All Too Hard became a stakes winner at his first attempt with a decisive
success in the Listed Talindert Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday and
in winning, becomes the first stakes winner for his Group 1 winning sire
Casino Prince.

The Patinack farm-owned All Too Hard indicated his talent with a solid trial
win at Flemington on February 10 before the colt lived up to the hype
surrounding his debut with an impressive performance.

The handsome bay raced well away from the comfort of the inside rail but All Too Hard still travelled sweetly throughout before extending well
approaching the 300 metres. All Too Hard sprinted stylishly over the final
furlong to beat Liberty Rock by 1-1/2 lengths with another 1-1/4 lengths to
the third placegetter Timely Truce.

A half-brother to the unbeaten World Champion Sprinter in Black Caviar (Bel
Esprit), All Too Hard covered the 1100 metres in 1.3.49 on the dead (4)
surface, which was 1.29 seconds outside Don¹t Tell Tom¹s course record. The
track was upgraded to a good (3) after the second race of the day. All Too
Hard ran his last 600 metres in 33.58 seconds.

‘There is always a fair bit of pressure on the horse and everyone is looking
at him,’ Hawkes, who trains All Too Hard in partnership with his father John
and brother Michael, said.

‘It was to be expected. It¹s always easy to say that after the race. You are
just trying to put a lid on these types of horses. Everyone is booming them
without us adding an extra cog to it.
‘It was a nice little race for him and it is onwards and upwards from here.²

Hawkes ruled out backing the juvenile up in next Saturday’s Group 1 Patinack
Farm Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield but revealed the stable still
held Group 1 ambitions for the outstanding sire prospect.

‘We’ll go back to Sydney now,’ Hawkes said. There¹s a race like the (ATC)
Sires’ (Produce) or the Champagne (Stakes) and that sort of stuff but he¹s
not the sort of horse to be backing up week to week.’