HOT AND HIGH JUST KEEPS ON WINNING

By Graham Potter | Saturday, October 17, 2026

The Dion Luciani trained, four-year-old mare Hot And High has excelled once again, taking her race record to seven wins from eight starts by landing the $125 000 Listed R S Crawford Stakes over 1200m at Ascot.

The connections of Hot And High had elected to go to the W S Crawford (they had also nominated the son of Too Darn Hot for the $200 000 Eurythmic Stakes which took place one race later), and their call proved to be ‘spot on’ when Chris Parnham urged his mount to the front when it mattered most to secure a hard-fought victory in a pressurised finish which had only 1.17 lengths covering the first five runners across the line.

Only three runners in the ten-strong field were quoted at odds under $13 and it was the $4.40 third favourite Cessation who set the early target, taking the field out at a strong gallop in the first half of the race, with the race favourite Hot And High tracking Cessation in third place, getting the run of the race on the rail after jumping from the number one barrier draw.

The $91 outsider Man Crush was the runner who held second place, one out and one back off the leader, while the second favourite Playin’It Sweet ($3.90) was tucked in just behind Man Crush, sitting outside Hot And High… meaning all three main fancies were up on the speed and well positioned to strike.

These runners all held their positions until the home turn but, when Cessation left the rail on straightening, the Tiarnna Noske trained runner immediately came under siege from Hot And High, who was now presented with a dream inside run, and the Adam Durrant trained Playin’It Sweet, who made his move on the outside of the early leader.

Cessation was not finished yet though and she kicked on gamely for much of the home straight, not handing her lead over lightly, but instead testing the resolve of those challenging her, but Hot And High was just as game, chasing hard to eventually get to the front inside the final 120m.

Playin’It Sweet also kept coming and also went past Cessation inside the last 50m, but she could not get to Hot And High and, in fact, had to give up second place in the final strides as the faster finishing $21 outsider, the Bruce Kay trained Awesome Boy, flew home to claim a runner-up finish, just 0.57 lengths behind the winner.