Vinery sire All Too Hard has put his own brand on the never-ending news cycle with 15 individual winners in the last month around Australia and New Zealand.
Victorian 3yo Nation State has been the most productive in that time-frame and he’s on a hat-trick in the MRC VOBIS Silver Hcp (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The John Moloney-trained black-type prospect is among a new wave of sprinter-milers by All Too Hard.
“Nation State has only had the three runs and is showing good promise,” Moloney said. “We can take advantage of the prize-money plus the VOBIS bonus and see where we can get to. I’m just hoping he keeps on improving with more racing.”
A $180,000 buy for a stable syndicate from Blue Gum Farm at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, he’s a half-brother to VOBIS Gold Rush winner Starry Legend (Zoustar). Their dam Savsenga (Reset) descends from 1993 English Oaks winner Intrepidity (Sadler’s Wells).
Damian Lane was aboard Nation State last time out but he will be in Perth to partner Melbourne raider Ayrton in the $1.5million Gold Rush at Ascot. “The best is still to come and he will get the hang of it,” Lane predicted. “He’s high-spirited and doesn’t realise he’s supposed to be a professional athlete.”
Fellow All Too Hard 3yo How Much Better filled out that 15-winner time-line in the Stainless Maiden Hcp (1350m) at Wyong on Wednesday. Racing on debut for Domeland and trainer Sara Ryan, he did best in a driving finish to defeat Dunbelievin’ (Dundeel) by a long-head.
“He switched off outside the leader then had a breather and was gritty in the finish,” Ryan said. “He was wobbling down the straight so there’s improvement to come. Hopefully, he’s as good as his brother.”
How Much Better is the third winner from as many to race for Dayeala (Starcraft). Her first foal Much Much Better (Stratum) won at Randwick for Ryan in October to improve his record to 8 wins and over $550,000 in prizemoney.
In Brisbane, star sprinter Far Too Easy resumes after an injury-enforced break as an even-money favourite for the BRC Lough Neagh Stakes (LR, 1400m) at Eagle Farm. A horse-walker accident ruled him out of the $1million The Hunter at Newcastle last month.
Part-owner and trainer David McColm is setting him for a summer grand final in the $1million Magic Millions Cup (RL, 1400m) at the Gold Coast on Saturday, January 13. Long-range plans include the $3million BRC Stradbroke Hcp (Gr.1, 1400m) in June.
Lightly-raced, Far Too Easy has won 7 of his 18 starts since a juvenile victory on debut at the 2021 Grafton winter carnival. “He’s been a very unlucky horse,” McColm said. “He was supposed to run in The Hunter but he was facing the wrong way on the walker the day before the race and banged his head that needed four stitches.”
“He had top-weight (58kg) and the near-outside barrier (15) in The Ramornie and flew home only to be beaten by a bob of the head. His sectionals that day (34s for the last 600m) were easily the fastest of the day. His last run was in The Kosciuszko when he drew 12 and he flew home for third.”
Far Too Easy’s dam Mnemonic (Hussonet) has also foaled All Too Hard’s Singapore’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup (LR, 1800m) winner Hard Too Think and her latest deliveries by the Vinery sire are a yearling colt and a filly foal born on Turnbull Stakes Day.
Bred and sold by Baramul Stud’s Gerry Harvey at the 2020 Gold Coast Magic Millions, Far Too Easy has banked over $1.17million off a $45,000 price-tag. His full-brother has been catalogued as Lot 969 on the Saturday evening session at next month’s Magic Millions – just a few hours after the Magic Millions Cup across Racecourse Drive.
