John Gosden is finally getting to a stage where he is happy about his champion juvenile Too Darn Hot, who has had a very unlucky season so far but will looking to put that right at Royal Ascot.
Last season, the Lord Lloyd Webber-owned colt was unbeaten in all of his four starts rounding off the season perfectly when landing his first Group One win at Newmarket in the Dewhurst Stakes.
There was plenty of apprehension around the now three year old for his campaign this season but with teething issues in training and the horse never being to his best he has not been the son of Dubawi that we were used to seeing.
He has finished second on both his starts, with his first run coming at York in the Group Two Dante Stakes, in a prep run for the Epsom Derby, but this did not go to plan finishing in behind Telecaster and all but crushed the youngsters Derby prospects.
With a change of plan Gosden sent him over to Ireland, back down in trip to a mile for the Irish 2000 Guineas and although looking more comfortable was breezed aside by Charlie Hills trained Phoenix Of Spain on his first run as three year old.
At Royal Ascot, Too Darn Hot will match up against Charlie Hills' Group One winner in the St James's Palace Stakes on what looks to be one of the most competitive races of the week.
(Credit Racing Post) Gosden said: "Too Darn Hot has been the worst managed horse of he year. He missed the Guineas, which was a tragedy, and then he was only 80 per cent fit when we ran him in the Dante. Very stupidly he then went to the Irish Guineas only nine days later in which time he'd had a flu jab, which isn't ideal."
He added: "What we should have done is gone straight to Ireland with him, but he's come out of that in great shape and I'm the happiest I've been all year with him."
With entries for the race being finalised and Sunday being the last declaration stage of the race there is still 16 runners set to go to post with Phoenix of Spain leading the market at 6/4 and Too Darn Hot just in behind him at 3/1.
The Group One contest is part four Group races on Day one of the Royal Ascot festival with The Queen Anne Stakes and King's Stands Stakes hosting the other Group One races and the Coventry Stakes, won by Gosden's Calyx last season, posing as the only Group Two of the day.