David Vandyke developed Alligator Blood into an All Too Hard alpha-male and he’s back with another son of the Vinery Stud sire who dominated the QTIS Jewel Prelude Plate (1110m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Remember the name All Inclusive because he reminds Vandyke of Alligator Blood. The Sunshine Coast trainer first set eyes on the rookie youngster at the 2023 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale when he was offered by Vinery.
All Inclusive impressed Vandyke at Riverside Stables but he had already stretched the budget to $220,000. “It was my last bid and I was very happy that was enough to take him home. He was the one I wanted. He presented magnificently in every sense of the word.
“The All Too Hard breed are beautiful horses and are easy to train. I’ve got a bit of history with them having educated and trained Alligator Blood to his first Group 1 in the Australian Guineas at Flemington.”
Now the wheel has turned full circle with All Inclusive who won the QTIS Jewel Prelude after accelerating from the back-half of the field to defeat the favourite Street Chase (Zoustar) by a length.
“I was actually expecting him to be a bit closer but he picked them up with that nice turn of foot in the straight. If he pulls up well, we would be mad not to go to Sydney. The pressure is off since a win like that at his first start.
“The Todman Stakes (Gr.2, 1200m) is a fortnight away at Randwick and then there’s the Golden Slipper (Gr.1, 1200m) at Rosehill on March 23. We always thought he would be a better three-year-old so what he’s doing now is just on raw talent.
Jill Strachan at Reynella Thoroughbreds bred him from Lonyx (Lonhro) and she kept a share in the syndicate. She also bred the dam’s half-sisters Sexy Eyes (Gosford Belle of the Turf Gr.3) and Tina Melina (BRC Nudgee Hcp LR). Lonyx foaled another All Too Hard colt in September and was bred back to Ole Kirk.
All Inclusive scored the 1,500th career win for All Too Hard since he retired to Vinery. Overall, there have been 466 individual winners at a 69% strike-rate.
