Racing to Win Cracks $3million

8th March 2008

While Sirmione, Princess Coup and Von Costa de Hero were sharing the limelight in Melbourne, it was the return to form of Encosta de Lago’s flagbearer Racing to Win (5g Encosta de Lago x Surrealist , by Kenny's Best Pal) that had racegoers at Rosehill up and cheering!

The explosive grey produced his trademark burst of acceleration, zooming straight past his rivals to take the Group Two STC Apollo Stakes by the best part of a length over Tuesday Joy and Falaise.

Tuned up after a spell of 69 weeks with a first up fifth in the Group Two STC Expressway Stakes on February 23, the John O’Shea trained star found the 1400 metres of this assignment exactly what he was looking for.

“Great horses do great things,” O’Shea said.

“He’s still a long way off his best but he’s a great horse. It’s a special thing to go to the races and put a saddle on him.”

Purchased for a paltry $40,000 by John O’Shea at the 2004 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale and raced by Trevor Stuckey and Penny Yan, Racing to Win has gone on to become one of the great ‘saleyard gifts’ winning 10 races and $3million his many career highlights including four Group One victories.

Bred and offered for sale by Boscobel Stud, Racing to Win is the second foal of the Kenny’s Best Pal mare Surrealist, who has done an excellent job at stud.

Purchased by Coolmore for $1.6 million at the 2006 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, she is also the dam of Group Three winning three year-old Purrealist and stakes-placed mare Distilled and her yearling colt by Fastnet Rock is sure to be a star for Coolmore at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale this year where he will be offered as Lot 406.