Encosta off the mark in Europe

Encosta de Lago sired his first winner in Europe when Utrillo won the Friends Of Tipperary Race (1400m) in Ireland on Sunday.

The Aidan O’Brien trained colt was the second-string Ballydoyle entrant behind Encompassing (Montjeu) but he pulled out plenty and ran away from his more favoured stablemate to score by over a length.

Utrillo (2c Encosta De Lago – Mary McGlinchy by Pleasant Colony) is owned by Coolmore partner Derrick Smith and was a 280,000 euros buy at the 2008 Goffs yearling sale.

The Coolmore shuttler got him from Mary McGlinchy who was a USA stakes winner.  Her first foal, a Hennessy filly, made $1.8 million at the 2000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale.

O’Brien had thrown Utrillo in at the deep end at his first three starts.  He was unplaced in the Hurricane Run Stakes (LR), Futurity Stakes (G2) and Goffs Millions before breaking through at Tipperary.

Utrillo holds a G1 entry to the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster on October 24.