 Brilliant Victorian sire Encosta de Lago has started the new season
in the same fashion he ended the last, in winning style!On Saturday at the first Melbourne meeting of the new season David Hall unearthed
a potential stakes performer in the form of Crystal Decanter.
And in a major boost for the sire, leading Melbourne
trainer David Hall confessed to being a major fan of the young sire.
"She (Crystal Decanter) is the only horse I have by
him (Encosta de Lago)," Hall said. "But I wish I had some more."
"He is an excellent sire and he's obviously the reason
this horse has got as much ability as she has shown," Hall added.
 "The mare's first couple of other runners by other sires were
pretty ordinary."
Bred and owned by Robin Bell the filly proved much too
strong for a good line up of three-year-old fillies in the JB Hi-Fi Handicap (1000m).
Winning trainer David Hall said he expected better things
from the filly after her soft win at her debut run.
"We'll see how she pulls up before we decided where
she goes next," Hall said. "But we might look to some of the stakes races in
early part of the spring."
Hall said the stable had experienced a couple of problems
before her first run, which had prevented her debut from being as late as now.
 "She'd always shown
us something, but she was a bit shinny (shin-sore) early on and then she flipped over
behind the barriers at Ballarat and had to trial again," Hall said.
Last season Encosta de Lago was the talk of the town
through the achievements of an amazing group of exciting young performers like the Group
One performers Chong Tong, Gold Lottey, Delago Brom, Night Chaser, the stakes winners
Lashed and Dragila and black type performers Tuscanos, Largo and Betula.
He is also the sire of the Adelaide Magic Millions hero
Mikshake and a swag of city winners including Mystic Elle, Grand Falls, Gazania, Lady
Mulroy, Merv's Wish, Encosta Legend, Encosterino, Malapert, Circumnavigating, Titanic
Jack, Delargo, Terrenora, Gibernau, Costalette, Mislaid, Prophet Jewel and Stella Cavallo.
Encosta de Lago is standing the 2002 season at Victoria's Blue Gum Farm, and not surprisingly he is fully
booked out.
PICS - Quentin
Lang. |
