Luck San returned to Australia in winning style at Sportingbet Park on Wednesday with a strong win in the $30,000 Sportingbet Handicp (78) over 1200m.

Luck San (4 g Encosta de Lago - Enrika’s Gift, by Orpen) began his career as ‘Happy Patrick’ in Australia, finishing second to Sincero in the Gosford Guineas (Listed)  before transferring to Hong Kong.

Yesterday was his first start back in Australia and he proved too good for Smokin Joey (Encosta de Lago) in a quinella for the Coolmore stallion.

“He played up a bit in the barriers and took a while to get running, but he really kicked in the straight and put them away very easily,” said winning jockey Dwayne Dunn.

“We’ve always had a big opinion of him right back to when he won at Moonee Valley, so it’s good to see him come back and win again.”

Coolmore sires continued their strong form in Hong Kong after the worldwide breeding operation’s past and present residents produced the winners of half of the 10-race card at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Tale Of The Cat (Storm Cat - Yarn, by Mr Prospector) sired the first winner of the meeting when Honour List (Tale Of The Cat - A Real Dool, Proper Reality) claimed Tak Ku Ling Handicap (1200m). Ultimate Winners made it two from two for Coolmore sires when the four-year-old claimed the Nam Kok Handicap (1000m).

Former Coolmore Stud stallion Hawk Wing (Woodman - La Lorgnette, by Val de l’Orne) sired the winner of the South Wall Handicap (1600m) when Cai Bao In (Hawk Wing - Dazzling Park) posted a 1-3/4 length before Antonius Pius (Danzig - Catchascatchcan, by Pursuit Of Love) gelding All Victory (Antonius Pius - River Princess, by Victory Prince) easily won the Carpenter Handicap (1200m).

Way May Star (Fusaichi Pegasus - Skates) made it four winners for Coolmore-sired gallopers when the three-year-old won the Hau Wong Handicap (1400m).

Coolmore mainstays Danehill Dancer (Danehill - Mira Andonde, by Sharpen Up) and Encosta De Lago (Fairy King - Shoal Creek, by Fairy King) are prominent in the Hong Kong sires’ standings. Danehill Dancer is third on the General Sires’ list while Encosta De Lago sits a place lower.

A field of 14 has accepted for the major lead-up to the Group 2 Perth Cup (2400m), Saturday’s Group 2 C B Cox Stakes (Gr 2, 2200m) at Ascot.

The Patinack Farm-owned Saint Encosta (Encosta De Lago - St Katherine, by Barathea) is the sole eastern states representative in the Cox Stakes. The five-year-old earned the right to press on to the Perth Cup with his eye-catching second in the Listed J R A Trophy at Ascot on December 3.

The J R A Trophy winner Veracious (Systematic - Royal Lace, by Serheed) is not among the Cox Stakes acceptors but Saint Encosta will clash again with the fourth placegetter Double Barrel (Musketeer - Irwind, by Haulpak).

Below is the field for the Group 2 C B Cox Stakes at Ascot.

Coolmore Stud sires took the honours again on Thursday after the worldwide breeding giant’s stallion combined for six successes in Australia and New Zealand.

Encosta De Lago (Fairy King - Shoal Creek, by Star Way) and High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells - Kasora, by Darshaan) teamed up to provide a double at the Te Aroha meeting. Hype (High Chaparral - Zolata, by Zabeel) won the Nottingham Castle Hotel Maiden (2200m) before Encosta Larrocha (Encosta De Lago - Larrocha, by Danehill) took out the Waihou Excavation Handicap (2200m).

Choisir (Danehill Dancer - Great Selection, by Lunchtime) sired a double of his own at the Seymour and Port Lincoln fixtures. Sweet Music (Choisir - Blue Music, by Bluebird) got home to win the Railway Club Hotel Maiden Plate (1009m) before Like Bolt (Choisir - Tierani, by Tierce) claimed the Carlton Draught Handicap (1000m).

Galileo (Sadler’s Wells - Urban Sea, by Miswaki) got in on the act at Port Lincoln when He’s Hot To Trot (Galileo - Zinnia, by Zabeel) won the Boston Bakery Handicap (1750m).

Coolmore’s champion Royal Academy (Nijinsky II - Crimson Saint, by Crimson Satan) closed out the operation’s impressive day when Stream Royale (Royal Academy - Sorell Creek, by King Of Kings) took out the VB Gold Maiden Plate (1109m).

