A slight setback earlier this preparation thwarted Stradbroke plans for Love Conquers All but Hall of Fame trainer John Hawkes believes the colt wouldn't have been out of place in Queensland's premier sprint.Instead the three-year-old, who was a dominant first-up winner in an 1100m Open Handicap on a heavy track at Randwick two weeks ago, will line up as favourite in Saturday's Listed June Stakes (1100m) at Randwick just over an hour before the $1 million Group One at Eagle Farm."He was going to

A slight setback earlier this preparation thwarted Stradbroke plans for Love Conquers All but Hall of Fame trainer John Hawkes believes the colt wouldn't have been out of place in Queensland's premier sprint.

Instead the three-year-old, who was a dominant first-up winner in an 1100m Open Handicap on a heavy track at Randwick two weeks ago, will line up as favourite in Saturday's Listed June Stakes (1100m) at Randwick just over an hour before the $1 million Group One at Eagle Farm.

"He was going to Brisbane but he had a bit of a temperature and was just a bit off colour for a couple of days so we put Brisbane off and decided to just give him a couple of runs here in Sydney," Hawkes, who trains in partnership with his sons Wayne and Michael, said.

Prior to heading for a spell earlier this year Love Conquers All finished third in the $1 Million Magic Millions 3YO Trophy (1400m) on the Gold Coast.

Winner Graceful Anna finished half a length in front of Love Conquers All while Latin News was fourth.

Latin News is second favourite for Saturday's Stradbroke while Graceful Anna is on the fourth line of betting.

"He could have been competitive (in a Stradbroke) with no weight and a good barrier but it wasn't to be and you have just got to move on," Hawkes said.

Jim Cassidy will ride Love Conquers All in the June Stakes after apprentice Josh Adams partnered the son of Mossman to his commanding 5-1/2-length first-up win over Pinwheel with Nightofthegeneral third.

Hawkes said the first-up performance wasn't really a surprise.

"He's a nice colt who had 50 kilos on his back on a heavy track," Hawkes said.

"He was well weighted and they weren't superstars that he beat."

The Randwick victory over the same 1100m as the June Stakes took Love Conquers All's record to four wins from seven starts including a Listed win at Randwick in the Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m) for three-year-olds last October.

However, the June Stakes will be the three-year-old's first stakes test against older horses.

Hawkes expects Love Conquers All "to be right in the mix" but said he would see how Saturday's race unfolds before deciding whether the colt continues on this preparation, perhaps for a belated appearance in Brisbane in a couple of weeks, or is sent for a spell with a view to the spring.

"We'll just take it as it comes," he said.

"They don't have many sprint races until the latter part of the spring, there is more in the autumn," Hawkes said.

"We just really want to race tomorrow then I'll sit down with the boys and decide where we go.

"I just want to see how he goes tomorrow, it's a bit tougher race."