No one is about to pretend this was a vintage edition of the Group III Ladbrokes Grand Prix Stakes (2100m) at Eagle Farm but that's not about to worry the connections of Encoder.
Ridden by Damien Thornton for Lee Freedman, the son of Encryption lobbed along near the tale of the field before swinging widest of all from last on the home turn.
2nd stakes winner for Encryption with Encoder (3g Encryption x Eight Below (Sebring)) winning the @BrisRacingClub Grand Prix (G3) 2100m for @freedman_lee
— Breednet (@BreednetNews) December 16, 2023
Sire had gun 2YO Cifrado last season and now a 2100m SW 3YO. @eurekastud @QldBreeders pic.twitter.com/FlxYdJzdx6
Encoder was strong to the line in defeating the Tivaci gelding Kirikan by a length, with Ocean Park gelding Imezaaki in third.
In becoming the second stakes-winner for Eureka Stud's royally-bred Lonhro stallion Encryption, Encoder advances his record to three wins and a third from nine starts with earnings of $ $297,875.
Pinhooked for $10,000 at the National Weanling Sale, Encoder was a $40,000 purchase for Dream Thoroughbreds/Lee Freedman Racing from the Lucas Bloodstock draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale.
Dream Thoroughbreds' David Azzopardi said punters wrote off Encoder due to his last start failure at Doomben.
"He did not handle the wet track last start," Azzopardi said.
"He was back on a firm track, although we were a little worried when the shower came down.
"We rode him a bit colder. We pushed him forward last start, and returning to level weights made a big difference.
"He drew wide, so he had to go back, and Damian rode him perfectly.
"He is a nice little horse, and we have had a lot of fun with him.
"Lee was a little worried after his last starts, but I said his half-brother Soothsayer did not handle a wet track, and back on a firm track, I thought he was the horse to beat."
Encoder is the second stakes horse from as many to race for the 5-time winning Sebring mare Eight Below.
Her first foal, Soothsayer (Divine Prophet) won five of his 15 starts and was third in the Group III Gunsynd Classic and Group III Gold Coast Guineas.
Eight Below is out of a half-sister to stakes-winner and group II-placed Bridal Hill, a daughter of the South African Group II winner Stormy Hill, herself a daughter of the Group 1 VRC Oaks, Group 1 AJC Oaks, and Group 1 Queensland Oaks winner, November Rain.
Purchased for a mere $2,500 on Inglis Digital in 2021, Eight Below has a yearling filly by Whittington and was covered by Divine Prophet last spring.
Encoder is the second winner from the first crop of Encryption after the Group II BRC Sires' Produce Stakes and Group II Spirit of Boom Classic winner Cifrado.
