Rosehill’s Group 1 $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) looks the likely next-up race for the Team Hawkes-trained All Too Hard mare Dawn Dawn following her upset win in the Guy Walter Stakes 2020 at Randwick on Saturday.

Dawn Dawn (middle, yellow silks) raced her way towards a Group 1 Coolmore Classic target with a victory in the 2020 Guy Walter Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart.

A key support act on the Chipping Norton Stakes Day card, this year’s Group 2 $200,000 Guy Walter Stakes (1400m) resulted in a surprise late win by five-year-old Dawn Dawn ($14) who ran down the favourite Sweet Deal ($2.50) right on the line.

Sweet Deal was the clear top elect in the showdown following her over two length win first-up at the track a fortnight back in the Group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200m).

Ridden by jockey Blake Shinn who earlier partnered stablemate Mamaragan to a Golden Slipper ballot winning ride in the Skyline Stakes, Sweet Deal jumped well and went forward to lead on the inside of Con Te Partiro.

Going quick up front, Sweet Deal looked the winner going into the straight and getting out to a nearly three length lead from the pack with 300m left to travel.

Closing fast however was jockey Tommy Berry on Triscay fourth placegetter Dawn Dawn who raced into a clear second before diving in a photo finish to steal the win from Sweet Deal.

“She had no luck last start and even first-up she was probably a good thing beaten when Tommy rode her. I said to Tommy today, he was a little worried about the barrier but I thought it was perfect for her. She’ll get back and she’ll really hit the line if she can get a clear crack at them from the corner she will do the rest. She’s tough as, and I’m very proud of her,” co-trainer Michael Hawkes said post-win. 

In third rounding out the Guy Walter Stakes trifecta was the Godolphin-raced Pohutukawa ($5) who was eased to the outside around the turn before flying home late for her second third place on the trot.

‘She just got back too far but stormed home late. She’s going super,” Pohutukawa’s hoop James McDonald said after the race. 

Danni Martine (2005) was the last mare to complete the Guy Walter Stakes – Coolmore Classic double in the same year, an effort Dawn Dawn could be out to emulate with a win in the second leg on March 14.

“They’ve (connections) got two really good live chances (with Sylvia’s Mother) now heading towards the Coolmore,” Hawkes said.

The latest 2020 Coolmore Classic odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have Dawn Dawn, a daughter of Hawkes Racing’s former gun colt All Too Hard, firming in from $34 to $10 and Berry is confident she can race a strong 1500m at the Rosehill track.

We went along at a decent clip so I thought I’d make it up between James and I and I rode Pohutukawa last start and I knew she would be storming over the top of them late so I wanted to pinch a bit of a break on her over the 1400m.”

“This mare has been tough and honest all the way through. She has been unlucky, never got out until late when I rode her first up and second up she bumped into a soft track. She’s better on top of the ground so she could have had two out of three this prep,” he said.

“I think she’ll run a Coolmore distance 1500m. The Rosehill 1500m is very soft. If it was here over the mile I’d say it would be more of a worry.”

Click here for the updated Coolmore Classic 2020 betting markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 Guy Walter Stakes Results