Sale of Winx’s first foal, Lot 391, sets new world record for yearling filly

The world record price for a yearling filly has been smashed with the first foal of legendary mare Winx selling at auction on Monday.

• ‘I’m done’: The man who bid $9m for Winx filly and still missed out

The daughter of legendary filly Winx has followed in her mother’s footsteps and set a new world record — selling at auction for $10 million on Monday.

The sale at the Inglis Riverside Sales Complex at Warwick Farm beat the $8.9 million world record for a yearling filly set in 2013 and quadrupled the current Australian record.

The filly was bought by Ingham’s Chickens heiress Debbie Kepitis and her family who already own one third of the filly through their ownership of Winx.

A tearful Ms Kepitis said she had not intended to buy the filly but as the auction date got closer she realised she could not let her “little Winnie” go.

“We were lucky enough for this amazing filly to have been born to the amazing Winx,” Ms Keptiis said.

“She was put up for auction to sell her to someone so they could have the journey but unfortunately I couldn’t let go of her.”

Winx and Pierro filly Lot 391 sold for $10 million.

Seller and now full owner of Winx’s foal, Debbie Kepitis.

The auctioneer.

The bidding opened at $2 million and quickly ramped up in front of a packed and hushed auditorium.

American thoroughbred tycoon John Stewart was bidding remotely from a restaurant in Kentucky after vowing to beat his own Resolute Racing company record of $9.1 million to secure the yearling.

“Will the Winx filly be the first horse that @rresoluteracing is out bid on? I don’t think so,” he predicted confidently before the sale.

Winx’s first foal will go to auction on Monday. Picture: Adam Taylor / supplied

But he did not bank on the devotion Ms Kepitis had for Winx and her filly. Afterwards she said Mr Stewart’s interest was a tribute to the quality of Australian racing.

“We have amazing racing stock here in Australia and to have them desperate, desperate to have our stock and that’s great for our industry,” she said.

Ms Kepitis said she would put the filly into the hands of trainer Chris Waller who steered Winx to a world record of 33 consecutive unbeaten wins including the most Group 1 race wins of any horse in the world.

Winx’s first foal sold for a record $10 million at auction on Monday.

An emotional Mr Waller said it brought back to him the enormous pressure he and his team went through during Winx’s amazing world beating run.

“Now we have got the honour to train Winx’s daughter and we will do it for Winx,” he said.

“She is there for generations, there will be generations now saying they have bloodlines going back to Winx.”

He said he expected to be getting a few calls from jockeys but there was really only one in the running — Winx’s regular rider Hugh Bowman.

HYPE BUILDS AS WINX FOAL PREPARES FOR SALE

The hype is building for the sale of legendary mare Winx’s first foal with one international buyer vowing to pay more than $9 million to secure the yearling.

Thousands of people are packing into the Inglis Riverside Sales Complex at Warwick Farm ahead of the highly anticipated auction after lunch today.

The Winx filly by legendary stud Pierro — AKA Lot 391 — was bred and brought up at Coolmore where stud owner Tom Magnier has predicted “records will be broken” when the filly goes under the hammer.

The current Australian record for a yearling is $2.6 million but American thoroughbred tycoon John Stewart has already taken to X, formerly Twitter, that he is prepared to top $9 million.

“Given the pedigree page and inspecting the filly in person twice, I can say without a doubt that at the end of the day it will take some deep pockets to keep this filly from joining our band,” he said.

The crowd at the Inglis Yearling Sale at Warwick Farm on Monday. Picture: Richard Dobson

Winx’s filly at the William Inglis & Son Riverside Stables in Warwick Farm last week. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Coolmore Stud Hand Hugo walks Winx’s foal last week. Picture: Adam Taylor

He spent $1.3 million on three yearling on the first day of the sales, bidding from a restaurant in Kentucky.

He is determined that his Resolute Thoroughbreds will not be outbid by the Australian and international racing royalty lined up to bid against him.

“Will the Winx filly be the first horse that @rresoluteracing is out bid on? I don’t think so,” he said. He is willing to break his company record of $9.1 million for Breeders Cup winner Goodnight Olive.

“I am committed to do whatever it takes to buy this filly unless I get the impression I am being bid up, and in that case, someone could get stuck with paying a big number.

“People are calling her a collectors’ item and I am a collector, so it is a natural fit … this filly represents everything that Resolute Racing stands for.”

Winx with her filly in 2022. Picture: Supplied

But Mr Stewart said that if he was successful he would keep her racing in Australia where the prize money is the best in the world.

“I think this filly is very special to the Australian people and I understand that, and when I buy her, I plan on keeping her in Australia to race,” he said.

“It would be great to have her in America, and that may happen depending on what happens and how well it is received.”

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