Talented Encryption colt Cifrado made it back-to-back Group wins when beating the Sydneysiders to score a thrilling last stride win in the $1million Group II BRC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Trained by Rex Lipp at Toowoomba, Cifrado was a last start winner of the Group II BRC Spirit of Boom Classic and confirmed the potential he showed that day in this much tougher assignment.
Ridden quietly by Damien Thornton, Cifrado charged home along the inside to win by a head over Snitzel colt Snapback and Better Than Ready colt Chyrsaor, the place-getters trained by the Snowden’s and Chris Waller.
“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,” said Rex Lipp.
“It was a great ride.
“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.”
Cifrado may step again for the Group I JJ Atkins, but Rex Lipp wonlt be rushed on that decision.
“There’s no pressure from the owner, it is what I decide in the next week,” he said.
The most expensive yearling from the first crop of Lonhro’s brilliant Group II winning son Encryption, Cifrado was bought for $320,000 by Cliff Little at the Magic Millions January Sale from the Eureka Stud draft.
With three wins and three placings from seven starts, Cifrado has won over $860,000 in prizemoney and is a half-brother to stakes-winner Miami Fleiss and stakes-placed Cochrane from Madame Fly, a half-sister to Group III winner Chapter and Verse.
Madame Fly passed away in 2021 and her last foal, a filly by Spirit of Boom, sold for $475,000 at Magic Millions this year to Yes Bloodstock.
Cifrado is the first stakes-winner for Eureka Stud’s Encryption, who has covered over 500 mares in his first four seasons and stands at a fee of $13,200.