Demonetization on Derby trail at Tauranga

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 went and 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 (pictured) had 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.