The rise of Red Hot Tooth continues. The four-year-old harness racing mare stunned a field of older, more experienced rivals to take out last night’s Haras Des Trotteurs Australasian Trotting Championship at Tabcorp Park Melton.
Trainer Kari Males has had confidence in Red Hot Tooth the whole way through, nominating the daughter of Yankee Paco-Karaka Tooth for a potential Pryde’s Easifeed Great Southern Star berth over summer.
Last night, with regular driver Zac Phillips in the gig, Red Hot Tooth produced a faultless display from the standing start conditions to rate 2:01.0 for a comfortable 6.2m win over fellow mares Sky Petite (five-year-old) and Illawong Helios (six) in the $50,000 Group 1 over 2760m.
The win was Phillips’ third Group 1 triumph in the last month.
WATCH RED HOT TOOTH'S GROUP 1 WIN AT MELTON
“It’s funny how it works. It takes a long time to get one and then I get three in a few weeks,” Phillips said.
“She’s such a great trier. I was talking to Paul (Males) during the week and he said ‘if she trots to the front just go fast enough that they can’t go near you’.
“The art of training is setting horses for races like this and Paul and Kari have done a great job with that over the years. No one works harder than them.”
Red Hot Tooth booted well clear at the home bend and produced final splits of 28.8 and 28.4. She completed the marathon trip in 3mins 27.5secs.
Race favourite On Thunder Road finished 10th, while two other horses well in commission that finished back in the field were Sunny Ruby (eighth) and Cruisin Around (11th).
“I just can’t speak highly enough of her… she’s just a little superstar,” a clearly elated Kari Males said post-race.
The win was Males’ 250th career victory.
Cody Winnell (HRV Media/Communications Manager)