All Too Hard gelding Frosted Gold has returned from a winter spell to win a dramatic Group 3 renewal of the Graham Beck Stakes (1400m) at Turffontein.

Frosted Gold was continually impeded by riderless runner On My Mind but overcame a nightmare trip to take the first 3yo feature race of the season on Saturday.  “The loose horse nearly put me over the rails,” winning jockey Craig Zackey said.  “He kept finding us and caused all sorts of trouble.  I’m just glad we came out of it safe and sound.

“This is a good horse.  He really put it together when we finally got into the clear.  He needed the run and we’re not stopping here!”

Frosted Gold (3g All Too Hard – Mary D’Or by Verglas) will likely start in the Dingaans Hcp Gr.2 over 1600m later this month before the Group 1 classics in Jo’burg.

Trainer Mike De Kock has always rated Frosted Gold highly after buying him for $180,000 on behalf of owner Dave MacLean at the 2018 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.  He won the Storm Bird Stakes LR and SA Nursery Gr.2 at Turffontein earlier this year and should have added a Group 1 during the KwaZulu-Natal winter carnival.

“He was an unlucky second in the Gold Medallion at Scottsville and then stood in the gates in the Mercury Sprint at Greyville,” De Kock recalled.  “He was a 2yo up against the best older horses and it was a massive run.”

Frosted Gold is one of four starters by Vinery sire All Too Hard in South Africa and all four have won including Roy’s Riviera who claimed last year’s East Coast Cup LR at Greyville.  She earned minor black-type at Turffontein on Saturday when third in the Yellowwood Hcp Gr.3.

Earlier on Saturday at Rosehill, All Too Hard sired Outrageous to win the Wisdom Homes Hcp (1300m) for Team Hawkes.  “That was super,” apprentice Brock Ryan said.  “He jumped straight into the bridle and dragged me around.  I just had to wait, wait, wait and then he put them away easily.”

Outrageous is a Vinery graduate from the 2017 Gold Coast Magic Millions and races for a syndicate managed by Rupert Legh.  “He got into a rhythm and relaxed,” co-trainer Michael Hawkes said.  “It’s been a great day all-round and winning the Coolmore Stud Stakes with Exceedance for Vinery is fantastic.”

Team Hawkes trained All Too Hard to four Group 1 wins before he retired to Vinery.  “We’re very happy,” Hawkes added.  “We make colts like Exceedance into stallions and now we’ve got another one to go to stud at Vinery.”