Three year old All Too Hard finally repaid his follower’s faith in running to his full potential to take out the Group 1 $1m BECK Caulfield Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield today.

The Team Hawkes trained All Too Hard was able to lower the colours of Gai Waterhouse’s super colt Pierro for the first time and overpowered him over the final fifty metres to score by half a length.

All Too Hard

All Too Hard defeats Pierro in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Pierro looked in trouble from the start when Nash Rawiller was unable to get over and was caught five and six wide in the early part of the race before crossing over behind the leader, Ashokan.

While Rawiller was searching for a way across, Dwayne Dunn had settled All Too Hard at the tail of the field and was saving every penny for the final run to the line.

All Too Hard has always been in the limelight from his first day on the racetrack, being the half brother to the country’s top racehorse, Black Caviar and  Team Hawkes has always held a high opinion of the Casino Prince colt whose stud career as a stallion has been greatly enhanced with the Guineas win.

“I’ve said he is one of the best I’ve ridden. He probably let us down early in this campaign but he was here and he delivered today off a hot speed gave me a chance to get into the race late,” Dunn said.

“I just think he is only a very young horse mentally. He just takes everything in his stride, it was probably all happening a little bit too soon for him.”

“This was always the grand final, this was his main king pin race, so where they go from here we don’t know.”

Wayne Hawkes, Melbourne main man for Team Hawkes said that All Too Hard will now push onto the Group 1 $3m Sportingbet Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley in two weeks after beating reigning Cox Plate favourite Pierro.

The repeat clash of the two super colts at Moonee Valley in a fortnight will be one of the highlights of the great weight for age race and another titanic struggle can be expected.

“It’s pretty good effort to beat Pierro cause he goes okay,” Wayne Hawkes said.

“He’s probably the best I’ve touched as far as being a trainer. John Hawkes has had a couple like Octagonal but this bloke is like Pierro’s dad Lonhro. He is in that class this horse.”

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.