Encosta Trio of Group One Seconds

19th April 2008

The progeny of Australia’s current number one sire Encosta de Lago may have been forced to settle for second place at Rosehill on Saturday but they did manage to snare some $1.3 million in prizemoney for their efforts.

Quality colt Von Costa de Hero (2c Encosta de Lago x Piavonic, by Scenic) (pictured finishing second) ran the race of his life from barrier 15 to be beaten a half head by Sebring in the Group One STC Golden Slipper Stakes over 1200 metres.

A $1.2million purchase from the Coolmore draft at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale last year, Von Costa de Hero is already a Group Two winner having saluted in the VRC Sires Produce Stakes at his previous start and will be winning a Group One of his own sooner rather than later.

Star miler Racing to Win (5g Encosta de Lago x Surrealist, by Kenny's Best Pal) continued his recent good form in chasing home champion three year-old Weekend Hussler when second in the Group One STC George Ryder Stakes over 1500 metres.

A $40,000 Inglis Easter purchase back in 2004, the grey son of Surrealist has the phenomenal record of 10 wins and six seconds from 18 starts with prizemoney of $3.1 million.

Coolmore will offer his half-brother by Fastnet Rock as Lot 406 at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Encosta de Lago also supplied both second and third place-getters in the Group One STC BMW Stakes with Princess Coup (4m Encosta de Lago x Stoneyfell Road, by Sovereign Red) and Sirmione (4g Encosta de Lago x World Guide, by Defensive Play) chasing home Tuesday Joy in the weight-for-age feature over 2400 metres.

His progeny might not have won a race at Rosehill on Saturday, a ‘heavy nine’ track rating hardly providing ideal conditions, but there is not another sire in the country that could have produced such competitive horses in as wide a scope of races from the 1200 metre juvenile speed test of the Slipper to the classic weight-for-age 2400 metres of the BMW.

Encosta de Lago is now a runaway leader on the Australian general sires list after Saturday, his seasonal progeny earnings swelling to a whopping $8.4 million.