Sunday 31st August, 2008

Lago Delight has made a really bright start to his stud career with five winners and three placed runners from just 16 starters.

A fast son of champion sire Encosta de Lago, Lago Delight, stands at Christoph Bruecherts Bombora Downs Stud at Bittern in Victoria. Lago Delight's runners include the stakes-placed Palzago (third Blue Diamond Preview-LR), also a winner over 1200m, along with the winners Lisas Lago, Nevajoe, Bumboulina and Perlight.

The good news is that three of these winners have come early in the new season as the young stallions first crop runners enter their classic year.

Lago Delight won his first race on debut late in his juvenile season, running 57.65 when scoring by 2-1/2 lengths over 1000m at Flemington and then scored his most important win at his next start as an early three-year-old when winning the Listed Mitchell McKenzie Stakes (1000m) at the same venue.

Going for three wins in a row, the Jim Marconi bred and trained colt was narrowly beaten by Scardee Cat in the Ascot Vale Stakes-Gr.2 (1200m), with Dilly Dally two lengths astern in third and the unplaced division including Face Value, Keep The Faith and Roedean. The Ascot Vale (now a Gr.1) was one of three successes for his sire Encosta de Lago, whose major victory came in the VicHealth Cup-Gr.1 (1400m).

Stepped up to 1400m and taking on older horses in the Invitation Stakes-Gr.1 at his next start, Lago Delight shared the lead with Exceed And Excel for most of the journey before finishing fifth to that horse (2-3/4 lengths).

It's no surprise Lago Delight relished sprinting, as his stakes winning dam Sweet Delight is a daughter of Champion Sprinter Rancho Ruler (Rancher-No No Nanette by Showdown).

A tough and very sound mare, she faced the starter 59 times and won $386,000. Sweet Delight's six wins (1200m-2050m) included the W.S. Stocks Stakes-Gr.3 (1600m), while her 13 placing's included a third in the Cantala Stakes-Gr.1 (1600m) and a second in the Bloodhorse Breeders Plate-Gr.2 (1400m).

She is the dam of five winners including another very smart performer in Australian Guineas-Gr.1 runner-up Tycoon Ruler (Last Tycoon (IRE)), whose five wins ($450,000) included the Rupert Clarke Stakes-LR and W.J. Adams Stakes-LR. 

Next dam, the Gr.3 placed Friars Delight (Cardinal-Rang Jala (NZ) by Rangong (GB)) won eight races (1400m-2400m) and her two living foals were winners.

An attractive bay standing 16.1 hands, Lago Delight looks good value at $8800, considering Encosta de Lago (Fairy King (USA)-Shoal Creek (NZ) by Star Way (GB)), the newly-crowned Australian Champion Sire of 2007-08, commands a fee of $302,500 at Coolmore.

It's worth noting too that Lago Delight covered his biggest book (141) in 2007 his fourth season, a sure sign that breeders are happy with his foals.