The yearling brother to the four-time Hong Kong Champion Sprinter Sacred Kingdom has been confirmed for the 2012 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale. The colt, by Champion sire Encosta de Lago from Zeditave mare Courtroom Sweetie , will be one of the lots catalogued fo the sale in Melbourne next February 27 to March 1.

A seven-time Group 1 winner across Hong Kong and Singapore, Sacred Kingdom has earned over HK$45million (A$5.7million) in prizemoney for his owner Mr Sin Kang Yuk. Trainer Ricky Yiu purchased the champion from the draft of Kornong Stud Farm at the 2005 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, and the Calvert family will offer his brother under the same banner at Melbourne in 2012.

“We are delighted that Sacred Kingdom’s breeders, the Calvert Family, have chosen Melbourne as the place to sell one of the highlight yearlings born in Australasia,” Inglis Melbourne Bloodstock Director Peter Heagney said yesterday. ”Courtroom Sweetie has been a grand producer and it is very exciting to be able to offer her first foal by Encosta de Lago, and thus first full-sibling to Sacred Kingdom, since the Hong Kong great.”

Sacred Kingdom is currently being prepared for a tilt at becoming the first horse to win the Gr 1 Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint three times, after saluting in the feature event in 2007 and 2009. ”He is coming along nicely, and although eight years of age there is still plenty of spring in his legs, as shown last start when storming from last to finish second in the [Group 3] Sha Tin Sprint Trophy carrying top weight [133 pounds]”, Ricky Yiu commented.

The Mick Price-trained three-year-old Instinction (Exceed And Excel - De Lago Mist, by Encosta De Lago) provided the Darley sire Exceed And Excel (Danehill - Patrona, by Lomond) with his second stakes success of the Flemington carnival with his win in the Listed VRC Springtime Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.

Juvenile filly Applegate (Exceed And Excel - Klamath Falls, by Storm Cat) scored a debut win at Listed level at Flemington on Tuesday before Instinction got up on the inside of the Paul Messara-trained Mahisara (More Than Ready - Darsini, by Danehill) to win narrowly.

Instinction became the 43^rd individual stakes winner when the colt won his second race from six starts. Instinction followed in the footsteps of his stakes-winning dam De Lago Mist (Encosta De Lago - In The Mist, by Southern Appeal), who won the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and Group 3 SAJC Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) as a juvenile.

Price combined with Blue Sky Thoroughbreds to secure Instinction for $300,000 out of the Three Bridges Thoroughbreds draft at the 2010 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale. The Caulfield trainer said the lightly-raced colt would relish the step up to 1600 metres in Saturday week’s Group 2 Sandown Guineas.

“We’re happy and he’s a nice horse so hopefully we can run him in the Sandown Guineas,” Price said.

“He’s had a solid run here but the Sandown Guineas was always going to be our target. Now that he has got a Listed race win, it gets his rating up and we can go in there with him and a mile will be beautiful for him. ”

Instinction foaled a colt by Fastnet Rock (Danehill - Piccadilly Circus, by Royal Academy) in 2009 before the mare visited Redoute’s Choice (Danehill - Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad. The matings produced a colt in 2010 and a filly in 2011.

Champion sire Encosta De Lago (Fairy King - Shoal Creek, by Star Way) will continue his largely single-handed battled against the Darley line-up over the famous four-day Flemington carnival.

Encosta De Lago has led the Coolmore charge over the last three Flemington carnivals with 11 winners. The Coolmore mainstay has sired eight more winners at Victoria’s showpiece racing festival than his nearest rivals, Darley’s Fantastic Light (Rahy - Jood, by Nijinsky II), Lonhro (Octagonal - Shadea, by Straight Strike) and Reset (Zabeel - Assertive Lass, by Zeditave).

Arrowfield Stud’s super sire Redoute’s Choice (Danehill - Shantha’s Choice, by Canny Lad) has also sired the winners of three races across the past three Flemington spring carnivals.

Encosta De Lago has seven representatives among the 196 nominations for Saturday’s opening day of the 2011 Flemington spring carnival.

The sire has two sons entered in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) with the Mick Price-trained Costly Commitment (Encosta De Lago - Mutate, by Octagonal) and Sydney three-year-old Niagara (Encosta De Lago - River Song, by Fusaichi Pegasus) to fly the Coolmore flag.

Click here to view the full nominations for Saturday’s Victoria Derby meeting.

