packed Park Paddocks sales ring where the son of Dubawi and Dar Re Mi fetched 3,500,000 guineas (US$4,811,678), when signed for by David Redvers on behalf of Qatar Racing.

"I think he's the one we all wanted," said Redvers after the gavel came down. "The mare is quite extraordinary, as is the stallion. Sheikh Fahad and his brothers want the very best and to compete with the very best."

Oisin Murphy will take the ride on the John Gosden-trained colt, who was bred by the Lloyd-Webbers' Watership Down Stud out of their exceptional racemare and producer Dar Re Mi, the Darley Yorkshire Oaks (G1) heroine whose runners are headed up by the exceptional miler Too Darn Hot and fellow group 1 performers Lah Ti Dar and So Mi Dar, all of whom are by Dubawi.

Too Darn Hot was crowned champion 2-year-old colt in Europe for his win in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes (G1) and champion 3-year-old miler in Europe for victories in the Qatar Prix Jean Prat (G1) and Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1), while he commanded a £50,000 fee in his first year at Dalham Hall Stud this year. 

In fact, four of Dar Re Mi's offspring have achieved a three-figure Racing Post Rating, with De Treville having struck in group 3 company to earn a berth at stud at Haras du Mezeray in France. 

Too Darn Hot counts as one of 42 top-flight winners for Dubawi, whose son Ghaiyyath toppled Enable in the Coral-Eclipse (G1) July 5 to add to his victories in the Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup (G1) and Longines Grosser Preis von Baden (G1). 

In what looks a competitive affair, Darain could be given most to do by the Lope de Vega filly Annie de Vega, who was second to the subsequent listed winner King Carney on her only previous start in an extended mile maiden at Nottingham last October.

Interestingly, the third priciest youngster at Book 1 in 2018 was the 1,300,000 guineas ($1,787,195) yearling Amhran Na Bhfiann, a Galileo colt out of Alluring Park who took third behind Serpentine in the Investec Derby (G1) last weekend.