Interest in Winx’s first foal intensifies ahead of sale

A quick flick through the media guide Inglis has prepared for this weekend’s Easter Yearling Sale underlines the significance of Winx’s daughter being part of the catalogue.

Thoroughbred auction houses are traditionally reluctant to single out specific lots, but Inglis has no option but to with the filly who will go through as Lot 391 on Monday afternoon.

Four pages have been dedicated the filly out of the legendary mare who won 37 races, the last 33 in a row, including four Cox Plates.

The filly, who is by Pierro, was the subject of a media call on Thursday morning, two days after settling into her box at the Riverside Sales Complex, where she will do countless parades for prospective buyers until being put through the ring.

“It’s certainly brought an enhanced level of interest to the sale,” Inglis Bloodstock chief executive Sebastian Hutch said.

“It’s always a sale that attracts a huge amount of interest anyway, but that just appears to have gone up a notch.

“It’s unusual to have had a situation like we had a couple of weeks ago, where a yearling filly being offered for public auction was featured across the 6pm news on a Sunday on every major news station.

“I think that speaks volumes from the regard in which the horse is held and the respect that people in the public have for our industry and our sport and hopefully we can do it justice over the next couple of days.”

Winx’s only live foal has been tipped to challenge the record price paid for a yearling in Australia.Inglis

That is held by a colt by Redoute’s Choice out of Helsinge, who was a half-brother to Black Caviar, who sold for $5 million at the 2013 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

The most paid for a filly is $2.6 million, which was for Belle Couture – a sister to the $5m colt – and a sister to Sunlight, who was bought at last year’s Magic Millions sale on the Gold Coast.

Buyers from Japan, America and Europe are expected to do battle with potential suitors with an Australian presence, headed by Coolmore and Yulong.

Winx’s filly is being prepared for sale by Coolmore on behalf of her owners Peter and Patty Tighe, Debbie Kepitis, Elizabeth and Rick Treweeke, who are keen to let the market decide her true value.

Tighe said there were no regrets in putting her up for sale but expressed an interest in buying back for a small share if the new owners are open to it.

“We can’t really look at it that way, we’re looking forward not backwards, and we’ve had a great run so far and this is a continuation of the story of Winx,” Tighe said.

“But if the opportunity arises, we’ll certainly be there to see what we can do. We’d love to stay in in a partnership with whoever buys and go on the next journey with Winx’s foal.”

The Winx filly is just one of 500 lots catalogued for sale at the two-day offering that starts at 10am Sunday at the Riverside Sales Complex at Warwick Farm in Sydney.