Australia: All Too Hard seeks third straight Grade 1 win in Australian Guineas

All Too Hard, a 4-year-old Australian-bred colt who is a half-brother to the unbeaten star sprinter Black Caviar, can win his third Group 1 of 2013 in Saturday’s $515,000 Australian Guineas at Flemington Racecourse.

While All Too Hard will be a heavy favorite, he has not scared away the competition. The one-mile Guineas has drawn 17 entries, although the field will be limited to 16 starters.

Trained by John Hawkes, All Too Hard breaks from post 14 and was the 3-10 favorite in Australian future books as of Wednesday. Owned by the Vinery Stud Syndicate, All Too Hard has won 6 of 11 starts and is unbeaten in two Group 1 races over seven furlongs against older horses at Caulfield Racecourse this year – the C.F. Orr Stakes on Feb. 9 and the Futurity Stakes on Feb. 23.

Second in the Group 1 Cox Plate last fall, All Too Hard will be ridden by regular rider Dwayne Dunn in the Australian Guineas.

The competition includes the first four finishers of the Group 3 C.S. Hayes Stakes at Flemington on Feb. 16 – Sheer Talent, Force Command, Hosting, and Philippi – and the group stakes winners Albrecht and Hvasstan.