NZ trainer Nigel Tiley has confirmed his ultra-promising stayer Demonetization is back on track for a spring carnival pipe-opener at Hawkes Bay.

A son of Vinery champion All Too Hard, he’s working up to three-quarter pace at Pukekohe after resuming from a leg-injury that ruled out a start in the New Zealand Derby Gr.1.  He was pre-post favourite for the classic in March following a strong win in the Auckland Guineas Gr.2.

“It was a fetlock injury that didn’t require surgery but we’ve been very careful right throughout the recovery process,” Tiley said.  “He doesn’t carry much condition and pulled up really well after his last gallop on Saturday morning.  I do think he will come to hand fairly quickly.

“We know we have a very exciting stayer on our hands so we’re going to be guided by his progress rather than rush him to get to a specific race.  We could head to the Windsor Park Plate but if that doesn’t pan out, there are plenty of other features around the 2000m mark later in the year.”

Demonetization (4h All Too Hard – Midnight Special by Zabeel) was bred by Bob and Sandra Peters and is a younger half-brother to their Ascot stakes winner Neverland (Big Brown).  She also went within a length of beating Delicacy in the 2016 Perth Cup-Gr.2.

The Perth couple sold him as a foal for $65,000 in Sydney.  He was pin-hooked for $160,000 at the 2016 Karaka Yearling Sale and Auckland-based owner Narendra Balia paid $220,000 for him at the 2016 Karaka 2YO Sale.

Demonetization has won three times in four starts obliging Balia to knock back repeated off-shore approaches.   “He’s turned down some pretty big offers,” Tiley revealed.  “He’s been waiting 25 years to get a good one like this horse.”