Vinery sire All Too Hard finished third on the Inglis Ready2Race Sale leader-board at Riverside Stables on Tuesday.
He averaged $190,000 and that was only bettered by Dundeel and Deep Field for stallions with three or more lots to sell on a day when turnover peaked at a record-breaking $15.61million.
All Too Hard had two colts make $230,000 starting with Upper Bloodstock’s bid for his 2yo from Pentasia (Lot 7). “He’s a beautiful colt and I really like him.” Inglis General Manager Jonathon D’Arcy said before acknowledging the opening bid. “He’s by All Too Hard and doesn’t he look a racehorse in the making.”
It’s not the first time Upper Bloodstock’s Ross Lao has targeted an All Too Hard in Australia. He purchased Flying Genius who won four races for Tony Cruz and leading stable client Stella Fung Siu Wan in Hong Kong.
He also bought consistent sprinter-miler My Ecstatic who won three races in Hong Kong last season capped by a blistering two-length victory in the Jervois Hcp (1655m) at Happy Valley in June. He’s engaged in Race 7 at Happy Valley tonight.
New Zealand vendor Ross Mackay of Leanach Lodge was delighted with the response to the All Too Hard colt from his first draft in Sydney. “It’s a great way to start our adventure over here in Australia,” he exclaimed. “He’s thrived since arriving and everything has gone right. He’s just got better and better and his older half-brother (King Arthur) just keeps winning in Singapore.”
Trainer Ricky Yiu had already joined the All Too Hard juggernaut in Hong Kong before buying his colt from Be Happy (Lot 126) on Tuesday. Like Lao, he was forced to see off several under-bidders before having final say at $230,000.
Yiu rejuvenated All Too Hard’s straight-course specialist Alcari winning three 1000m sprints at Sha Tin last season. “Alcari is a character and is a much happier horse after a break at Conghua,” Yiu said. “The environment there obviously suits him.”
The Hong Kong connection has been a windfall for All Too Hard. There have been 14 individual winners of 45 races to date with his multiple Group 1-winning sprinter Wellington back on deck for the Longines Hong Kong Sprint (Gr.1, 1200m) in December.
Wellington trialled over 1200m at Sha Tin on Tuesday while the Ready2Race Sale was in progress in Sydney. He was beaten a neck by Reve Parisien (NZ), however, the fact he was giving the leader 10 lengths well into the straight wasn’t mentioned in the trial report – “Wellington was taken back early; swung widest at turn and ran on impressively.”
Trainer Richard Gibson is expected to kick-off Wellington’s latest campaign in the HK$5million Premier Bowl Hcp (Gr.2, 1200m) at Sha Tin on October 23.
Vinery stands All Too Hard for $38,500 (inc GST). For bookings or further information, please contact Adam White (0414 800 918) or Harry Roach (0401 970 006).
