Glamour colt All Too Hard is set to make his anticipated return to the racetrack in the Group 1 $400,000 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
All Too Hard winning the WFA Group 1 Futurity Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Bruno Cannatelli.
Stud bound All Too Hard was a race morning scratching from the Group 1 $500,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington on March 2 after developing a temperature the night before but trainer John Hawkes has declared the three year old is back to his best for the weekend.
“It’s good to see him back. He had that hiccup, but he seems good,” Hawkes said.
“We’re pleased with him, it will be good to see him back on Saturday.
“He came through the trial well, he’s back on track.”
Hawkes, who co-trains with his two sons Michael and Wayne, had to ease right up on All Too Hard following his shock scratching, but with a few easy weeks and treatment, the star colt is set to make his presence felt again.
But with plenty of work, a Flemington jump out and a Randwick barrier trial win, All Too Hard is ready for a tough contest on Saturday.
The weight for age All Aged Stakes is set to produce another highlight of the Sydney Autumn Carnival with Gai Waterhouse’s super mare More Joyous and the Peter Snowden trained Epaulette who is coming of a second to Black Caviar in the Group 1 $1m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on April 13.
All Too Hard is the winner of three Group 1 races and was the first horse to lower the colours of Sydney’s top three year old Pierro in the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield last Spring.
The half-brother to Black Caviar was subsequently sold by Nathan Tinkler’s Patinack Farm after running second to Ocean Park in the Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley with Vinery Stud taking a major share in the future stud prospect.
Racing under the green and white of Vinery, All Too Hard won twice at Group 1 level at weight for age at Caulfield in the $400,000 Sportingbet C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) and the $500,000 Cathay Pacific Futurity Stakes (1400m) in the early part of the Autumn.
All Too Hard has been listed in the Vinery Stud stallion roster for this Spring at a service fee of $66,000 and will stand alongside proven sires More Than Ready, Mossman and Testa Rosa.
