Winx Half Brother Lights Up Inglis Bid Board

A Snitzel half brother to Australian star mare Winx was among four seven-figure yearlings sold on opening day at the Inglis Easter sale April 5 and brought the day's highest price at Aus$2.3 million (US$1,519,244).

 

Trainer Gai Waterhouse and her agent, Julian Blaxland, signed for the valuable colt on behalf of an ownership group that includes Emirates Park's Hussain Lootah, Angelo Konstantatos, David Healey, and breeder John Camilleri, who retained a share in the youngster. Out of the multiple stakes-winning Al Akbar mare Vegas Showgirl, he was offered by Segenhoe Stud Australia, agent for Camilleri's Fairway Thoroughbreds.

 

Winx, by Street Cry, added a sixth group I win to her record when taking the Doncaster Mile (Aus-I) April 2 at Randwick, where earlier on the day's card the colt's 2-year-old full brother El Divino impressed in a dead heat with the favorite in the Kindergarten Stakes (Aus-III)

 

"Hussain was on the phone to me after El Divino crossed the line in the group III Kindergarten Stakes, and after much discussion Hussain made the executive decision that we must have this colt," Waterhouse said.

 

Lootah said the colt was one of the nicest in the sale and from a strong from the strongest family. 

 

"He was a lovely type, and Winx and the half brother's wins add a lot to the page," Lootah added. "We hope he's in the Golden Slipper (Aus-I) next year."

 

Angus Gold of Shadwell Stud Australasia was the most active of all buyers, securing 11 yearlings for $5,410,000 ($3,574,331), including Arrowfield Stud's Redoute's Choice colt from Top Cuban, dam of group III winner Havana, for $1.5 million ($991,034). This is the family of U.S. grade I winners Slew City Slew and Weber City Miss.

 

Waterhouse will train the Fastnet Rock colt from Rose of Cimmaron that was sold by Newgate Farm for $1.2 million (792,825). Buying partnership Tom Magnier, Gai Waterhouse Racing, Markus Jooste's Mayfair Speculators, and Blaxland had to see off underbidder Spendthrift Farm to secure the colt, whose dam is a full sister to the dam of Australian multiple group I winner Criterion.

 

Yarraman Park Stud's colt by resident stallion Hinchinbrook out of Al's Magic Miss sold to Wexford Stud for $1 million ($660,790).

 

Overall, 138 horses sold at an average of $291,975 ($193,098), up slightly from opening day in 2016 and marking the best start to an Easter sale since the record sale of 2008. Total receipts stood at $40,292,500 ($26,647,589), compared with $38.5 million for the same day last year. The median of $210,000 ($138,884) was steady while the clearance rate was 78%, an improvement on 73%.

 

U.S. owner B. Wayne Hughes' Spendthrift Australia came away with two purchases. Widden Stud's Street Cry filly out of South Australian Derby (Aus-I) and Oaks (Aus-I) winner Zarita (by Pentire) was the most expensive at $550,000 ($363,461). The mare is a half sister to Hong Kong standout sprinter Joy and Fun. Spendthrift also spent $320,000 ($211,672) for Victoria Park's I Am Invincible colt out of Savannah's Choice (Redoute's Choice), a half sister to Japanese champion, U.S. grade I winner and group I producer Cesario.

 

Kentucky-based WinStar Farm teamed with China Horse Club and Vinery for Sledmere Stud's Street Cry colt out of New Zealand Filly of the Year Planet Rock for $650,000 ($430,275). WinStar and China Horse Club also partnered for Newgate Farm's Exceed And Excel colt out of So Tempted for $400,000 ($264,859) and Musk Creek Farm's Starspangledbanner colt out of Sky Rubi for $200,000 ($132,449).