Kyria (2 f Encosta De Lago - Rhema, by Fusaichi Pegasus) ran the fastest time at Monday’s 2yo Trials at Canterbury, The Grahame Begg trained filly looked most impressive in winning her 900m heat by two-lengths in the time of 54.89s. Rhema is a winning half-sister to the 2005 Victoria Derby winner Benicio while her grand-dam Mannington is a stakes winning daughter of the Golden Slipper Stakes winner Bint Marscay.

Gerald Ryan’s My Shabella (2 f Haradasun - Risky Banter) ran the second fastest time of 54.90. She was pushed out to win her heat after racing wide throughout.

The fastest colt of the morning was the Chris Waller-trained Spirit Of Speed, (2 c Flying Spur - Miss Victoria), who won his trial in 55.00.

Darley produced several 2yo’s including Knoydart, a More Than Ready colt who is the second foal from Group One Coolmore Classic winner Regal Cheer, who won his trial, and Sessions, a son of Lonhro and brother to Group 2 winner Renaissance, who scored nicely while Hussonet colt Tatra was a narrow winner of his trial.

Other first season sires to produce winners were Patinack Farm based Husson (Arg), whose grey daughter Hussousa won by two and a quarter lengths in 55.38 seconds and Turangga Farm based Zizou, whose chestnut daughter Risky Blonde won by a nose in 55.82 seconds.

Team Darley were represented by a couple of smart types including the royally bred colt Knoydart, who finished his trial full of running to win by a length in 55.21 seconds.

The 208^th stakes win for Coolmore stallion Montjeu (Sadler’s Wells - Floripedes, by Top Ville) provided the finishing touch to a nine-win day for the worldwide breeding giant on Sunday.

Mr Tipsy (Montjeu - Fairy Tipsy, by Casual Lies) earned the second stakes success of his 29-start career when the seven-year-old claimed the Listed Karaka Classic (1600m) at Pukekohe. Affairoftheheart (Fusaichi Pegasus - Call Me Lily, by Just A Dancer) completed a quinella for Coolmore sires in the $NZ45,000 feature.

The Missing Link (Montjeu - Fritzy, by Hermitage) completed a double for Montjeu when the gelding won the Librettist Handicap (2400m) at Pukekohe.

The sire of last year’s Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate winners, High Chaparral (Sadler’s Wells - Kasora, by Darshaan), also produced a double with winners at Sunday’s Pukekohe and Warwick Farm meetings. Rafa (High Chaparral - Amanpuri, by Scenic) won The Informant Maiden (1600m) while Gai Waterhouse prepared Western Symbol (High Chaparral - Blue Symbol, by Bluebird) to win at Warwick Farm.

Galileo (Sadler’s Wells - Urban Sea, by Miswaki) enjoyed dual success with winners at Warwick Farm and Ballarat while Footstepsinthesand (Giant’s Causeway - Glatisant, by Rainbow Quest) produced a winner at Halidon in South Australia.

Fusaichi Pegasus (Mr Prospector - Angel Fever, by Danzig) produced a winner at Swan Hill while Johannesburg (Hennessy - Myth, by Ogygian) contributed a winner at Ballarat to Coolmore’s successful Sunday.

Coolmore Stud sires Choisir (Danehill Dancer - Great Selection, by Lunchtime) and Encosta De Lago (Fairy King - Shoal Creek, by Star Way) combined for a double with a pair of well-related gallopers on Friday.

Choisir three-year-old Hell’s Kitchen (Choisir - Lanadee, by Snaadee) broke through for an overdue win in the Warren Roper Maiden Plate (1300m) on the Geelong Synthetic track.

Hell’s Kitchen is a half-brother to the dual Listed winner Secret Flyer (Secret Savings - Lanadee, by Snaadee).

Calaway Gal in her racing days, winning the 2002 Golden Slipper

Encosta De Lago produced Atreyu (Encosta De Lago - Calaway Gal, by Clang) to win the PFD Food Services Handicap (1400m) at Taree.

Atreyu is the second foal to race out of the 2002 Golden Slipper winner Calaway Gal (Clang - Calais Royale, by Captain’s Gold).

Calaway Gal has had four foals to race for two winners in a disappointing breeding career.

Meanwhile, The Oaks Stud resident Bachelor Duke (Miswaki - Gossamer, by Seattle Slew) earned his first double of the season with winners at the Geelong Synthetic and Te Rapa meetings.

The Colin Little-trained Cavendish (Bachelor Duke - Blooming, by Stravinsky) won the Geelong Australia Handicap (1300m) on the Geelong Synthetic track before Miss Isle (Bachelor Duke - Island Doy, by Doyoun) claimed the Marea Alta Handicap (1600m) at Te Rapa.

