He’s treated like a rockstar by his owners and has his own Facebook page, while the rank-and-file racing population just scratch their heads and wonder what all the hype is about. 
His name is One Hot Dane, but you can call him Banjo. And now the planets seem to have aligned, this could be the progressive son of Danerich’s best preparation thus far.
Last Thursday at Sale, “Banjo” teamed up with one of his best friends, apprentice jockey Juana Andreou, for an impressive first-up win in the Carlton Draft Class 1 Handicap (1100m). 
Despite being wide and cornering awkwardly, One Hot Dane ($9)  ran down the cleverly named Sugar Baby (full brother to Toy Boy) and the Robbie Griffiths-trained Walhalla.
Andreou, a constant on the back of “Banjo”, is made of the right stuff. 
A fortnight earlier she’d made the trip to Sale to ride in jumpouts, less than 24 hours after narrowly escaping serious injury in the horrific training incident that claimed the life of Pakenham trainer Tom Scanlon’s consistent mare Elegant Queen.
“Banjo” was primed for a first-up run by Pakenham trainer Tim Hughes, given a solid build-up of jumpouts/trials, swimming, walking-machine exercise and trackwork. 
Hughes topped off Banjo’s preparation with a narrow but impressive jumpout win (at Sale) over the smart Peter Gelagotis-trained sprinter/miler Call Me Handsome. 
Hughes was very confident his charge would be hard to beat off the back of that.
“He’s always shown plenty of ability. Unfortunately, he’s a bit fickle and had leg issues. His trial here was against a better class of horse than was in today’s race.”
Hughes only ever has a small team in work, whilst pre-training and breaking-in for larger stables including those of Mick Price, Andrew Noblet, Hawkes Racing, Darren Weir, Nigel Blackiston, Robbie Griffiths, Lindsay Park and bloodstock agent Sheamus Mills.
Hughes, a former rodeo champion, burst to prominence on New Year’s Day, when his promising two-year-old filly Crossing the Abbey won down the straight at Flemington. 
Later that month she was narrowly beaten at Group 3 level by the Greg Eurell-trained Lady Horseowner in a Blue Diamond Preview. 
Crossing the Abbey was Hughes’s first runner in a Group 1 when finishing last in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
One Hot Dane was bred by his managing owner and “mum”, Cheryl Windsor. 
The Windsors (Cheryl and husband Graeme) purchased the Canny Lad mare Earthwarming in foal to Danehill stallion Danerich, six years ago last Tuesday, “Banjo” the result of that union.  
“Banjo” has always been the apple of Cheryl’s eye, being spoilt with massages, carrots and liquorice (a treat also favoured by the Gelagotis stable’s Group 1 winner Mourinho).
One Hot Dane looked to be a star in the making when placed second on debut behind subsequent Group 1 winner Stay With Me at Pakenham in August 2015. (Stay With Me beat champion mare Jameka in the 2015 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield.)
But “Banjo” suffered a tendon injury first up in his second  preparation and didn’t race for 76 weeks. Hughes had always had a high opinion of his charge and One Hot Dane made the news when his nomination was rejected for the $200,000 Group 2 McEwan Stakes at Moonee Valley.
RVL Executive General Manager of Racing Greg Carpenter, explained at the time, “One Hot Dane was not among the final field — despite being among the 10 nominations — due to its form and history. The horse is a maiden that hasn’t raced for 16 months and we have withdrawn the entry on the basis of its racing profile.” 
Not long after that, “Banjo” won a Pakenham maiden by seven lengths. 
Now, after a spell, he’s back and all connected with him are of the opinion that the best is yet to come. 
One Hot Dane has now raced 11 times for two wins and three placings, accumulating stakes of $40,684. 
One thing is guaranteed. There will be plenty of special treats for the “Banjo” in the coming days. 
And you can be assured that this four-legged member of the Windsor family, win lose or draw, will have a loving home for life with his two mums, Earthwarming and Cheryl.