The old firm back at it again

Between them, John Hawkes and Darren Beadman have won 16 trainers’ and jockeys’ premierships in Sydney and on Saturday they were back doing what they did best with Love Conquers All at Caulfield.

Hawkes now trains in partnership with his two sons Michael and Wayne while Beadman is one of the leading riders in Hong Kong.

Beadman said Love Conquers All did all the right things, suggesting the win was nothing more than a sit and steer job in the Group III Betfair Stakes (1400m).

"The horse gave me a beautiful ride,” Beadman said. "He just pinged out, put himself in a lovely position and switched off well.

"When push came to shove, he got into the open without doing too much work and when I asked for an effort he gave it for a good solid win.”

Love Conquers All defeated two backmarkers that appreciated a strongly run race. Albert The Fat finished second with the Peter Snowden-trained Pinwheel rounding out the placings in third.

Love Conquers All has finished second at Group I level four times but the Hawkes Racing-trained galloper is likely to be given his chance to set the record straight at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

"There’s a nice little race there on Emirates Stakes day,” co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said. "We’ll just take stock and see what happens.

"It could be the Emirates, it could be.”

Love Conquers All’s win gave Beadman a double. Earlier in the day, he combined with another former supporter, master trainer Bart Cummings and Gliding.

Beadman’s two Melbourne Cup wins were aboard Cummings-trained gallopers Kingston Rule and Saintly.

Story: Clinton Payne RaceNet

Photo: Martin King Sportpix