Australian bred youngster Delago Deluxe highlighted a galaxy of Group 1 races in South Africa on Saturday.  The Encosta de Lago colt kept his unbeaten record intact with a dominant victory in the G1 Gold Medallion at Scottsville.

Delago Deluxe (2c Encosta de Lago – Succeeding by Flying Spur) led home a Magic Millions quinella from stablemate Tennessee Strategy (Stratum).  He scored by two lengths despite drifting towards the stands rail in the final furlong.  

Delago Deluxe was bred and sold by Baramul Stud for $550,000 at the 2010 Gold Coast Magic Millions to trainer Charles Laird.  He was acting for major stable clients Ingrid and Markus Jooste.

They also bought Tennessee Strategy from Patinack Farm at the same sale for $130,000.

Delago Deluxe won the Gold Medallion after earlier victories in the G3 Protea Stakes and G2 South African Nursery at Turffontein.  There are more feature wins in him when the Kwa-Zulu winter carnival moves to the coast next month.

The Joostes had already won a G2 with Encosta de Lago colt Dan De Lago in the 2009 Gold Circle Derby.

Coolmore’s champion sired his latest G1 winner out of Succeeding who is one of five winners from outstanding broodmare Staging.  The second dam has also foaled the G1 winners Duporth (Red Ransom), Excites (Danewin) and G2 winner Tickets (Redoute’s Choice).

Succeeding has since foaled fillies by Hussonet and More Than Ready and was bred back to Encosta de Lago last year.

The Golden Medallion was the second of four Group 1 events on the Scottville card.  Princess Victoria (Victory Moon) won the Allan Robertson Championship, Val De Ra (Var) the South African Fillies Sprint & Shea Shea (National Emblem) the Golden Horse Sprint.