Only the dual Group 1-winning three-year-old Helmet (Exceed And Excel - Accessories, by Singspiel) stands in the way of a Coolmore Stud stallion siring the winner of Saturday’s Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill.

Australia’s first Group 1 race of the 2011/12 season attracted a disappointing number of just six runners with Coolmore Stud sires providing five of the competitors.

The unbeaten colt Smart Missile (Fastnet Rock - Comical Smile, by Comic Strip) and the exciting colt Foxwedge (Fastnet Rock - Forest Wildcat, by Forest Wildcat) lead the charge for the Hunter Valley operation.

The connections of Manawanui (Oratorio (IRE) - Lady Remlap, by Filante) paid a $55,000 late entry fee to run the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) winner in the $1 million event. Aeronautical (Encosta De Lago - Moon Fever, by Fusaichi Pegasus) and Flight Of Pegasus (Fusaichi Pegasus - Flight Of Dreams, by Flying Spur) make up the rest of the field.

Coolmore Stud stallions appear to have a stranglehold on Saturday’s Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill after nominations were completed on Monday.

The breeding giant’s sires produced six of the 10 entries in the $1 million event, including the likely favourites for the Golden Rose, the Anthony Cummings-trained Smart Missile (Fastnet Rock - Comical Smile, by Comic Strip) and Foxwedge (Fastnet Rock - Forest Native, by Forest Wildcat).

Connections of Manawanui (Oratorio (IRE) - Lady Remlap, by Filante) paid a $55,000 late entry fee to run the gelding in the Golden Rose after the exciting gelding won the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) at Warwick Farm on August 20.

Below are the 10 nominations remaining in Saturday’s Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill.

Coolmore stallions were on fire with a stakes treble around Australia yesterday. Trusting (Tale Of The Cat) winning the Chelmsford Stakes at Warwick Farm; Lone Rock (Fastnet Rock) sprinting home late to score in the Bobbie Lewis Quality (Gr 3) and Niblick (Encosta de Lago) the Sofitel Stakes (Listed) at Flemington.

Trusting (5 h Tale Of The Cat - Legible, by Zabeel) was strong at the finish in defeating My Kingdom of Fife (Kingmambo) in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes over 1600m. “He has got all the ability in the world, I was only saying to Nathan’s [Tinkler] sister yesterday that when he goes to stud I am going to buy a mare myself to send to him because he is just a beautiful horse, he is very much a stallion and it is sometimes hard to coax it out of him when his mind isn’t on the job but when he is a very good horse.” winning trainer John Thompson said. “As everyone who has ridden him has said, one day he will jump, the next day he will be standing still but hopefully he keeps rolling on.”

Niblick (5 g Encosta de Lago - Leica Vista, by Sir Tristram) won his first stakes race in the Listed Sofitel Stakes for owner Lloyd Williams and is the 86th stakes winner for Encosta de Lago while Lone Rock (4 m Fastnet Rock - Pride Of Pine, by Lion Cavern) has charged home to dent Bel Sprinter’s unbeaten record in the Group III Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington.

“She has done it pretty easily in the end.” Henry Dwyer, stable foreman for Robert Smerdon said. “She has won two Group races over 1200 metres but she is probably a 1400-metre horse. She gets back, she relaxes and she finishes off.”

Sweetest Melody became a new stakes winner for champion sire Encosta de Lago yesterday when she won the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes at Wyong.

With jockey Chris Munce replacing the injured Jim Cassidy, Sweetest Melody raced outside the leader to the home turn in the 1350m fillies and mares feature and then kicked strongly in the short straight to defeat the favourite Red Tracer (Dane Shadow) by a length with Jerezana (Lonhro) running on hard in the straight to finish third.

Munce said later that the tight Wyong circuit was in Sweetest Melody’s favour. ”Wyong probably suited her today, the favourite got back in the ruck a little bit and I was able to sort of control the tempo at the speed I wanted,” Munce said. ”She kicked strongly off the corner which was going to make it difficult for the favourite to run me down.”

The Mona Lisa is the seventh victory from 11 starts for Sweetest Melody (4 m Encosta de Lago - Ornamental Rose, by Catrail) and  her first at stakes level.

Trans-Tasman doubles to veterans Fusaichi Pegasus (Mr Prospector - Angel Fever, by Danzig) and Rock Of Gibraltar (Danehill - Offshore Boom, by Be My Guest) has provided the bulk of Coolmore Stud’s six-win Friday.

