Big future predicted for talented Perspiration
Too Darn Hot came to the fore earlier in the afternoon at Rosehill when another of his sons, Perspiration, came with a late run to triumph in the Heritage Stakes (Listed, 1100m), handing the former Darley shuttler his 14th individual stakes winner and third in Australia.
The classy Ciaron Maher-trained colt broke his maiden on his third attempt in a 1200-metre contest at Mornington as a two-year-old in April and returned as a three-year-old with a sixth-placed finish in the San Domenico Stakes over the same course and distance as Saturday’s race on August 31.
Ridden by Zac Lloyd, Perspiration missed the kick from barrier four and was a few lengths off his rivals in the early stages before settling at the back of the five-runner field. The colt was then sent to the outside by Lloyd and he let down impressively, fighting all the way to the line to beat Rosebud (Listed, 1100m) winner Gatsby’s (Snitzel) by 0.15 lengths.
The resuming Ikasara (I Am Invincible), a debut winner at Rosehill in April, was another 2.18 lengths away third.
Though on the bottom rung of black type, the Heritage Stakes has a distinguished honour board as the kick-off to many good horses’ spring campaigns. Recent winners include subsequent Coolmore Stud Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) winners turned sires, Ozzmosis (Zoustar) last year and Home Affairs (I Am Invincible) the year before, while in 2001 it was the launch pad for the triumphant Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) campaign of Lonhro (Octagonal).
While Maher’s Sydney stable representative Johann Gerard-Dubord was keeping his cards close to his chest regarding plans for Perspiration, he was predicting a bright future for the colt.
“I think it will be mostly guided by the tracks,” Gerard-Dubord said. “He needs that give but as you can see he’s still fairly wintery. He can improve again and I think he’s a horse with a bit of a future.”
Gerard-Dubord said Perspiration possessed a good turn of foot and he believes the soft conditions were in his favour on Saturday.
“His first-up run was good, he quickened well but just late, obviously, he was a bit soft,” he said. “The track on that day was a bit firm and he does enjoy a bit of give in the ground.
“Zac rode him perfectly. That’s exactly what he needs, just to be patient and he can save that turn of foot.”
Perspiration (3 c Latitude by Casino Prince) was purchased by his trainer and Group 1 Bloodstock for $270,000 from the Rosari Farm draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2023 and is raced by a familiar partnership headed by Ozzie Khier and John O’Neill.
The colt is out of five-time winner Latitude (Casino Prince) and she is herself a daughter of Group 2-placed winner Acupuncture (Pins), making her a half-sister to Listed scorer Sugar Boom (Spirit Of Boom) and the stakes-placed three-time winner Intencion (Commands).
Bred by Patinack Farm, Latitude was bought by Damon Gabbedy of Belmont Bloodstock at the operation’s Magic Millions dispersal sale in 2014 and was then snapped up by Alison Sedgwick for $155,000 at the 2019 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in 2019.
After missing to Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo) in 2022, Latitude slipped to Star Turn (Star Witness) the following season, but produced a sister to Perspiration in August. The mare was covered by Kia Ora’s Golden Slipper (Gr 1, 1200m)-winning first-season sire Farnan (Not A Single Doubt) earlier this week.
Too Darn Hot stood his first four seasons at Darley’s Kelvinside at a fee of $44,000 (inc GST) and was intended to return to the New South Wales farm in 2024 for an increased fee of $110,000 (inc GST), but it was announced earlier in the year the stallion would not be making the trip south this season.
Perspiration’s win provided Darley’s former shuttler the first leg of stakes double in Sydney with Broadsiding completing the red–letter day for the sire when he landed his third Group 1 in the Golden Rose.
The pair spearheaded a truly international day at Rosehill with four of five stakes races on the card going the way of progeny by stallions who no longer shuttle to Australia.
Too Darn Hot’s sire Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) scored his 286th individual stakes winner when First Light took out the Colin Stephen Quality (Gr 3, 2400m), while Coolmore’s one season shuttler Caravaggio (Scat Daddy) was provided with his 17th individual stakes winner courtesy of Amor Victorious’s win in the Shannon Stakes (Gr 2, 1500m).