'She’s got every attribute you could want' - Winx filly set to command world's attention at Inglis Easter Yearling Sale

All eyes in the bloodstock world will be on lot 391 at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale on Monday, the striking bay filly who is the sole offspring of Australia's brilliant champion Winx. 

The mighty daughter of Street Cry won her last 33 starts and a record 25 Group 1 contests, but has had a mixed start to life at stud having lost her first foal by dual Australian champion sire I Am Invincible in 2019. 

Winx was given the year off after that before being sent to Coolmore Australia's Pierro, the source of Group 1 talents such as Levendi, Pinot, Arcadia Queen, Pierata, Shadow Hero, Furore and Regal Power. This filly was the resulting progeny, but her dam did not get into foal to Snitzel after that.

How much lot 391 will fetch is naturally a topic of much debate. The record price for a yearling in Australia is the A$5 million (£2.6m/€3m) paid for a half-brother to Black Caviar by Redoute's Choice at Inglis 11 years ago who sadly died before making the track, while the record for a filly is A$2.6m and jointly held by that ill-fated colt's full-sister Belle Couture and Clean Energy, the full-sister to Sunlight who has yet to race.

Winx's daughter is expected to go through the ring early afternoon, with Sydney ten hours ahead of British Summer Time. 

One potential buyer who has been talking a big game is John Stewart, the Kentucky-based Resolute Racing head who has made a splash in his homeland through purchasing the likes of dual Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner Goodnight Olive for $6m and Puca, dam of 2023 Kentucky Derby hero Mage, for $2.9m.

Posting on X, he said: "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.

"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."

Winx returns triumphant after the Apollo Stakes at Royal RandwickCredit: Mark Evans (Getty Images)

Winx's part-owner Debbie Kepitis, chatting to Martin Stevens for a recent Good Morning Bloodstock article, said: "It hasn’t been straightforward. We gave her a lot of time after she came off the track, as she raced for so long, and she got in foal in the first season, but the foal was a large filly; just too much for her.  

"It was devastating to lose that foal. But we gave Winx the year off, because ultimately she comes first, nothing else, and luckily she got through all of that and got in foal to Pierro the next year.

"Pierro generally doesn’t put so much size into his foals, whereas I Am Invincible tends to produce larger horses, and we’ve got a beautiful filly from the mating. She’s developed into an amazing model, with a great personality. She’s got every attribute you could want."

Co-breeder Peter Tighe has not ruled out retaining a share in the immensely valuable offering. 

Speaking to ANZ Bloodstock News, he said: "We just arrived here to have a look and see what people think and we’ll just take it as it comes. The interest is there and there are a lot of international buyers looking or who have made inquiries, so we're hopeful they like her a lot. 

“If the opportunity arises, we'll certainly be there to see what we can do; we'd love to stay in partnership with whoever buys her and go on the next journey with Winx. They’ll reach out if they want to. We're happy to talk to anybody.” 

Winx and connections with her four Cox Plates, (l-r) Patricia and Peter Tighe, groom Umut Odemislioglu, Debbie Kepitis and her husband PaulCredit: Vince Caligiuri

The Coolmore team are well aware of the responsibilities and profile that comes with selling the filly out of Winx. 

Coolmore Australia’s Tom Moore said: "We've never taken a horse to a sale out of a champion such as Winx. She's the greatest racehorse any of us here have ever seen on the racetrack in Australia, arguably all over the world, so to offer her first foal at auction is a great responsibility for all of us here at Coolmore, and we want to do it justice. 

"It's a very rare thing that a filly out of a mare such as Winx is offered at a public auction."

Moore reported the October-foaled yearling has made great strides physically and mentally, making her well prepared for her date with destiny on Monday.

"I’ve been fortunate enough to see her at a number of stages through her lifecycle, and a major part of our pitch to the owners was that our feeling was on April 1 this filly was going to look the best she could for her age. She's just grown steadily right the way through.

The Pierro filly out of Winx awaits her date with destiny Credit: Adam Taylor/Inglis

“She’s strengthened nicely, from August 1 to October 1, to January 1, and she’s done well in the prep. You like to see little idiosyncrasies of a horse. You like to see them eat well, you like to see them handle the stable environment nicely."

Kepitis added: "We've so much faith in the filly, everyone’s talking about her and asking about her. We know there are only a few people who will be able to play at the level, but whoever does get her will be serious racing people and will look after her and give her a home for life.

“I’ll be at a table in the centre of the complex, where we normally sit, as I’ll be involved in the sale other than selling her, looking at purchasing a few yearlings, as we normally would. So it’ll be just like a normal sale, but with a few more nerves. That’s what I’m trying to tell myself, anyway!"

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