Rock Of Gibraltar’s double began when Coup Rocky Road (Rock Of Gibraltar - Little Tempest, by Thunder Gulch) won the Tas Answering Services Maiden (1200m) at Timaru before Lil Bit Musky (Rock Of Gibraltar - Musk Lime, by Private Account) claimed the Viatek Handicap (1100m) on the Geelong Synthetic track.

Monte Ichiban (Fusaichi Pegasus - Purling, by Tolomeo) began Fusaichi Pegasus’s double with his win in the Sky Race Callers Cup (1750m) on the Canberra Acton circuit before Classy Fashion (Fusaichi Pegasus - Elegant Fashion, by Danewin) won the Port FM Maiden (1200m) at Timaru.

Both of Fusaichi Pegasus’s winners came from impressive stock. Monte Ichiban is a three-quarter brother to Royal Purler (Hector Protector - Purling, by Tolomeo), the winner of the Group 1′Flught Stakes (1600m) in 2002 while Classy Fashion’s dam, Elegant Fashion (Danewin - Wily Trick, by Clever Trick) won the Group 1 Hong Kong Derby (2000m) in 2003.

Fastnet Rock (Danehill - Piccadilly Circus, by Royal Academy) got in on the act when Rock And Roll (Fastnet Rock - Wooden Melody, by Woodman) won the Globe Australia Handicap (1600m) at Wyong. Encosta De Lago (Fairy King - Shoal Creek, by Star Way) contributed to Coolmore’s sextet of wins when Sweetest Melody (Encosta De Lago - Ornamental Rose, by Catrail) won the Listed Mona Lisa Stakes (1350m) at Wyong.

Darley

Darley

Saturday afternoon saw the huge Darley stallion presentation parade. With big screen and an even bigger crowd in place, Darley were also able to influence the weather gods to keep the rain away.

And there was plenty to get excited about. Darley boast current Champion Sire in Lonhro, the former Champion Racehorse now also becoming champion off the track. He looked magnificent and it is so easy to understand his popularity. There is something very satisfying for team Darley with Lonhro as he was one of the main reasons that Darley purchased the former Woodlands operation.

David Raphael of Sky Channel and Darley’s Nominations Manager Alastair Pulford did a wonderful job taking us through the huge line up of siring talent. Once again, Medaglia d’Oro has jaw-dropping presence and the likes of Ad Valorem, Bernardini (sire of the weekend Travers winner Stay Thirsty), English Derby winner Authorized, the muscular Henny Hughes, and the wonderful ageing warrior Canny Lad all showed to advantage.

Fantastic roster, great parade, enthusiastic crowd, and award winning hospitality, as always.

Coolmore

Coolmore held three stallion parades over the weekend to cater for the different timetables of clientele; the Bluebloods/Stallions team attended the Sunday afternoon parade. As always, James Bester was the most entertaining of parade commentators, assuring the assemblage that any blame for hype or over the top sales pitch uttered by him should be blamed on stallions nominations man Colm Santry. And there was more of that…..

Coolmore

The stallions needed no hype. Turned out in magnificent order by the Coolmore stallion handling team, they had that shine and polish one comes to expect. The new boy, Lookin At Lucky is a great looking addition and his race record speaks volumes. Catch some video of his win in the Grade One Haskell – it gives you an idea of his class.

Encosta de Lago paraded in magnificent order and James pointed out that for earnings in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, and South Africa, Encosta de Lago’s progeny topped prizemoney earnings for that wider region. Some achievement.

Others to impress were the father and son Choisir and Starspangledbanner, Smart Missile and Foxwedge’s sire Fastnet Rock, High Chaparral, Oratorio, Excellent Art, Dylan Thomas, Duke of Marmalade and Spinning World. A world class roster.

Today, Monday, we’re off to Widden to drink in a couple of Golden Slipper winners and others….

Group 1 Golden Rose winner Toorak Toff (Show A Heart - Orrong, by Grand Lodge) took a step towards his spring return with a strong trial win at Cranbourne on Monday.

The four-year-old stallion endured throat troubles during the latter stages of his three-year-old season, prompting trainer Rick Hore-Lacy to retire the strapping son of Show A Heart (Brave Warrior - Miss Sandman, by Regal Advice).

However, Hore-Lacy and the stallion’s owners decided on a racetrack return for the chestnut but Toorak Toff failed to impress in the Group 1 Goodwood (1200m) in Adelaide in May.

Toorak Toff showed he is back on track with a strong 2-1/4 length heat win at Monday’s trials.

