Linkes fitting finish to the Encipher Stakes

Impressive three-year-old filly Quick Dip (Downbytheseaside) was a perfect winner of the first running of the $9999 Encipher Stakes (1800m) on the return to harness racing at Globe Derby Park.

Formerly the Mermaid Stakes, the race name was changed recently to honour the champion mare Encipher, victor in the first running of the world’s richest harness race the TAB Eureka, and the current Globe Derby Park 1800 metre track record at a sizzling 1:52.4.

The Kadina connection between Quick Dip and Encipher is like family.

Quick Dip is owned by Ian Shephard and trained by Tyson Linke while Encipher was bred and owned by Linke from a mare, Our Cavort, which he had trained for Shephard.

To add to the link, Reil Quick, the dam of Quick Dip, won the Mermaid Stakes in 2014.

It was the third training win in the race for Linke who also prepared Delacour to win on debut in 2020.

On Saturday, Quick Dip ($6) was given the run of the race by reinsman Ryan Hryhorec, before sprinting strongly to win the Encipher by 2-1/2 metres from Beauty Above ($21) with My Baby Girl ($51), a head away third.

It was the filly’s sixth win, with four seconds from just 11 starts.

Linke said he may now consider running Quick Dip in a heat of the South Australian Derby this Saturday.

“Despite her good record, I don’t think the filly has yet matured as a racehorse,” Linke said.

“She is still immature and can do small things wrong in her races – I’m sure the penny hasn’t dropped yet.”

Hryhorec, one of Australia’s premier reinsman, agreed.

“I’m sure she has more to offer,” Hryhorec said.

“When we were trailing mid-race it was like she didn’t know what to do but turning for home she sprinted strongly and had the race won halfway up the straight.”

QUICK DIP REPLAY

Linke said he hoped the pressure of a Derby heat and racing against the colts and geldings might help her maturity.

“Hopefully with a stronger tempo she will have to concentrate and won’t be able to take her mind off what she is doing.”

For owner Ian Shephard, who turns 79 next month, the win was yet another in a harness racing involvement of nearly 50 years.

“I think I had my first horse back in 1975 or 1976, and have had at least one ever since,” Shephard said.

“I have had a strong involvement with the Linke family for many years and when my late wife Rose, and myself, decided to quit breeding, I gave three mares to them, one of which was Our Cavort, the dam of Encipher.

“I have to say, credit goes to Tyson for sending the mares to the best stallions, because there was no way I would have sent Our Cavort to Captaintreacherous.

“Again, Reil Quick was sent to Downbytheseaside, another great mating and Quick Dip is giving me a wonderful journey. She also has just delivered a colt foal by Pebble Beach.”

Quick Dip was the second leg of a winning double for Linke who won the preceding race with Coco Mia.

Backed from $1.45 into $1.15 favourite, Coco Mia jumped straight to the front for driver Wayne Hill in the 2024 Ladbrokes Gawler Platinum Cup heat two (1800m) and was never troubled winning by 5-1/2 metres from Euro Beat ($51) with Moops ($31), two metres away third.

The winner is bred and owned by Tyson Linke’s sister Tara-Shae.

One of South Australia’s promising young reinsmen, Corey Johnson celebrated his 22nd birthday with a win on Skybreeze in the Welcome Back To Globe Derby Park Trotters Mobile (1800m).

Heavily backed from $4 into $2.30, Skybreeze used the sprint lane in the home straight to beat Regal Attire ($1.95 fav) by 2-1/2 metres with My Used To Be ($11), a half metre away third.

All three placegetters are expected to line up this Saturday in heats of the South Australian Trotters Cup.

The winner had led early before driver Ryan Hryhorec made a quick move to bring Regal Attire from the back of the field, and after a short tussle, assume control.

However, Skybreeze, bred and owned by Johnson’s grandmother Pat Johnson, had too much dash over the final 200 metres.

One of the outstanding wins on Saturday was by class performer Artillery in the SA Cups Night October 26 Pace (1800m).

Near last on settling down, trainer-driver Paul Cavallaro tried to get a cart into the race over the final lap, but no-one was prepared to come out in front of him.

Artillery ($1.90 fav) finally had to sprint three and four wide but came quickly in the home straight and arrived in time to score by a head.

Per Ardua Ad Astra ($61), which had led and been perfectly rated by Tony Pullicino, fought on strongly to hold second, 1-1/2 metres in front of Maharajah ($20 into $8).

“I thought I had left my run too late,” Cavallaro admitted.

“I was hoping for a drag into the race, but it just didn’t come and down the back straight I thought I was too far back.

“But he doesn’t like being beaten and gathered them up just in time.”

Cavallaro said the plan was to have Artillery right for the SA Cup on October 26 and everything was going to plan.

The six-year-old will contest an SA Cup heat next Saturday night.

Quality harness racing will be on show this Saturday night at Globe Derby Park with heats of the SA Cup, Trotters Cup and Derby as well as heats of the Golden Nursery for two-year-olds.

On Sunday, the Gawler Harness Racing Club will conduct its Platinum Cup meeting.

For complete race results, click here.

by Graham Fischer, for HRSA