Cover image courtesy of Eureka Stud
The beautifully bred Encryption, who stands at Eureka Stud in Queensland at a 2023 breeding season fee of $13,200 (inc GST), enjoyed his best day on the racetrack as a stallion on Saturday with his son Cifrado, fittingly at Doomben racecourse amid the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival and if it couldn’t get any better the race in which the Rex Lipp-trained Cifrado stamped his mark was the G2 Spirit Of Boom Classic.
Spirit Of Boom was a much admired ‘Queenslander’ on the track and is now a brilliant stallion and barn mate to Encryption.
The 2-year-old Cifrado has always been highly regarded by those around him. The handsome bay is the fifth foal from the Excites mare, the late Madame Fly. She was a winner of two races, and at stud, she has produced the speedy Miami Fleiss (Spirit Of Boom) who won the Listed Eureka Stud Classic and her full brother Cochrane who was placed in the Listed Phelan Ready S.
Cifrado (yellow sleeves) winning the G2 Spirit Of Boom Classic | Image courtesy of Michael McInally
When Cifrado burst the pack under a bold ride from Damien Thornton in the G2 Spirit Of Boom Classic, he provided Encryption with his first Group 2 winner from only 15 to hit the track.
Harry McAlpine, head of nominations and bloodstock at Eureka Stud, reminisced on his first impressions of Cifrado, “Cifrado was a quality foal, weanling and yearling, the whole way through he’s just been a great endorsement for Encryption.
Harry McAlpine | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Encryption throws a great type of horse, and Cifrado has always been one of those. That was justified when he became the sire’s highest-priced yearling. It has been fulfilling to see him perform as he had on Saturday.”
Cifrado has been an early highlight for his sire on and off the track. Eureka Stud offered the first-crop son of Encryption at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and was knocked down to Cliff Little for $320,000, making Cifrado the most expensive yearling sold by Encryption.
Cifrado as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“We obviously stand Encryption, so we made sure we gave him all the best support we could, between the breeding right holders and Godolphin Australia, who we stand Encryption on behalf of.
“But Encryption is a stallion that stood for under $20,000, so you don’t take them to a sale expecting them to make huge money from a modest fee; you hope they do, of course, but Cifrado made $320,0000, which was truly outstanding,” McAlpine told TDN AusNZ.
“Encryption is a stallion that stood for under $20,000, so you don’t take them to a sale expecting them to make huge money from a modest fee; you hope they do, of course, but Cifrado made $320,0000, which was truly outstanding.” - Harry McAlpine
“The market has continued to receive the Encryption stock well, and they have sold incredibly well. It has been a great endorsement for the breed.”
By winning the G2 Spirit Of Boom Classic, Cifrado placed himself in some very esteemed company. Star gallopers Rothfire (Rothesay), the Darley Stud-based Brazen Beau, Gold Edition (Lion Hunter) and Virage De Fortune (Anabaa {USA}) count their name on the honour roll. It wouldn’t be outrageous to feel it’s only up from here for the Rex Lipp trainee.
Encryption | Standing at Eureka Stud
The expected next port of call is the G2 Sires’ Produce S. over 1400 metres at the much more spacious Eagle Farm Racecourse on May 28.
“I believe Rex (Lipp) is keen to target the Sires’. Rex has always felt he is a Sires’ type of horse. We did have some concerns that the 1200 metres might have been a bit short yesterday, but Cifrado has such a great turn-of-foot and was able to burst through late.
“He could potentially push on to the G1 JJ Atkins, but the Sires’ will tell the story, and Rex knows what he is doing.”
A winner, let alone a Group 2 winner for a first-season sire, always gets people taking notice, and it has been no different for Encryption.
“The phone has been ringing and the bookings are rolling in for Encryption off the back of yesterday. Encryption is in his fifth season, so we are conscious he will be judged predominantly on what his runners are doing or have done.
“It helps to get a Group 2 winner in his first crop, and I think the best is yet to come. All the word on his progeny is that they are later 2-year-olds or 3-year-olds. So, I believe we will start seeing other talents emerging from the woodwork over the next few months.”
Gems in the Eureka Stud draft
While Spirit Of Boom and Encryption are kicking goals for Eureka Stud, McAlpine is excited about offering a classy draft of 10 race fillies and broodmares at the 2023 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale to be hosted from Tuesday, May 23 to Thursday, May 25.
“Eureka Stud have ended up with quite a nice draft of race fillies and mares with lovely pregnancies.”
The draft of ten is highlighted by the recently retired 5-year-old mare Isotope (Deep Field) who will be offered as Lot 575.
Isotope winning the Listed Darby Munro S. at Rosehill | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The daughter of Deep Field was blessed with abundant speed. Isotope was trained by Tony Gollan, who guided her to six victories, among them the Listed Darby Munro S., the Listed Gold Edition S. and the Listed Mode Plate.
Isotope was placed in the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint S. and the G2 Champagne Classic and was ever so gallant when fourth in the G1 Stradbroke H.
She hails from the family of the outstanding galloper Yankee Rose (All American) who won the G1 Sires’ Produce S. and the G1 Spring Champion S.
