Vinery stallion All Too Hard sired a NZ double with Viva Vienna and Insatiable at Riccarton on Saturday and he came within a whisker of a treble when 2yo filly Hard Attack was narrowly beaten in the Whanganui Chronicle Maiden (800m) at Wanganui.
Hard Attack led the field in company with Ka Pai Kiwi (Better Than Ready) before racing away from the Rogerson Racing filly at the furlong. She kept kicking for Masa Hashizume when odds-on favourite Bellatrix Star (Star Witness) threw out a challenge and only went down in a head-bobbing finish to the first juvenile event of the season.
“That was very a impressive debut because I haven’t done a whole lot with her,” trainer Steven Cole said on Monday. “She’s pulled up perfectly and will go to the paddock for a freshen-up. I would like to earn some more prizemoney when she comes back so we’re not chasing cash to qualify for the Karaka Millions.
“The Te Akau team operates that way and it works for them.” The $1 million Karaka 2YO Millions (1200m) will be held at Ellerslie on Saturday, January 27.
Hard Attack (2f All Too Hard – Vitriolic Attack by Lope De Vega) was bred and sold by Westbury Stud’s Gerry Harvey for $100,000 at this year’s NZB Book 1 National Yearling Sale. Cole races her with his wife Tash, father Des and local dairy farmer Oliver Milne. “She looked a strong type and a natural get up and go filly. She has a lovely stride, the right attitude and there’s clearly more improvement to come.”
Her half-brother Stern Words (Star Turn) is an unraced 3yo with Barb Joseph and there’s also a yearling half-brother by Reliable Man at Westbury Stud. It’s the family of Singapore Champion Gingerbread Man (Shamardal) who is carving out a successful career at Yarradale Stud in WA.
Cole also purchased an All Too Hard colt from Sawn Off Shotgun (More Than Ready) for $155,000 from Harvey’s Baramul Stud consignment at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale in June. His full-sister Shotgun Diva is a Gold Coast winner for local trainer Angela Plumb and his 3yo half-sister Lady Shotgun (Star Turn) races second-up for the same stable at Eagle Farm on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, All Too Hard filly Viva Vienna made a successful start to her 3yo spring campaign for Te Akau trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson over 1000m at Riccarton. “She isn’t the biggest filly going around but she is just super tough,” Bergerson said. “She loves a fight and wouldn’t lie down when tackled by Illicit Dreams today.”
Viva Vienna (3f All Too Hard – Anna Of Austria by Snitzel) had won on debut at Te Rapa last November and was runner-up to subsequent Karaka 2YO Millions (RL, 1200m) winner Tokyo Tycoon (Satono Aladdin) on Boxing Day. Her next target will be the Canterbury Belle Stakes (LR, 1200m) leading into the NZ 1000 Guineas (Gr,1, 1600m) on November 18.
All Too Hard has an outstanding 72% winning strike-rate in New Zealand headed by Group winners Demonetization and Babylon Berlin. He stands at Vinery for a $38,500 fee (inc. GST) with payment on a live foal. For bookings or further information, contact Adam White (0414 800 918) or Harry Roach (0401 970 006).
