Merlene De Lago Goes Two for Two

6th April 2008

Exciting filly Merlene de Lago (2f Encosta de Lago x Merlene, by Danehill) made it two wins from as many starts when she crushed her rivals to win the Group Three Pretty Polly Stakes at Turffontein in South Africa on Saturday.

The Charles Laird trained daughter of Encosta de Lago turned in a carbon copy of her previous easy debut victory, this time taking the 1100 metre event by three and a quarter lengths in a performance that will have her favoured to beat most of her age and sex in South Africa this season.

Bred and offered for sale by John Singleton’s Strawberry Hill Stud, Merlene de Lago (pictured as a yearling) 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 horses bred by Strawberry Hill, who featured again in the winners circle at Canterbury on Saturday after top class mare Tuesday Joy captured the Group One STC Ranvet Stakes.

Strawberry Hill has bred and sold recent stakes-winners such as Blue Diamond runner up and Group Three AJC Skyline Stakes winner All American, Group Three winner Publishing, Listed STC Parramatta Cup winner Red Lord and smart filly Sugar Babe, rated by many the unlucky runner of this year’s Magic Millions Two Year Old Classic.

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 the John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds bloodstock portfolio.

Her More Than Ready yearling colt was offered at this year’s Magic Millions as Lot 29 by Coolmore and fetched $325,000 to the bid of Patinack Farm.

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