With his service fee pushed to $110,000 in Australia this spring, Darley shuttler Too Darn Hot (GB) was on the board overnight with the first stakes-winner from his second crop in the Northern Hemisphere with promising filly Hot Darling taking out the Listed Prix des Reves d’Or Jacques Bouchara (1000m) at Vichy in France.

In times past, many a racing tragic would have nursed a sore head at Wallabadah on New Year’s Day.