50th Stakes-Winner for Encosta

9th March 2008

Royally bred two year-old filly Merlene de Lago (2f Encosta de Lago x Merlene, by Danehill) made a sparkling debut at Turffontein in South Africa on Saturday when she romped away to win the Listed Ruffian Stakes by four lengths.

Making her debut for the Charles Laird stable, Merlene de Lago showed great natural ability and despite racing greenly cruised home to win easily, sizzling over the 1000 metres in 56.88 seconds.

Bred and offered for sale by John Singleton’s Strawberry Hill Stud, Merlene de Lago fetched $775,000 at the 2007 Magic Millions Yearling Sale when secured by Laird for his major client Markus Jooste.

The second most expensive filly sold at the Gold Coast last year, she is the fifth foal to race for Golden Slipper winner Merlene, who has now produced five winners with Merlene de Lago her first stakes-winner.

Her win continues the brilliant run of success being enjoyed by Strawberry Hill, which has bred and sold recent stakes-winners such as Blue Diamond runner up All American, Group Three winner Publishing, Listed STC Parramatta Cup winner Red Lord and smart filly Sugar Babe, a stylish winner at Rosehill on Saturday.

Merlene is no longer with Strawberry Hill having been on-sold at the 2006 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale where she made $875,000 when in foal to More Than Ready and is now a part of John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds bloodstock portfolio.

Her More Than Ready (USA) yearling colt will be offered at Magic Millions as Lot 29 by Coolmore and is bred on a noted cross given that Merlene is by champion sire Danehill.

More Than Ready over Danehill line mares has proven highly successful producing Group One winners Benicio and Perfectly Ready, as well as Golden Slipper favourite Sebring.

Subsequently sent back to Encosta de Lago, Merlene produced a brother to Merlene de Lago last spring and was covered by her sire again.

Merlene de Lago has the distinction of becoming the 50^th stakes-winner worldwide for Encosta de Lago who is now the leading sire in Australia by earnings following a stellar weekend that featured a Group One quinella in the VRC Australian Cup for Sirmione and Princess Coup, plus a pair of Group Two victories for Von Costa de Hero and Racing to Win.