Yankee Rose is proving to be an exceptional broodmare producing Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), the filly was crowned the Champion 2-Year-Old Filly in Japan in 2022 and got the world talking with a see-to-believe victory in the G1 Oka Sho at Hanshin.
“Isotope is the highlight of our draft, and we are very proud to be offering her on behalf of Black Soil Bloodstock and all her other owners,” McAlpine said.
“We have seen from the Inglis Chairman's Sale; it is a buoyant market for quality mares. We are very interested to see what she makes and how the market perceives her.”
Before Isotope’s sale, she has been enjoying some downtime readying for the next stage of her career.
“Isotope has been at the Eureka Farm for about six-eight weeks. When she was announced retired, she came straight to our farm. She’s a great type, and that’s what people want, fast mares with good pedigrees that are excellent sorts. Isotope ticks every box.
“When she (Isotope) was announced retired, she came straight to our farm. She’s a great type, and that’s what people want, fast mares with good pedigrees that are excellent sorts. Isotope ticks every box.” - Harry McAlpine
“Deep Field has been a great stallion and they will be a bit of a rarity. However, he has all the ingredients to be an influential broodmare sire. With that Northern Meteor/Encosta De Lago line on Isotope’s sire side and then being out of a Choisir mare, she will appeal. The Danehill factor is quite far back, so Isotope will be a very easy mare to mate to whoever buys her.”
While Isotope will catch plenty of eyes, the Eureka Stud draft has something for everyone. They will also consign the proven producer Lot 840 Darook Park (Darci Brahma {NZ}).
Darook Park is carrying an attractive cover to the Swettenham Stud-based Toronado (Ire). She has already produced the stakes-winning Finance Tycoon who will stand at Kooringal Stud for the 2023 breeding season.
Finance Tycoon winning the $1 million Showdown at Caulfield | Standing at Kooringal Stud, image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Furthermore, the 12-year-old daughter of Darci Brahma (NZ) is related to the recent G1 2000 Guineas runner-up Hi Royal (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}).
“Eureka Stud will offer the dam of Finance Tycoon, Darook Park, and she’s carrying a cover to Toronado. She hails from a massive family and has already thrown a fast horse who is now standing at stud (Finance Tycoon). Darook Park has done an outstanding job.
“Darook Park’s owners just decided why the market was hot, they would test the market with her and it will be interesting to see what she makes as she’s a proven producer.”
Talking through other highlights in the draft, McAlpine mentions the two mares in foal to resident stallion Spirit Of Boom, Lot 1028 My Girl Rocks (Fastnet Rock) and Lot 983 Lolanka (More Than Ready {USA}).
Spirit Of Boom | Standing at Eureka Stud
“We are standing Spirit Of Boom. We usually have 50 to 60 on the farm that is mated to him with the prospect of trading them. Cambridge Stud owns Lolakna, and they support Spirit Of Boom each year with several mares, and she was one they wanted to trade. It’s always good to keep supporting the stallion and offering mares in foal to him.”
While they will also have a winning Lonhro mare named, She’s A Regretta in foal to the exciting Widden Stud-based speedball Anders.
“We have a beautiful Lonhro mare (She’s A Regretta), and he’s doing a great job on many fronts. Anders was a stallion that took us a bit. He was an excellent sort and a speedy horse. Anders is from a dominant sireline in the Not A Single Doubt one. We are hopeful the cover will appeal to buyers.”
Anders (covering sire of She's A Regretta) | Standing at Widden Stud
Another intriguing offering from Eureka Stud is Lot 686 Desert Team (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).
She is from the Sepoy mare Kilmah (GB), who won the G3 Prestige S. at Goodwood, and Desert Team herself was a three-time winner including at Newmarket.
She was offered at the 2022 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, where Harry McAlpine Bloodstock signed the cheque.
“Desert Team is a really good sort. She’s an Invincible Spirit mare, and she’s one that I bought at the Tattersalls December Sale last year. Desert Team was quite a fast mare, and she was able to win at Newmarket,” McAlpine told TDN AusNZ.
“Desert Team is the first foal out of a Group-winning Sepoy mare that has been bred up to sons of Shamardal, like Blue Point and Pinatubo. There is plenty of upside to potentially coming through with her siblings.
“Desert Team (Lot 686) is the first foal out of a Group-winning Sepoy mare that has been bred up to sons of Shamardal, like Blue Point and Pinatubo. There is plenty of upside to potentially coming through with her siblings.” - Harry McAlpine
“We wanted to test the market with her because she appears the sort of suitable mare to be bred down.”
However, McAlpine was keen to enthuse there is something for everybody in the 2023 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale Eureka Stud draft.
“We have a bit of everything, Glitter Strip (Lot 569) is another lovely mare off the track. She was unlucky not to have black type, but she’s been fourth in a couple of Group 3 events. Putontheredlight (Lot 621) is a stakes-placed mare. I believe they are the sort of off-the-track mares people want and the mares people wish to breed and buy the progeny of.
“This is a bigger than usual draft Eureka Stud is offering. All these mares are for our clients, and it’s a great market to bring these types of mares to. We are very keen to offer the 2023 draft and excited to keep presenting drafts of this quality in years to come.”
