Exciting Victorian stallion Encosta de Lago unearthed a
potential star of the future when Lashed scored a sensational win in the listed Alcohol
Go-Easy Stakes at Victoria Park during the Adelaide Cup Carnival on Saturday.
Lashed, who started it’s career with Lloyd
Williams’ private trainer Myles Plumb, was having only start number two for new
owner, Sir Patrick Hogan.
Hogan was on track at Victoria Park on Saturday and like
everyone who had seen the race, could not believe the effort of the promising
two-year-old.
"After seeing her tailed off I put down my glasses and
had given up on her," Sir Patrick said after the race.
"She turned in amazing effort to win," he beamed.
Lashed, who is now trained by trans-Tasman preparer Graeme
Rogerson, stumbled out of the barriers and gave her rivals a huge start before rattling
home in the middle of the straight to win going away by a margin close to two lengths.
Popular Melbourne based jockey Stephen Baster revealed
after the race he came close to easing the filly out of the race during the early stages.
"She was standing in the barriers for a long time and
missed the start hopelessly," Baster said.
"She was a bit scratchy in her action and the others
were so far in front I nearly pulled her up."
"But she started to gain momentum so I hooked her out
wide and she picked them up fairly quickly," Basted added.
The filly will now be aimed at the $100,000 Group 3 Sires
Produce Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville on May 18.
Lashed, who was already an impressive city winner in
Melbourne, is just another great success story for the Blue Gum Farm based stallion Encosta de Lago.
A Group One winner in Melbourne as a three-year-old Encosta
de Lago has enjoyed a sizzling start to his stud career, which has seen him no doubt
elevated to the status of Victoria’s most sought out stallion this season.
With other star performers on the track in recent times to
the calibre of Milkshake, Gold Lottey, Chong Tong, Delago Brom, Night Chaser, Grand Falls,
Gazania, Circumnavigating and Delargo, Encosta de Lago's popularity is not surprising.
Encosta de Lago, a son of the champion sire Fairy King, is
standing alongside King Charlemagne, Umatilla, Rubiton and Last Tycoon at Victoria’s Blue Gum Farm for the 2002 season. |
