By Adam Pengilly
Gary Moore's best buy out of Adelaide's Magic Millions sale was a one-eyed horse that later scored an invite to one of the richest race meetings in the world – and the trainer himself suddenly developed his own imperfection on a recent visit to the city of churches.
"I bought a very, very good horse out of there which I took to Macau in Sino Brilhante," Moore said. "He's not the only one out of there, I've bought two others [in Adelaide] that have gone very well.
"But I was also there when Takedown won the Black Opal [Stakes]. I said I'd shout the bar and I looked in my pocket and only had $50 so I said, 'I'll see you tomorrow'."
Despite Moore's arms suddenly becoming unable to reach into his pockets that day, he couldn't believe the reserves he had in hand when bidding stopped on Happy Trails' half-brother by All Too Hard who looms as the Magic Millions Classic wildcard.
Hopeful: Gary Moore is confident of success at Rosehill on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
All Too Huiying fetched $150,000 as a yearling and can almost repay that investment if he can force his way into the $2 million scamper for two-year-olds on the Gold Coast next month with victory at Rosehill on Saturday.
"I thought, 'John Hawkes and the boys have bought 10 All Too Hards and if they've bought 10 I better buy one'," Moore said. "John Hawkes did say to me, 'Gary, listen, don't believe what people may think. They do go early. All Too Hard went early, it was just that I didn't push him'.
"This horse is bred to go further and what he's doing at the moment is sheer ability. I had a lot more money in hand if we needed it. When the bidding stopped at [$150,000] I couldn't believe it. And that's him. It's a good result at the moment."
All Too Huiying tried to make all on debut, but was gunned down late by Chauffeur and finished behind Saturday rival Falconic in a near blanket finish. He is $5.50 with Ladbrokes for the Rosehill opener after the scratching of Coorg with Falconic ($3.60) heading betting.
"[Falconic] raced outside of me at our last run together and I think I've gone forward enough in condition to be able to beat him," Moore said.
He will also saddle up Classic Uniform in the sixth with a step up in trip on the cards in the near future.
"He's a bit of a bridesmaid around Rosehill," Moore said. "Every time we get to the 100 [metre] mark we think he's about to win and then they nail him on the wire.
"He's a better horse around Canterbury, but he's in better shape than the other day and he looks in very, very good condition."