Encryption and Veranillo out to maintain Godolphin momentum

Having established himself as one of Godolphin’s better Australian two-year-olds in the spring, Encryption returns to racing at Caulfield on 3 February ready to graduate to a new level.

On a card that heralds the return of several runners expected to feature in major races over coming months, Encryption (Damian Lane) will be joined at Caulfield by stablemate Veranillo (Craig Williams) who runs in the G3 Manfred Stakes.

Encryption raced twice last spring for placings at Flemington and Caulfield and makes his autumn debut in the G3 Chairman’s Stakes with trainer James Cummings satisfied he is ready to impress.

“He’s really blossomed over the past few weeks,” Cummings said.

“This week he’s looked very strong and has worked extremely well.”

Encryption, a son of the G1-winning race mare Guelph, began his racing career with a third placing in the Listed Debutant Stakes at Caulfield last October and at his only other run showed improvement finishing a close second in the G3 Maribyrnong Plate at Flemington a month later.

“One of the things that should be in his favour is that he’s had a run at Caulfield and put in a very good effort,” his trainer said.

“He showed us that he was a good colt in his first preparation and it would be very exciting to see him return a better horse this time.”

The three-year-old Veranillo comes to the Manfred Stakes off a first-up second at Ballarat where he met older horses in a race of lesser grade than at Caulfield.

It was a performance from which Cummings took several positives.

“That was his first run since being gelded and it was good to see him attack the line with more vigour,” he said.

Veranillo faces several well-performed rivals at Caulfield, but looks well suited by the 1200m of the Manfred Stakes.

“Some of the others will be better suited in longer races and others are first-up, so I’m hoping to see a good, strong performance,” he said.

Encryption and Veranillo will be looking to continue the outstanding form of Godolphin’s Australian stable. 

Godolphin runners won seven races last weekend and Cummings is in second place in the Sydney trainers’ championship with his team producing city winners at a rate of almost 20 percent, the highest of any major stable in the country.