So many of our responses to raceday performance are indelibly linked to expectations. For some time, the Hoysted stable has been singing the praises of MELTDOWN but it wasn’t until Sunday at the Sunshine Coast, just days prior to his 4th birthday that the handsome gelding delivered to keep expectations alive.
Well, at least shed his maiden tag, scoring by half a length after racing handy throughout the 1400m course.
MELTDOWN had put the writing on the wall with a close third at the same track a month ago, so it was pleasing to see him get check the first milestone of his career.
“He picked up nicely once we straightened but just got left there way too early,” rider Damien Thornton suggested following the race.
“He was then a sitting shot yet he was good enough to fight them off. He’ll improve off that, he’s had a good experience and will learn a lot from it and he’s going to be a nice horse when he gets to a mile.”
MELTDOWN☢️caps a memorable weekend with victory at @SCTurfClub for @hoystedracing!
The son of @DarleyAus sire sensation TOO DARN HOT is a promising middle distance horse & was purchased for $150k at the 2023 @mmsnippets – hard to find a TOO DARN HOT for that price now!😂 pic.twitter.com/ETMHY8lhwK
— PR🟢VEN Thoroughbreds (@ProvenTbreds) July 13, 2025
Trainer Matt Hoysted feels there is more improvement in the son of Darley’s sire sensation TOO DARN HOT.
“You could just see him, still having a look around and a bit of a think about things. That’s just shown that there’s more upside once he really puts it together.”
With only a quartet of runs under his belt, MELTDOWN has it all in front of him if indeed, he learns or decides to “put it together”. He was a $150,000 purchase at the 2023 Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale from A-List Stud and becomes Proven’s 59th winner in season 24-25 on what was a stellar weekend.
Just 24 hours earlier quality mare IN FLIGHT had taken the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield, KING’S SECRET secured his third Saturday Metro win at Randwick while the Hoysted prepared BOARD MEMBER just got nailed at Doomben, dampening what could have been an extraordinary tri-state treble.
