Desperate feature race finishes, with next to nothing separating the leading runners as they cross the line, has become a common theme in Western Australia racing and Saturday’s Listed Belmont Guineas provided an extreme version of that scenario as the $11 chance Prince Of Dala, who was trying to cling on to his lead, and the $2.60 favourite Hot And High, who was trying to run the leader down, flashed through the line together, inseparable to the naked eye.
The photo, possibly with the help of microscope, showed the judge that the Dion Luciani trained Hot And High had snatched the win away from Stephan Miller trained Prince Of Dala in a result which saw Hot And High claim her sixth win from only seven starts by a margin that was as close to a dead-heat that you can get.
Hot And High’s only career defeat had come in her previous start where she was just touched off by Vatican Storm in the Raconteur Stakes. To go down in two successive, incredibly close photo-finishes would have been cruel, but Hot And High evened that ‘win some, lose some’ score with the result going the way of the well performed daughter of Too Darn Hot this time around.
For jockey Lucy Fiore, who was also in the saddle in that heartbreak loss in the Raconteur in which Hot And High lost her unbeaten record, the result would have brought a great deal of satisfaction. Fiore has now ridden Hot And High in three of her six career wins.
“I’d said to Dion (Luciani) when I came back last start that next time, with the mile, we must make sure she gets cover. No matter where she is, I think if she is just waiting, she has got the turn of foot to run them down,” said Fiore.
“She just travels so well and, although she is small, you are just never in doubt because if there is a run there, she will take it.
“I was pretty confident I had won, but after last time I thought I’ll wait till I get back and not go the early crow.”
Hot And High handled the step up to 1600m with aplomb, but Fiore felt the jury was still out with regard to Hot And High’s best race distance.
“Who knows. She gives me the feeling behind the gates … where she is very lively … she doesn’t feel like a miler. She feels like a little sprinter,” offered Fiore, “so, I think she is pretty versatile. I don’t know where her limit is.”
The horse that Hot And High beat … Prince Of Dala … is certainly no slouch. He has won three of his five starts and his Belmont Guineas run was a huge effort in his first taste of competition at Listed level.
Herault, a $41 bolter trained by Jason Miller finished in third place with the $4.80 second favourite Like Clockwork coming home in fourth spot.
Vatican Storm, who lowered Hot And High’s colours in that close finish in their previous clash, found the Belmont Guineas a bridge too far when, after jumping from a very wide barrier (fourteen out of sixteen), he finished out of the placings.
