Encryption caps big international weekend for Godolphin

A stellar worldwide weekend for Godolphin continued in Australia on Sunday when Encryption scored a determined and impressive win in the G3 Black Opal Stakes in Canberra.

The colt’s brave win followed G1 successes for the stable in Dubai and Sydney and a G3 win in the US. It also maintained the flow of winners from one of Darley’s most prolific stallions, Lonhro.

As well as Encryption, Lonhro produced Saturday’s G1 Randwick Guineas winner Kementari. He has now sired 73 individual Stakes winners and has a winners-to-runners ratio of better than 70 per cent.

For Encryption, the Black Opal victory was reward for placings at his first three starts and his strong effort for fifth in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes two weeks earlier.

It also took the total prizemoney won by James Cummings-trained runners beyond A$10 million for the season which has more than four months to run.

Cummings was delighted by Encryption’s win which he said was reward for the colt’s effort and attitude.

“That was the best performance of his career and if attitude determines altitude, he’s got a long way to go,” Cummings said.

“I’m very proud of him and very proud he could be part of a huge weekend for Godolphin both at Meydan and in Australia.”

Ridden faultlessly by Glyn Schofield, Encryption made good use of his inside gate, saving ground until the final 300m when he went around the leader, hit the front with 100m to run and prevailed by a half-length on the line.