Vinery Champion All Too Hard timed his first Group 1 winner to perfection for Maluka Thoroughbreds owners Luke and Mags Anderson.
His flag-bearer Alligator Blood blitzed the VRC Australian Guineas at Flemington on Saturday and 24 hours later his colt from Crown of Coureuse (Lot 113) made $240,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Based at Kilmore, Maluka Thoroughbreds had pin-hooked the colt for $70,000 at the 2019 Inglis Great Southern Foal Sale. He’s a well-balanced type with a lovely attitude and will be given every chance by Team Hawkes.
Next best for All Too Hard at Oaklands was the colt from Gem Of Gems (Lot 184) bought for $200,000 by Belmont Bloodstock on behalf of trainer Tony McEvoy. “Take a look at this ripper,” McEvoy tweeted. “He’s by the sire of Alligator Blood and is a half-brother to (Gr.1) Robert Sangster winner Precious Gem.”
Millford Thoroughbreds sold the colt (as agent) and had labelled him the ‘real deal’ during pre-sale inspections at Oaklands.
All Too Hard averaged $135,000 and his other Premier Sale graduates will be trained by the likes of John O’Shea, Danny O’Brien, Dan Meagher and Henry Dwyer who will transfer his team from Caulfield to Ballarat next month.
Press Statement’s first yearling to parade at Oaklands will be prepared by Robbie Griffiths who pinched him for $230,000 from Tarcoola Stud. The colt is from Hold Me Close (Lot 214) and is a half-brother to Caulfield Classic Gr.3 winner Thought Of That.
“Not only is it a great pedigree but we received many comments to say he’s one of best walking horses on the complex,” Tarcoola Studmaster Ken Williams said. “Thought Of That showed great ability last spring and his dam is also a half-sister to Golden Slipper runner-up How Funny.”
Press Statement’s first black-type could come as early as this Saturday when last-start Bendigo winner Incredulous Dream runs in the TBV Stakes Gr.3 at Flemington. She was his top-priced, first-crop yearling when making $340,000 to Brad Spicer at the 2019 Gold Coast Magic Millions.
Star Turn’s Premier leader was the $180,000 colt from Loves Attention (Lot 277) purchased by Clinton McDonald on Monday. The Caulfield trainer has Mossman mare Diamond Effort on a hat-trick following her odds-on victory at Flemington last Saturday.
Trainer Andrew Noblet and bloodstock agent Suman Hedge had weighed in with $110,000 for the Star Turn – Garden of Eden filly from Rushton Park on Sunday. She will be raced by Carbine Thoroughbreds.
“We’re really happy to secure this rocket ship by Star Turn,” Hedge said. “She’s a strong, athletic filly with lots of power and we expect this girl will race early and be very fast!”
Headwater added an exclamation mark for Vinery when his filly from Wichita Woman (Lot 781) sold for $130,000 at the tail-end of the sale on Tuesday. She is the first foal from a High Chaparral three-quarter sister to Randwick Stakes winner Galizani.
“We waited all day and I thought by 6.15pm nearly everyone would have gone home,” Laurel Oak manager Louis Mihalyka said. “But she was in big demand and I had to be strong to buy this quality filly from Vinery. She will be trained by Tony McEvoy.”
Vinery began Melbourne Premier with a Medaglia d’Oro (USA) half-brother to its South African Group 1 graduate Brazuca. He made $460,000 to the bid of Boomer Bloodstock’s Craig Rounsefell acting on behalf of Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Next port of call for the Vinery team is the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale on April 7 & 8 and among the standouts is the I Am Invincible half-brother to this season’s Maribyrnong Plate Gr.3 winner Hard Landing (All Too Hard x Snitzerland).
