On the back of her dominant first up victory in the Liston Stakes, WS Cox Plate favourite Mystic Journey looks set for a big spring and she is not the only member of the thriving Encosta de Lago sire line in form.
The likes
of leading Everest contender Sunlight, emerging Perth star Cup Night, the
unbeaten gallopers Zoustyle and Mystery Love, recent stakes winners Condo's
Expressa and Mizzy and the Golden Rose fancy Yes Yes Yes are all set to play a
part in the spring carnival.
What a marvelous influence the two times Champion Sire Encosta de Lago has, and continues to be - the Gr.1 winning sprinter/miler represented by 115 stakes winners, 27 of whom were successful at Gr.1 level. Boasting an outstanding winners-to-runners strike rate of 70.5%, he has also done the job as a sire of sires with 12 of his sons siring stakes winners.
Queensland breeders have only limited access to this in-form sire line but there is a great opportunity for broodmare owners in the shape of Lucas Bloodstock's Delago Deluxe - the only Gr.1winning son of Encosta de Lago standing at stud in the state.
And his name was in the news on Saturday with the impressive victory recorded by his exciting daughter Sukwhinder at Eagle Farm.
Having just
her third start, the Michael Costa trained three-year-old had impressed with an
easy trial victory five days previously and her debut campaign form of a smart
Grafton victory and a tough Inglis Challenge sixth off a wide run from the
outside gate read well.
Despite this she was sent out at double figure odds, much to the delight of her supporters!
Taking a sit off early strong speed, Sukwhinder covered ground as she edged closer approaching the turn, widest into the straight before knuckling down to gamely chase the talented Niedorp who had been stakes placed at his two previous outings.
Getting the upper hand late to win by half a length - looking to have plenty in hand - Sukwhinder impressed jockey Ron Stewart who was having his first ride on the bay.
"I was surprised by how well she travelled into the straight," he said.
"It was a good, tough effort and she is a nice horse in the making."
Stable manager Michael Morrison was also happy.
"She did not have it easy out on a limb but she got into a nice rhythm."
"She is a very athletic, tough filly and it will be lovely to get some black type with her."
The stable had a great week with the Delago Deluxe breed with Sukwhinder's full brother Shishaq breaking his maiden at Lismore last Monday.... and he could not have been more impressive racing away by 5 3/4 lengths.
Little wonder then that Michael Costa is a fan of the breed, noting that "they have great gate speed and good brains for racing."
Just two of several promising Delago Deluxes with others including the last start impressive maiden winners Parlour and Miss Geneva, the exciting trial winners winner Mook, I Call Junee Home and Coast; noting that the latter was so impressive easily winning two Randwick trials that he has been sold to Hong Kong.
It is all up from here for Delago Deluxe who has 68 well related three-year-olds and 65 two-year-olds ready to represent him and as he hails from a sire line well known for producing horses who improve with maturity it is significant that his first crop, who just recently turned five, are thriving with an excellent 62.9% winners-to-runners strike rate.
At $550,000 the second highest priced Encosta de Lago yearling the 2010 Magic Millions, Delago Deluxe caught the eye from day one and what a great record he put together in South Africa - winning his first four including the Gr.1 Medallion Stakes, the Gr.2 Nursery Plate and the Gr.3 Protea Stakes; form which earned him the title of South African Champion 2Y0 Colt.
He recorded his second Gr.1 victory in the Golden Horse Sprint at three and retired to stud with a stellar record of seven wins and five placings (including two Gr.1 seconds) from 13 starts.
Bred on a 3 X 3 cross of the terrific mare Rolls (grandam of Encosta de Lago and dam of Flying Spur), Delago Deluxe is a handsome entire from a great Australian family with his grandam being the six times Group winning highly successful broodmare Staging, dam of the Gr.1 winners Duporth and Excites and the two times Gr.2 winner Tickets.
Delago Deluxe stands at the great value fee of $4,400 at Lucas Bloodstock.
