Encosta de Lago claimed his second Australian sires’ premiership in row when the 2008-09 season closed last Friday.

The son of Fairy King, who stands at Coolmore, sired the winners of over $9.9 million to defeat Redoute’s Choice ($9.5m) and Scenic ($9.4m).  Arrowfield-based Redoute’s Choice was one of six Danehill sons in the Top 20.

Encosta de Lago was also a clear leader by winners with 147 of his 316 runners winning in 2008-09.  He was followed by Commands (124/263), Redoute’s Choice (121/239), Sequalo (115/268) and Danehill Dancer (112/251).

Zabeel (Sir Tristram) was fourth on the prizemoney list with earnings with $7.7m, a position he also occupied in the previous two seasons.  Other NZ-based sires in the Top 20 were Montjeu and O’Reilly.

Vinery sire More Than Ready (Southern Halo) was fifth with $7.4m and he also claimed the Champion 2yo premiership ahead of Exceed and Excel (Danehill).  More Than Ready has won the last two juvenile titles on the back of his Golden Slipper winners Sebring and Phelan Ready.

The leading first-season sires was Arrowfield Stud’s Charge Forward (Red Ransom), with 7 winners of $1.15m.  Fellow Arrowfield freshman Not A Single Doubt sired most individual juvenile winners (13) ahead of Fastnet Rock (12) and Shamadal (12).