An attraction to the racing qualities of Vinery stallion All Too Hard translated into a spectacular result at the NZB Premier yearling sale on Tuesday.

Australian Bloodstock agent Justin Bahen outlaid $525,000 for the All Too Hard – Kalamata colt (Lot 338) consigned by Lyndhurst Farm at Karaka.  He had been pin-hooked for $160,000 from Vinery at the Magic Millions National Foal Sale last year.

“All Too Hard was a very classy galloper during his racing career and from what I’ve seen of his initial crop he has passed plenty of those attributes on to his progeny,” Bahen said after getting the better of under-bidder Paul O’Sullivan.  “This colt is a lovely mover and I was taken by his attitude as he progressed through the auction ring.

“There was strong demand for the progeny at the recent Gold Coast sales so I wasn’t surprised with the competition here although I was getting to my limit when I finally got him.”

The All Too Hard colt (pictured) is from Group 1 placed mare Kalamata who is the dam of G3 South Australia Sires Produce Stakes winner Stirling Grove and features Group 1 winner Hucklebuck in his extended pedigree.

Bahen bought the colt on behalf of a Hong Kong based client and will return him to Melbourne for his initial development before any decisions on a racing career are made.

“He had been a very popular horse the whole way through and ended up with some pretty serious people on him,” Lyndhurst Farm’s Mark Treweek said.  “He’s a really nice colt, we have been told by a lot of people that they thought he was one of the best colts in the sale and he sold accordingly.”

All Too Hard was in demand at the Gold Coast Magic Millions when he topped the first-season median at $220,000.