Vinery Sire Celebrates Another Elite Victory

At Kranji Racecourse in Singapore on Sunday, All Too Hard notched his fourth elite winner this season when Hard Too Think (All Too Hard-Mnemonic, by Hussonet) scored an emotional victory for trainer Stephen Gray in the Singapore Derby (Sing-Gr1). The Vinery Champion has gone from strength in 2020-21 with his Australian Group 1 winners Behemoth (MRC Memsie Stakes & MRC Rupert Clarke Stakes) and Forbidden Love (ATC Surround Stakes). He also sired Wellington to win the Chairman’s Sprint Gr1 in Hong Kong. “It feels surreal. I’m actually quite sad,” Gray admitted. “When I headed down from the grandstand, I shook my head and had a bit of a tear. COVID-19 has depleted our business, not just for me, but all the trainers have been hit hard. When I won the Derby back in 2007 with Lim’s Prestige it changed my life. Now I’ve won the second at a time when our livelihood is at stake.” Hard Too Think started one of the outsiders in the classic despite 3 wins and 3 placings in his first 10 starts at Kranji. All Too Hard sired the Aussie expat from Mnemonic (Hussonet) who is an unraced daughter of Zabeel’s Newcastle winner Memorisation. He was bred by Gerry Harvey and sold through the Baramul Stud draft for $45,000 at the 2018 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale. Meanwhile Mnemonic’s 2YO Far Too Easy (All Too Hard) is unbeaten after two recent wins at Grafton for owner-trainer David McColm and the mare foaled a third All Too Hard colt last November. All Too Hard is an across-the-board Top 10 stallion in Australia this season with 137 individual winners including the winners of 11 Stakes races. He’s also sired a career-best prizemoney total of $9. 89 million and can break through $10 million before season’s end next Saturday night.

Hard Too Think is another All Too Hard topliner (pic: vinery.com.au)