Hotazhell seeking soft ground following ‘fantastic’ Irish Champion run Jessica Harrington was thrilled with Hotazhell’s fourth in Saturday’s Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown and is hoping for a wet autumn as she looks ahead to the remainder of the season. The son of Too Darn Hot edged out Delacroix in the Group 1 William Hill Futurity Trophy on soft ground at Doncaster last year but, despite some solid efforts, has failed to add to his four juvenile wins this season. The prospect of soft ground saw his odds tumble from 28/1 into 11/1 for the ‘Irish Champion’ but he eventually drifted out to 18/1 at the off with conditions drying out to good to yielding. The Silverton Hill Partnership-owned colt was putting in his best work at the finish when staying on into fourth behind Delacroix at Leopardstown and Harrington said, “It was a fantastic run; probably his best run this year. If we could just find him softer ground. “He was quite keen early on and then he hits a bit of a flat spot, but he goes again. He stays well now. “We haven’t made up our minds where he will go next. We’ll have to talk with the owners and have a good think about it.” The Commonstown trainer was speaking after Barnavara recorded an impressive win yesterday afternoon in the Group 2 Moyglare “Jewels” Blandford Stakes at the Curragh and now heads for the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp next month.
