Patinack Farm pin-up All Too Hard fulfilled his potential with a Group 1 victory in the Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on Saturday.

The Casino Prince colt ran down odds-on favourite Pierro (Lonhro) to win by a half-length with Darley colt Epaulette (Commands) a well-beaten third.  He has now repaid a $1,025,000 price-tag from the 2011 Easter yearling sale in full.

All Too Hard (3c Casino Prince – Helsinge by Desert Sun) has always had a high profile as the younger half-brother of world champion sprinter Black Caviar.  His career began in Melbourne with wins in the LR Talindert Stakes and G2 Victorian Sires’ Produce Stakes at Flemington before travelling north to claim the G2 Pago Pago Stakes at Rosehill.

Pierro inflicted his first defeat in the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes at Randwick in April and revenge was sweet at Caulfield.

The Gilgai Farm bred galloper settled last on the fence but jockey Dwayne Dunn was always confident.  He came with a storming run down the centre of the track to defeat Pierro who had worked hard at the front of the field.

All Too Hard is trained by Team Hawkes for Nathan Tinkler’s Patinack Farm.  “He’s a serious horse this one, he always has been,” co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said.  “This bloke is in the same class as Pierro’s sire Lonhro.  He’s got so much ability this horse and this is the race that makes stallions.”

Patinack Farm resident Casino Prince has gone clear on the Australian second-season sires’ table.  His Caulfield Guineas winner is from Helsinge who is proving to be one of Australia’s best ever broodmares, having also produced Black Caviar and Moshee who is covering his first book of mares at Eliza Park Stud this season.

Her fourth foal is a Redoute’s Choice filly that made $2.60 million at this year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.  The mare has a Redoute’s Choice yearling and is expecting a sister to Black Caviar in the coming weeks.