Bootlegger, four-year-old son of Too Darn Hot, turned in a solid display of tenacity when landing the Listed Leon MacDonald Stakes over 1400m at Morphettville, Australia on Saturday 22nd August.
After jumping smartly, Bootlegger was taken immediately into contention by jockey Tala Hutchinson before pushing forward to take the lead. The Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray-trained gelding held this position throughout, travelling sweetly in the hands of his rider. As the pack closed in, he was able to find yet more to repel his challengers, racing determinedly and crossing the line almost a length clear.
This was Bootlegger's second win at Stakes level, having triumphed earlier in the year over 1600m at the same track, when landing the Morphettville Guineas.
Bred by Vintage Bloodstock SA, Bootlegger is out of the mare Princess Youmzain (Dalakhani) who is herself a half-sister to Hong Kong Cup and Hong Kong Derby winner, Akeed Mofeed (Dubawi).
Too Darn Hot has had five G1 winners so far in 2026, headed by Title Role and Glacius. His star is firmly in the ascendant and he has sired the same number of European G1 winners as his own sire, Dubawi, at this point in his career. One of only four European stallions this century to have sired a G1-winning three-year-old in each of his first three crops, he is also ably represented in the Southern hemisphere, where Australian phenomenon Broadsiding carries all before him.
