Cifrado’s star continues to rise

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Saltcoats becomes Ardrossan’s third stakes winner
There was plenty of juvenile racing across Australasia yesterday, headlined by Waikato Stud’s resident first-season sire Ardrossan (Redoute’s Choice) being provided with his third stakes and fourth winner overall courtesy of Saltcoats’ win in the Futurity Stakes (Listed, 1400m) at Pukekohe, leading home a trifecta for first-season stallions. 

Meanwhile in Australia, Rex Lipp’s Cifrado (Encryption) added another stakes race to his record in the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) at Eagle Farm and Yarraman Park’s new recruit Brave Smash (Tosen Phantom) sired his ninth first-crop winner when Kalasec scored at Murray Bridge.

Trained by Samantha Logan, Saltcoats finished second on debut and went into yesterday’s contest off the back of a third place finish at Te Rapa on May 6. 

Ridden by Kozzo Asano, Saltcoats showed his talent with a facile three-and-a-half-length victory over Paragon, who is by Cambridge Stud’s first-season sire Embellish (Snitzel). Chantilly Lane, a daughter from the first-crop The Oaks Stud’s U S Navy Flag (War Front), was another length further adrift in third. 

Logan, who was enjoying her first stakes success on the flat, said she was confident in the gelding’s ability. 

“He was really tough today and we are so proud of him,” Logan said. “We gave him his first start over 1300 metres, so I felt there would be no problems stepping up to 1400 metres as I expect him to be very potent over a mile next season as a three-year-old.

“I was a little concerned when I saw him get stuck out wide, but I trusted Kozzi’s judgement as he knows him well and the main thing is to get him into a good rhythm which is the key to him.

“Kozzi did say he handled the going ok, but is a much better horse on top of the ground where he has an electric turn of foot.”

Saltcoats will now be sent for a spell, but Logan is already resigned to the fact that that may have been his last start for her Cambridge operation, as his likely racing future lies across the Tasman.

“That might be the last time we see him in New Zealand as he is likely to do his future racing in Australia,” she said. “I will leave that to Bruce [Perry] and Lib [Petagna] to decide, but I’m thrilled to get a win like this for them as they have been huge supporters of me.

“I’ve had a number of Ardrossan youngsters in the stable and hopefully we can find another smart one or two like this guy to keep the roll going for everyone involved.”

Saltcoats (2 g Ardrossan – Savanite by Savabeel) races in the familiar lime colours of Wellington businessman Lib Petagna, who bred him from his lightly raced Savabeel (Zabeel) mare Savanite, a half-sister to the Waikato Gold Cup (Gr 2, 2400m) winner Singing Star (Danasinga), who in turn has produced Group 3 winner Miss Selby (O’Reilly).

Further back, this is the same family as Viadana (Towkay), winner of three Group 1 races, and Listed scorer Indecision (Per Incanto). 

Savanite’s colt by Ardrossan’s barnmate Tivaci (High Chaparral) was bought by All Stars Racing Stables for NZ$80,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale earlier this year. 

The mare was bought by Aveael Barnes for NZ$13,500 on the Gavelhouse May Online Sale in 2021 and she was covered by Rich Hill Stud-based sire Shocking (Street Cry) in 2022. 

Saltcoats joins Codigo and Loch Katrine as Ardrossan’s other stakes winners. The stallion’s brilliant first-season with runners has earned him a fee hike for 2023, where he will stand for NZ$10,000 (plus GST), up from the NZ$6,000 (plus GST) he stood for in 2022. 

Cifrado’s star continues to rise
Cifrado showed his last-start victory in the Spirit Of Boom Classic (Gr 2, 1200m) two weeks ago was no fluke, fighting on resolutely in yesterday’s BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Eagle Farm to beat Snapback (Snitzel) by a long neck, while Chrysaor (Better Than Ready) was a further three quarters of a length away in third. 

Trainer Rex Lipp said the gelding, who was ridden by Damien Thornton, relished the step up in trip and may rise again in the JJ Atkins Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) in a fortnight’s time, but the trainer would not be rushed in making that decision, instead preferring to see how the colt comes out of the race.

“He’s been crying out for this sort of distance all the time. It was a big effort the other day. He finished the race off strongly like he did today [yesterday].

“He’s a colt that every time I step him out he improves all the time. We haven’t seen the best of him yet. I do believe we’ve got more to go yet.

“He’s a real colt, especially when you go to saddle him. Up until then he’s an angel. That’s what you want to see, a bit of fight in the dog and he’s got it.

“There’s no pressure from the owner, it is what I decide in the next week,” he said.

Cifrado (2 g Encryption – Madame Fly by Excites) was purchased by his owner Cliff Little from the draft of Eureka Stud at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $320,000, making him the most expensive colt from the first crop of Encryption (Lonhro). 

Bred by Black Soil Bloodstock, the colt is out of Madame Fly (Excites) making him a half-brother to Listed winner Miami Fleiss (Spirit Of Boom) and Listed-placed gelding Cochrane (Spirit Of Boom). 

Miami Fleiss herself is out of the stakes-placed mare McFly (Perugino), making her a half-sister to Group 3 winner Chapter And Verse (Rothesay). 

Madame Fly died in 2021 and her final foal, a filly by Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo), was purchased by Yes Bloodstock for $475,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale earlier this year. 

Cifrado is one of three winners for Encryption, with dual scorer Floral Code and one-time winner Fleetwood the others. The stallion is set to stand the 2023 season for an unchanged fee of $13,200 (inc GST). 

Brave Smash moves clear
When breaking his maiden over 1000 metres at Murray Bridge yesterday, the Richard and Chantelle Jolly-trained Kalasec handed Brave Smash with his ninth individual winner, moving him further clear in the race to be crowned Australia’s champion first-season sire by winners. 

Having the fifth start of his career, Kalasec showed a good burst of speed to beat Walk Like An Angel (Impending) by a length, while Proven Correct (Justify) was another half a length away in third. 

The gelding was purchased by his trainers for $120,000 from the Valiant Stud draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2022 and he is the second winner out of winning Street Cry (Machiavellian) mare Occitan. 

Occitan’s son by Arrowfield Stud’s Shalaa (Invincible Spirit) was bought by Eric Koh, King Power and Bevan Smith for $80,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale and after missing to North Pacific (Brazen Beau) last year, she was covered by Shalaa again last October. 

Brave Smash is the first-season sire who has produced the most winners in Australia this season; Justify (Scat Daddy) is sitting second with six. Brave Smash will cover his first book of mares at Yarraman Park this upcoming breeding season, having begun his career at Aquis Farm. The stallion will command a fee of $33,000 (inc GST) in 2023.