$2.3 million for Merchant Navy Brother

Champion sire Fastnet Rock set the sale ring alight at the 2019 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale when his stunning colt from Legally Bay sold for $2.3million on Tuesday.

The full brother to Royal Ascot hero and dual Group I winner Merchant Navy was bred by Chris and Jane Barham and offered by Segenhoe Stud with Aquis Farm securing the prized youngster.

"I'd seen the horse a couple of times at the farm, seen him through the prep and obviously I've seen a fair few Fastnet Rocks in my time at Coolmore, he was the pick of the horses here and the pick of the horses I'd seen all year,'' Aquis' Shane McGrath said.

"Tony and Justin Fung have been here all week and they loved the horse too thankfully. You saw when that horse walked into the ring that all the big players were on him, it was just a question as to where it stopped really.''

Ciaron Maher, who also trained Merchant Navy, will train the colt.

"He was a standout colt from the day he was born. You bring him to a sale like this, we knew he'd sell well but we didn't envisage he would make those numbers,'' Segenhoe's Peter O'Brien said.

"A lot of credit needs to go to Inglis for getting all these people here. Everyone is here and for a vendor, that's so important.

"This horse, he has a temperament like his brother, he's just bombproof and has a great action, a beautiful mover. He was called M2 from the day he was born, Chris and Jane are staying in him for a bit, I'm staying in him for a bit, Ciaron's training him so we're off to Ascot again!''

He is the tenth foal of Group III winning Snippets mare Legally Bay, who is also the dam of Group II winner Jolie Bay and stakes-placed Zara Bay, who are also by Fastnet Rock.

Legally Bay is now back in foal again to Fastnet Rock, who had a second seven figure yearling with a filly from Port Augusta fetching $1million for Coolmore when knocked down to Asian Bloodstock Services.