Blazing Start to the Season by All Too Hard Who Rings Up Stakes Winner Number Nine

Mark Smith - Sunday September 1

Vinery Stud's All Too Hard built on his excellent start to the new season on Saturday with his top-class son Behemoth earning a well-deserved win in the Listed Penny Edition Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville Parks, while over at Caulfield, Hawkes Racing's Dawn Dawn made the trip down from the Sydney stable count with a dominant performance in the Nitto Denko Handicap.

It was a belated first stakes success for Behemoth who was nosed out of the Group 1 Goodwood in May before returning from a break to be runner-up in the Listed Lightning Stakes at Morphettville then finishing fourth in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes at Caulfield.

It could quite as easily have gone pear-shaped again for Behemoth in the Penny Edition Stakes. When the pace slackened midrace, jockey Todd Pannell was obliged to ease out three-wide on Behemoth who was in danger of running on to heels.

It was tough slog in the straight to get past a stubborn Amberdi (Ambidexter) who only yielded in the final few strides to go down by a half-head.

The unlucky runner of the race was the heavily backed Waging War.

Raquel Clark was desperately seeking a way out on the son of Rebel Rader who only saw clear air in the closing stages to be beaten three-quarters of a length.

Pannell said Behemoth deserved the win.

"It wasn't pretty midrace when the pace slackened off too quick for him," Pannell said.

"He was in a good rhythm early he is a big-striding horse and I was happy to be in that spot but when the pace slackened he ran on to their heels and I ended up deep from then on and it was back to plan B.

"He got off the bridle before the home turn and was under a bit of pressure, I was hoping he would find another gear but that last fifty was hard work."

A bargain basement $6,000 purchase by Grand Syndicates out of the Riversdale draft at the 2017 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale, Behemoth (pictured as a yearling ) advances his record to 3 wins and 4 seconds from 10 starts with earnings of $322,395.

The son of All Too Hard had previously made $120,000 at the 2016 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale.

Trainer David Jolly said he would set the four-year-old for the $7.5m Golden Eagle at Rosehill Gardens on November 2 but will look at stakes races in Melbourne in the near future.

Bred by Wallings Bloodstock, Behemoth is the fourth foal and second winner of the stakes-winning Zedrich mare Penny Banger a half-sister to the Listed stakes-winner and Group 1 WATC Derby third Master Minx (Surtee).

A Scissor Kick filly out of Penny Banger was knocked down to Dalziel Bloodstock / Peter Moody Racing / Mitch Freedman Racing for $85,000 at this year's Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

Behemoth becomes the ninth stakes-winner for All Too Hard and the five-year-old mare Dawn Dawn may be the one to take him to double figures.

Co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said only bad luck has stopped her from achieving the feat already, having finished full of running with nowhere to go in a Group III at Caulfield last October.

"She either wins or has no luck, there's little in between," Hawkes said.

"She's done a good job today. She was three wide and faced the breeze the whole way which is never easy to do.

"She's stakes class, but we'll just poke along with her, but I'm pretty happy with a little race at Caulfield for her."

With 21 winners in the first few weeks of the season, All Too Hard has just I Am Invincible ahead of him on that score.


Advertisment
More Reading...
Two Foals and Two Winners for Snitzerland
The stud fortunes of former top class Group I winning sprinter Snitzerland have taken a rapid upswing in the past month with her second foal Hard Landing winning the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington and her first foal Saas Fee casting off maiden status at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, both winners sired by All Too Hard.
Boxing Day Stakes Double for All Too Hard
Vinery Stud’s All Too Hard was in hot form on Boxing Day with a stakes-winner in Australia in All Too Royal and another in South Africa where Roy’s Riviera captured the Group III Flamboyant Stakes at Greyville.
Brilliant Return for Alligator Blood
All Too Hard’s sensational three year-old Alligator Blood returned from a break at Eagle Farm on Saturday to score a dominant win in the Listed BRC Gold Edition Plate (1200m) cementing his place as a hot favourite for the $2million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas next month at the Gold Coast.
Pinhook Winners 2024 NZB Ready to Run – Churchill Colt the Star
A record breaking NZB Ready to Run Sale this week at Karaka delivered plenty of pinhook success with 18 two year-olds selling for $300,000 or more above their yearling purchase price, so let’s take a look at some of the best of them.
Cambridge Stud News
It’s been the spring that keeps giving for Cambridge Stud and it’s not over yet.
Alligator Blood Ready for Magic Millions 3YO Guineas
Vinery Stud’s All Too Hard has had a terrific start to the season churning out 50 winners including four stakes-winners with his star performer undoubtedly exciting three year-old gelding Alligator Blood, who was last seen finishing an agonizingly close second to Super Seth in the Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas.
Blockbuster Sale as NZB Ready to Run Records Tumble
Expectations were exceeded at Karaka with tremendous results witnessed across two days of selling at NZB’S 2024 Ready to Run Sale, confirming the demand for proven racetrack results and quality New Zealand-prepared horses.
One to Watch – Warwick Farm
The Australia Day meeting at Warwick Farm produced an impressive debut winner from the powerful Team Hawkes by their former stable star All Too Hard.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.