Jockey Jason Benbow labelled Blackwolf Run his own worst enemy but he still won like an odds-on favourite at Ararat on Friday.

The All Too Hard 3yo collected a Super VOBIS bonus after a dominant front-running victory in the Best Of The Best Unlimited Maiden (1100m).  “He gets his knickers in a twist during the prelim and needs a blindfold and blanket in the barriers,” Benbow said.  “His speed from the gates gets him out of trouble but he needs to harness all that energy.”

Blackwolf Run had been run down over 1200m at Colac and Benalla in February and the drop back in distance was made to measure.  “The writing was on the wall and he delivered,” Benbow continued.  “He had done enough at home and got the right run today.”

All Too Hard sired him from Black Minx (Lonhro), a Listed winner of the McDougall Stakes and Sir Douglas Wadley Hcp at Eagle Farm in 2008.  Second-dam Faith Hill (Danehill) won the Emancipation Stakes Gr.2 at Randwick in 2003.

Trainer Mike Moroney bought him for $140,000 at the 2016 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale.  “We targeted the race due to the bonuses attached,” he said.  “I knew the day he raced like he works we would see a seriously good horse.”

All Too Hard has sired 40 individual winners of 54 races in Australia this season and he’s represented in several feature races this long-weekend;  Outrageous & Titan Blinders (VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes Gr.2), Za Zi Ba (ATC Fireball Stakes LR), All Too Huiying & Waimea Bay (Canberra Guineas LR) and Illuminaire & In Too Deep (Magic Millions Adelaide 2YO Classic).

BLACKWOLF RUN