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Hotazhell ready to begin four-year-old campaign

Hotazhell and Shane Foley Hotazhell and Shane Foley
© Healy Racing Photos

Jessica Harrington's team is looking forward to the reappearance of stable star Hotazhell at Navan tomorrow.

The Too Darn Hot colt, owned by the Silverton Hill Partnership, won three Pattern races at two including the Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Doncaster.

Winless in five starts last year, he was a creditable third in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and fourth in the Irish Champion Stakes before finishing his campaign with an unplaced effort in the Arc.

Regular rider Shane Foley takes the reins on the unpenalised four-year-old who drops down in grade to Listed company in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Hill Of Tara Stakes over 1m1f.

"He was quite busy at the back end of last year so we purposely have started off a little bit later with him," said assistant trainer Kate Harrington. 

“We’ve had a nice wet week so the ground has come for him, which is good, and it looks like a nice opportunity for him to get his head in front.

“He’s got some nice entries. His owners are from Kentucky, so as long as we can end up at the Breeders Cup there (at Keeneland) with him, they’ll be happy.

“That’s why we’ve had no rush with him in the first part of the year.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson

About Mark Nunan
Mark has followed racing since he was a teenager and worked for many years as a broadcaster with the Irish version of Racecall. He joined the Press Association in 2019 and is also a contributor to the Racing Post. A native of Kildare, he now lives in Sligo.