Miss Hot Gossip: WA Oaks showed her true mettle

A BLUE brindle bitch whelped in March 2005, Miss Hot Gossip developed into one of the best sprinters in Australia against her own gender in a career which lasted for 18 months. Her victory in the 2007 West Australian Oaks (Group 2) propelled her into the spotlight, and she rarely disappointed.

A daughter of Surf Lorian and Roxy Reason, bred by Dave and Christine Robartson, Miss Hot Gossip commenced racing on October 11, 2006, exiting box one to win a maiden at the Gold Coast (Parklands) over 457m.

After being defeated by Vulture Street at the Gold Coast her next start, Miss Hot Gossip rattled off a sequence of eight successive wins at Albion Park (520m) and Ipswich (520m), relegating Vulture Street into second place in two of the Albion Park wins and downing Jamacason Fire in four successive races at Ipswich.

Miss Hot Gossip was then placed in two of her next three starts, all at Albion Park, to round out her 2006 campaign. She finished with 13 starts for nine wins, two seconds and one third and looked as though 2007 would see her rise to the top ranks in Queensland and probably Australia.

She commenced racing in 2007 with five victories, all in the best times of the meeting, and two unplaced runs at Albion Park during January and February.

Although March began poorly, with a second and a seventh at the Brisbane headquarters, Miss Hot Gossip contested the Queensland Futurity (Group 2) series, winning her heat by just a neck from the highly-regarded Tony Brett-trained Honey Mist on March 15.

Despite drawing perfectly in box one for the Futurity final on March 22, Miss Hot Gossip failed to use the alley to full advantage and was beaten seven lengths into third place by Honey Mist and Magic Capers.

She quickly returned to the winner's circle, scoring by almost seven lengths a week later at Albion Park.

Sent south to Victoria to be trained by Jason Thompson, Miss Hot Gossip could only finish fifth in her first start at Sandown and then fourth in her first run at the Meadows, being only fairly away in both outings.

The question now was whether Miss Hot Gossip was as good as her connections thought, or was she just a one-trick pony only capable of mixing it at Albion Park? The test came when she was flown across the country to contest the heats of the West Australian Oaks, run over 530m at Cannington.

Drawn well in box two for her heat, Miss Hot Gossip won by four and a half lengths running 30.38 to record the best time of the night.

In the Oaks final, run on May 12, Miss Hot Gossip drew well in box three. She had previously worn the white rug four times for four wins, at Albion Park and Ipswich. The Queensland star made it five out of five as she careered away to defeat Connie's Token by five and a half lengths in 30.43, a new race record.

The win netted her connections $33,250.

Given a let-up, Miss Hot Gossip resumed in a heat of the Peter Mosman Memorial (Group 2) over 520m at Wentworth Park on June 2. Again drawn in box three, she made it five first-up victories from seven tracks, blitzing the field to win by eight and a half lengths in 29.86, the best of the night.

In the Peter Mosman final, Miss Hot Gossip ran into a very smart performer in Run The Risk who overcame box six to notch a brilliant victory. Miss Hot Gossip was beaten 10 lengths into third place.

Just five days after this defeat, Miss Hot Gossip returned to racing against her own gender in the heats of the Sandown Laurels Classic (Group 1). Again drawing well, in box two, the former Queenslander defeated the smart Tasman Queen by just over three lengths in a fast 29.93 to advance into the semi-finals.

Again coming up with a favourable marble, box eight, Miss Hot Gossip took out her semi-final by just over four lengths from Mepunga Opal and moved into another high-class final.

The Laurels final, worth $50,000 to the winner, was run on June 28 and Miss Hot Gossip drew well in box one, like she had in the Queensland Futurity. This time though she made no mistakes and quickly hit the front, racing away to down Cool Rose by just over five lengths in a quick 29.63. Mepunga Opal finished third while the likes of Que Sera Sera and Tasman Queen were unplaced.

Returning in triumph to Brisbane, Miss Hot Gossip made it four on end as she won a heat of the Winter Carnival Cup (Group 1) by a little over six lengths.

For the third time in a Group final, Miss Hot Gossip came up with the red marble but she found the Victorian sprinter Big Swell a little too good for her, going under by a length and a half in the July 19 decider.

Given a short break from racing, Miss Hot Gossip was unplaced at her next two starts, at Albion Park on August 2 and Wentworth Park on 29 September before returning to Melbourne with a second at The Meadows and victory at Sandown on October 18.

Her performances at the highest level during the year earned Miss Hot Gossip a start in the Topgun (Group 1) at the Meadows on 27 October, but from box five she was never a hope, tailing the field behind Meticulous.

Set for the Sapphire Crown Classic (Group 1) at Sandown, Miss Hot Gossip made the final as the first reserve with a second placing behind Finlandia, beaten just over a length.

When Dr Lorian was scratched, Miss Hot Gossip slotted into box two for the final, but was unable to match it with Que Sera Sera, NSW contender One Tree Hill and Tasman Queen, running a respectable fourth without ever threatening.
Miss Hot Gossip then took on Cool Effort, Shanlyn Prince and Betty's Angel in the four-dog Sandown Shootout (Group 2), but again was outgunned and tailed the field.

Contesting a heat of the Melbourne Cup on November 22, the blue brindle bitch had her last run for the year and suffered her fifth consecutive defeat, finishing fifth behind Talk's Cheap.

Miss Hot Gossip finished 2007 having raced 32 times for 15 wins, four seconds and two thirds.

She resumed on January 14, 2008 with a 12-length victory at Albion Park. Her next five starts were all on her home track and after three defeats she racked up a pair of solid wins.

Taken back to Victoria, Miss Hot Gossip contested a heat of the Australian Cup on February 23, but was run down and finished second to Clair Maude.

A week later she again finished second at The Meadows, behind the smart Trew Millions. It was to be her last run at the course. In five starts at the track she had failed to win, running three seconds and being unplaced twice.

Returning to Brisbane, Miss Hot Gossip scored two wins and a second in three starts during the early part of March. She was then flown across to Perth for a tilt at the Perth Cup.

Her first start was in the WA Interstate Challenge (Group 3) on 29 March. From box seven, Miss Hot Gossip showed good speed to score by a length from NSW star Mandagery Man with Torque Bale third.

Drawn well in box one for her heat of the Perth Cup (Group 1) on April 5, she registered another solid victory, downing Ashby Bale by two lengths in a fair 30.35.

Miss Hot Gossip exited box seven in the Perth Cup final and never raised the hopes of her supporters, finishing seventh behind fellow Queensland sprinter Size Can Matter.

This was the last time Miss Hot Gossip contested a Group event. She had contested 10 Group races in her career, five Group 1's, four Group 2's and one Group 3. From these she registered three wins (one each at Group 1, 2 and 3), one second and two thirds.

After the Perth Cup, Miss Hot Gossip returned to Brisbane and finished her career with seven races at Albion Park, winning three (including two over the brilliant Queen Lauryn) and twice running second.

All told, Miss Hot Gossip raced 66 times for 34 wins, 12 seconds and three thirds and earned $222,895 in prize money. Her average winning margin was a solid 4.35 lengths and she won on six of the seven tracks at which she competed.

The 2017 Group 2 WA Oaks will be run at Cannington this Saturday night.