The Mick Price-trained Group 1 winner Heart Of Dreams (Show A Heart - Academy Of Dreams, by Royal Academy) finished third in the same heat.

Price produced the Group 1-winning mare Aloha (Encosta De Lago - Tennessee Midnight, by Danehill) to win the second heat of the morning.

The Group 1 Coolmore Classic winner strode home to claim the heat by a length in the reasonable time of 48.04 seconds for the 800-metre heat, which was run on heavy ground.

Coolmore’s champion stallion Encosta De Lago (Fairy King - Shoal Creek, by Star Way) could have another stakes performer emerge to represent him in the spring after Houston Benefactor (Encosta De Lago - Sovereign Duchess, by Last Tycoon) broke through for her first success at Wednesday’s Kensington meeting.

Houston Benefactor showed her potential with a terrific debut performance in the autumn but her win in the TJ’s Champagne Bar Maiden Plate (1100m) indicated the filly had made further improvement during her winter spell.

The $250,000 yearling purchase strode to a comfortable three-quarters of a length win in the $27,000 maiden. Houston Benefactor’s trainer Anthony Cummings said the three-year-old would chase stakes success in the coming weeks.

“While it was a maiden field in town, everyone is heading off to a carnival,” Cummings said. “Everyone has got aspirations to that level and we are no different.

“This was the maiden that made sense for her in the sense of timing. She will go into the fillies’ series now, the Princess Series, and see how she goes.

“If she shows the potential we think, she will make her presence felt.”

Houston Benefactor’s win was the first leg of a treble for Encosta De Lago on Wednesday. The Michael Lakey-trained Risk Aversion (Encosta De Lago - Subterfuge, by Machiavellian) won the Hidden Dragon Handicap (1030m) at Doomben before Maschino (Encosta De Lago - Tahni Girl, by Redoute’s Choice) completed the stallion’s treble with an impressive win at Belmont in Perth.

Progeny of Coolmore Stud’s 2011 roster have made a lightning start to the new season with an abundance of success in the opening days of the 2011/12 term.

Coolmore’s incumbent sires from the stud’s bases in Australia, Ireland and the US have combined to produce 30 individual winners in the eight days of August.

The US-based Fusaichi Pegasus (Mr Prospector - Angel Fever, by Danzig) provided Coolmore’s latest Australian successes with a double on Monday.

The Luke Oliver-trained Arch Pegasus (Fusaichi Pegasus - Aldarch, by Archway) claimed the Murray Mondays Handicap (2100m) at Swan Hill while La Hdood (Fusaichi Pegasus - Azzurro, by Bluebird) took out the Reynolds Refrigeration Handicap (1250m) at Taree.

Fusaichi Pegasus’s double took his win tally to five for the season. Choisir (Danehill Dancer - Great Selection, by Lunchtime) leads the way for Coolmore with seven winners in the first eight days of 2011/12.

A stakes double on Saturday boosted Choisir’s 2011/12 win tally. Choisir’s sire Danehill Dancer (Danehill - Mira Adonde, by Sharpen Up) has sired two winners for the season, both in Queensland.

Coolmore’s champion sire Encosta De Lago (Fairy King - Shoal Creek, by Star Way) produced the stud’s fourth stakes winner of the season when the exciting three-year-old Aeronautical (Encosta De Lago - Moon Fever, by Fusaichi Pegasus) claimed last Saturday’s Listed Rosebud (1200m) at Randwick.

Encosta De Lago has sired four of Coolmore’s 30 winners while the progeny of Fastnet Rock (Danehill - Piccadilly Circus, by Royal Academy) has won three races this season.

Last seasons VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (G2) winner Decircles (Encosta de Lago - Lady Circles, by Ascot Knight) demolished some highly fancied rivals in Sunday’s 3yo Maiden at Seymour, coming home unextended to score by four lengths over the $1.875 million yearling Godspeed (Redoute’s Choice).

“He’s a very nice colt and is from one of the best families in the studbook being closely related to Elvstroem and Haradasun, who were champion three year-olds, so hopefully he can also go that way,” trainer Danny O’Brien said in a post race interview with TVN. ”I think he’ll be very strong when he gets to a mile, once he can get into a race and get some cover, he’ll finish off hard.”

Winning rider Dwayne Dunn was also impressed with Decircles. ”We’ve always had a big opinion of him and he was aiming towards the Blue Diamond last preparation, but we knew he’d be much better three and he’s shown that today,” he said.