All Too Hard colt Demonetization puts his classic credentials on the line in the Fertco Stakes (1400m) at Tauranga this Saturday.

The Nigel Tiley-trained 3yo was hailed a NZ Derby hope after an outstanding debut victory at Pukekohe last month.  “He bounced straight back after that first-up win and has pleased me at home,” Tiley said.  “I think he’s going to make a pretty fair horse.”

Demonetization has drawn wide against several last-start winners including smart Snitzel filly Shadow Dancer this Saturday.  “We’ve had a big opinion of him since his first jump-out,” Tiley revealed.  “It was an 800m trial down the back straight and I told Jason (Waddell) to make it no more than a learning exercise.

“He was slowly away and won it by a couple of lengths.  Jason came back and said, ‘This is a real horse.  I didn’t ask for an effort but he just picked them up easily.’

“He’s entered for the NZ Derby (Gr.1) in March and, all going well, will step up to stakes company next start at Ellerslie.”

The Trevor Eagle Memorial-LR (1500m) on December 2 is on the radar as is the Great Northern Guineas Gr.2 (1600m) on New Year’s Day.

Demonetization (3c All Too Hard – Midnight Special by Zabeel) was bred by Bob and Sandra Peters and is a younger half-brother to Ascot stakes winner Neverland (Big Brown).  Their dam is a sister to Rainbow Styling (Naturalism Stakes, Gr.3) and he was the top-priced All Too Hard at the 2016 Karaka 2YO Sale when purchased by Narendra Balia for $220,000.

All Too Hard’s fellow NZ-based 3yo Lincoln Hills was in the wars at Riccarton last Saturday in the NZ 2000 Guineas Gr.1.  Stewards reported he was ‘severely checked passing the 1400m and began to over-race badly’ before finishing down the track.

Closer to home, Gary Moore has decided to spell his last-start Flemington stakes winner All Too Huiying instead of going forward to the Sandown Guineas Gr.2.  The Vinery sire will be represented in the $300,000 feature by Aaron Purcell’s progressive colt Villermont.