An Australian Guineas start is still on the agenda for star three year old All Too Hard if he pulls up well after the Group 1 $500,000 Cathay Pacific Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.
All Too Hard to take on the older horses at WFA again in the Futurity Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
All Too Hard is taking on the older horses again at weight for age after winning the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 9 but trainer John Hawkes has not ruled out backing the colt up the following week and take on his own age in the Group 1 $500,000 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.
“We’ll just see how he works, but at this stage he’s running Saturday,” said John Hawkes who in the head trainer for Team Hawkes.
“We’ll look at this week and then next week. He might probably run in both.
“He’s fine, you don’t have to do much with him on the track when he’s fit.”
All Too Hard lived up to all expectations winning the Orr Stakes first up in the colours of Vinery Stud, continuing the good form that he showed in the Spring.
The boom three year old defeated Gai Waterhouse’s super colt Pierro in the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 13 before running second to Ocean Park in the Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley in October.
All Too Hard heads the nominations for the Futurity which includes Kiwi multiple Group 1 winner King Mufhasa and last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon as well as Peter Moody’s Oaks winner Lights Of Heaven.
Team Hawkes has also nominated stayers Maluckyday and Niwot who are both first up after running in last year’s Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 6.
Niwot (15th) finished in front of stablemate Maluckyday (19th), but both were well down the track behind winner Green Moon.
All Too Hard currently dominates the Australian Guineas market at $2.10, with Mark Kavanagh’s Super Cool the next in the betting at $10 with Victoria Derby winner Fiveandahalfstar at $11.
Fiveandahalfstar is a good chance of missing the Australian Guineas and use this week’s Group 2 $220,000 BMW Caulfield Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield as a lead up to the Group 1 $1m Darley Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 9.
The Anthony Cummings trained three year old ran a dashing race when second to Mulaazem in the Group 2 $220,000 Hyland Race Colours Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 9 at his first run since winning the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington in the Spring.
