The Hawkes family enjoyed a great ride with the outstanding racehorse All Too Hard and they have an emotional attachment to his daughter Amangiri who earned her first stakes win in Saturday’s $200,000 Group III Powerflo Solutions Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley.
Ridden by Dwayne Dunn, Amangiri defeated Seewhatshebrings (Sebring) by a short-neck with Vanuatu (High Chaparral) the same distance back in third.
Co-trainer Wayne Hawkes explained the family ties to the 4yo mare.
“These were mom and dad’s colours in Adelaide. I think dad trained and rode his first winner in these colours. Mum pulled them out of mothballs and she is the only horse that carries them now, so it’s quite emotional,” Hawkes said.
“Michael’s wife Clare and mum own the horse. Mum was going the early crow and I had to 'say settle down and relax'.”
Hawkes said Amangiri deserved the win after placing in the Group III Adrian Knox Stakes at Randwick and the Group III Angst Stakes at her most recent start.
“She has been so near yet so far, but she was very relaxed out the back today and on a big day they have got to be nice and relaxed and she certainly was,” Hawkes said.
“We’ve been looking for that group win, you’ve got a horse that is group placed you are looking for that group victory and at the Spring Carnival it gets harder every year, they don’t give them away.
“She’s a big brute of a thing but she’s a racehorse and you’ve got to give him (Dunn) credit that was a fifteen out of ten ride.”
An $80,000 purchase by Commendable Bloodstock out of the Kitchwin Hills draft at the 2017 Mafic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Amangiri advances her record to 3 wins, 2 seconds and 1 third from 9 starts with earnings of $258,900.
She is the best of two winners from three to race out of the winning Fastnet Rock mare Secret Indulgence who is a half-sister to the Group 1 Victoria Derby winner Amalfi (Carnegie) and the stakes-placed Bruges (Groom Dancer) as well as to the dam of Group II Hawke's Bay Guineas winner Antonio Lombardo (Pins) and Group III ATC NE Manion Cup winner Master Of Arts (Mastercraftsman).
Purchased by Moody Racing for $300,000 out of the Trelawney Stud draft at the 2010 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Secret Indulgence has a 2yo filly by More Than Ready (USA) and foaled a Better Than Ready colt on August 26.
Amangiri becomes the 11th stakes-winner for Vinery Stud’s 4-time Group 1 winner All Too Hard who has made a fast start to the new season with Group III Caulfield Guineas Prelude winner Alligator Blood, who was nosed out in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas, and the Listed Penny Edition Stakes winner Behemoth.
