Unbeaten filly Hot And High showed she can go all the way for Cape Falls Thoroughbreds owner-breeder Brett Fogarty after accelerating to a four-length victory in the LR Sir Ernest Lee-Steere Classic (1400m) at Ascot on Saturday.

Hot And High started in the red and completed a hat-trick like she was born to rule in black-type company.  Trainer Dion Luciani sent her to Northam for an easy kill on debut in October and it was just as easy second-up in a Belmont midweeker last month when she was a TBWA Winner Of The Week.

“That was very impressive and she’s an exciting filly,” Luciani said.  “It was touch and go whether today was one run too many but she’s definitely off to the paddock now.

“With her heart-rate and lung capacity, she can come back and get out to a mile and further.  She’s not a sharp point-to-point filly.  She’s builds and then finds another gear under pressure before going into overdrive.”

Like his Group 1-winning father Lou Luciani, Dion is never one to go overboard with predictions but he’s already looking towards more black-type goals in the autumn.

Hot And High (3f Too Darn Hot – High Conviction by Snitzel) hit the ground running and sat outside Ninetymilestraight (Flying Artie) who was getting away with moderate sectionals in front.  “Today was a massive step-up but she switched off facing the breeze and her turn of foot is amazing,” winning jockey Lucy Fiore said.

“She’s versatile and does whatever you ask.  It wasn’t fun getting down to 53kg today but she’s worth it.”

Hot And High is one of 13 individual stakes-winners from the first two southern crops representing Darley sensation Too Darn Hot (GB).  The son of Dubawi (Ire) sired her from Fogarty’s homebred Belmont winner High Conviction.  He had purchased her Group 3-winning second-dam Paris Petard (Mujahid) from Oakland Park for $100,000 at the 2011 Perth Magic Millions Autumn Sale.