Winx’s half-brother fetches $2.3 million at Inglis Yearling Sales

IT took Gai Waterhouse just two hours to corral enough owners to swoop in and outlay the $2.3m needed to secure the little brother of champion mare Winx at the Inglis sales on Tuesday.

Easter yearling sales begin at the Newmarket stables in Randwick. Lot 135, a Bay Colt and the half brother of Winx was sold for $2.3 million to trainer Gai Waterhouse. Segenhoe yearling manager Tom Hughes pictured with the colt. Picture: Toby Zerna

IT took Gai Waterhouse just two hours to corral enough owners to swoop in and outlay the $2.3 million needed to secure the little brother of champion mare Winx at the Inglis sales on Tuesday.

The colt by Snitzel out of Vegas Showgirl was the centre of a bidding frenzy on day one of the Australian Easter Yearling Sales at Newmarket.

Bidding started at $500,000 and looked over when the auctioneer was on his last count at $1.7 million before a call of $2 million arrived.

Worth every penny, #Lot 135 Snitzel/Vegas Showgirl purchased for $2.3mill w. @EmiratesPark, bred by John Camilleri 😍 pic.twitter.com/YuLLe3rPt1

— Gai Waterhouse (@GaiWaterhouse1) April 5, 2016

Eventually, Waterhouse won the battle for Winx’s half-brother and the most sought after specimen at the sale walked away.

“He is the horse of the sale, a cracking type with a pedigree to match,” Waterhouse said. “I was told weeks ago that this colt would be the standout at the sale and they were right.”

The Hall Of Fame trainer told the auctioneer she was done when bidding got to $2.2 million but after a quick conference with husband Rob, Waterhouse went up another notch.

“We just had to have him,” Waterhouse said. “He is simply an amazing looking colt with an outstanding pedigree.”

Waterhouse trains El Divino — the full brother to her latest purchase — and says the latter’s progression at her Randwick stable is so captivating that she didn’t want to miss the opportunity of buying his brother.

“El Divino is a very good horse that is unbeaten in two starts including a dead-heat win in last Saturday’s Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes,” she said. “He will be an even better colt next campaign. And then there’s Winx, she is just an amazing athlete that has taken all before her.

“What is so attractive about her in terms of buying the bloodline, is her acceleration.

“She’s won a Cox Plate and now a Doncaster Mile but she has the turn of foot to compete with the fastest horses in the land.

Congrats 2John&Deb -gr8 result for all the team Lot135 SnitzelxVegas Showgirl sells to @GaiWaterhouse1 @inglis_sales pic.twitter.com/xZkGbUkQbW

— Segenhoe Group (@SegenhoeGroup) April 5, 2016

“It’s quite extraordinary really, something we see very rarely.”

Winx made it nine straight wins in last Saturday’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick but trainer Chris Waller on Tuesday decided to send her for a spell instead of backing up in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Waterhouse had little trouble filling most of the ownership in Winx’s half-brother.

Breeding empire Emirates Park, who raced 2014 Golden Slipper winner Mossfun, have taken the majority share meaning the colt will run in their green and white silks.

“There’s still a few shares left,” Waterhouse said.

Winx charges to victory in the Doncaster Mile last Saturday. Picture: Jenny Evans

Breeder John Camilleri was thrilled with the result.

“I was hopeful he might get to $1.5 million,” Camilleri said. “He had a reserve of $1 million but to get to the price he did is much more than I thought. The mare is in foal to Snitzel again and I think I might hold onto it.”

Camilleri sold Winx, who is by Street Cry, at the Magic Million sale for $230,000.

Winx’s brother was the highest priced yearling to go under the hammer yesterday with a colt by Redoute’s Choice out of Top Cuban that fetched $1.6 million second in the pecking order.

Originally published as Winx’s half-brother fetches $2.3 million at Inglis Yearling Sales