Daring tactics secure victory for Hezdarnhottoo

A brilliant rails-hugging ride from Jett Stanley paved the way for Kiwi-bred gelding Hezdarnhottoo (NZ) (Too Darn Hot) to claim an outstanding victory in the last race on the Caulfield card on Saturday, the Darren Gauci Handicap (1200m)

Bred by Elsdon Park’s Lib and Katrina Petagna, Hezdarnhottoo races out of the Bjorn Baker stable and was purchased by Baker in partnership with Clarke Bloodstock for $170,000 out of Elsdon Park’s inaugural 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 draft.

Stanley had most onlookers stunned when he deliberately steered the son of Too Darn Hot to the inside throughout and was more than ten lengths clear rounding the home bend.

The four-year-old gelding never looked like shirking his task and despite a rally from the runners charging home out wide he held on to complete his third career victory from just 13 starts.

Baker stable representative Jack Chard was quick to place the credit for the unusual tactics squarely on the shoulders of Stanley.

“Bjorn told me this morning that we’ll try and get a bit of cover, but they have been coming wide and when Jett said he was going to hug the rail I didn’t think it was the worst idea,” Chard said.

“Look at him now, it’s paid off and was a great ride.

“We’ve always had an opinion of the horse and I’ve tipped him to everyone, but he just hasn’t shown up at the races, so to get the chocolates today is beautiful.

“Last start he didn’t get a run when he needed it and before that he was getting beaten by good horses by a length or so.

“We actually brought him here for a dry track and got a Heavy 8, but thankfully it hasn’t rained that much so it (the track) has held up well.

“I’m just stoked for the team and the owners, so well done to everyone.”

Stanley admitted he had done his homework during the day to come up with the riding plan in the race.

“I’ve been watching and riding in races all day and I just couldn’t wrap my head around how the outside was so much better than the inside when they haven’t run on it for ten weeks,” he said.

“I thought they would be losing five to seven lengths going out so wide, so I went back out after the second last race and walked it again to make sure I was confident in the plan.

“Bjorn said go out there and do what you have to, to get the job done. To the horse’s credit he was lost for much of the race with no-one around him but he just kept pushing and found the line.

“I was either going to be a genius or an idiot and turned out to be a genius.”

The son of Too Darn Hot is the third winner from as many to race for the stakes-placed Savabeel mare Rosa Carolina who raced in Petagna’s familiar blue, yellow and apple green racing colours.