but it probably helped him as a stallion." Stud record When Encosta De Lago retired from racing in 1997 he stood at Blue Gum Farm, Euroa, Victoria for an introductory fee of $8,500, increased to $38,500 in 2003. In 2004 Coolmore Stud purchased Encosta De Lago and he was relocated to their stud at Jerrys Plains, New South Wales. Here he first stood for a reported fee of $132,000, making him then Australasia's highest-priced stallion. Encosta de Lago became one of the most sought after sires in Australia and in 2006 his service fee increased to $176,000. He travelled to Coolmore Stud in Ireland, for part of the northern hemisphere breeding season, from March 2007 until August 2007 when he served 66 mares. When he returned to Australia he was one of the first horses to contract equine influenza (E.I.) while in quarantine. He was the Leading sire in Australia in 2007–08 and 2008–09; and second in 2005–06 and 2006–07. In 2008 Encosta de Lago's service fee rose to $302,500 and he served 227 mares that season who produced 166 live foals for an 80.0% fertility rating. That season he placed second, by number of mares covered in Australia, behind Fastnet Rock. Some of his most successful G1 or G2 winning progeny includes: Alinghi (11 wins, $3,563,164, MRC Blue Diamond Stakes, VRC Newmarket Handicap, MRC One Thousand Guineas etc.) Chautauqua (13 wins, $8,776,935), TJ Smith Stakes x 3, Manikato Stakes, Lightning Stakes, Chairman's Sprint Prize) Count Encosta (STC Myer Stakes) De Lago Mist (VRC Sires Produce Stakes) Delago Brom (4 wins, $888,500, VRC Australian Guineas, sire of 4 stakes-winners) Douro Valley (8 wins, $1,239,258, MRC Yalumba Stakes) Dream The Dream (South Australian Oaks) English (6 wins, $3,441,071, All Aged Stakes, Doomben 10,000) Hanks (MVRC AAMI Vase) Lashed (7 wins, $976,714, ARC New Zealand International Stakes, WaikRC International Stakes, ARC Zabeel Classic) Manhattan Rain ($1,311,200, AJC Sires Produce Stakes etc.) Mnemosyne (6 wins, $1,371,975, STC Queen of the Turf Stakes, MRC One Thousand Guineas etc.) Newport (9 wins, $1,210,600, AJC Metropolitan Handicap, Brisbane Cup) Northern Meteor (3 wins, $532,480, VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes) Our Smoking Joe (10 wins, $1,586,700, MRC St George Stakes) Princess Coup (12 wins, $3,651,776, HBRInc Stoney Bridge Stakes, HBRInc Kelt Capital Stakes (twice), WRC New Zealand Oaks) Racing To Win (13 wins, $3,762,285, STC George Ryder Stakes, AJC Doncaster Handicap, AJC George Main Stakes, AJC Epsom Handicap,