Pierro Filly From Winx Sells for World Record $10million

History was made at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale on Monday when the Coolmore consigned first foal of world champion racehorse Winx was offered for sale and the daughter of Pierro set a world record price for a yearling filly when selling for $10million.

Cool and calm throughout, despite the massive crowd and electric atmosphere, the dark bay took everything in and displayed the sort of professional resolve that served her mother so well in a career that spanned 37 wins from 43 starts.

Now the most expensive thoroughbred sold at auction in Australia, the filly was consigned by Coolmore as Lot 391 and was led through the ring by Paddy Sheehan, who runs the foaling unit at Coolmore Australia.

He was the man responsible for bringing her into the world and also her mother Winx, so there was no better man for the job.

Foaled and raised at Coolmore for her owners, the filly sparked worldwide interest and while the original intention of the ownership group was to sell to an outside party, one of those owners Debbie Kepitis, decided she and her family could not part with the first born foal of their much loved champion.

The filly was knocked down to Woppitt Bloodstock, which is the bloodstock enterprise established by Kepitis, who also bred and retained to race last Saturday’s Group I ATC Australian Derby winner Riff Rocket. Both Riff Rocket and the $10million filly carry the Woppitt Bloodstock brand!

“I didn’t come here to buy this horse originally. We put her up for auction and then in the past few weeks, all of the family, we started to miss our ‘daughter/granddaughter’ so we just decided as best we could, if we could get her, we would,’’ an emotional Kepitis said post-sale.

“I am privileged to have been able to secure this filly on behalf of my family.

“She’s Australian forever and she’s going to be just fabulous. Thank you to everybody around the world who has taken this on board, it’s been thrilling to watch it and we’re lucky enough that we came out winners.’’

Coolmore’s Tom Magnier admitted he’s never witnessed anything like what he did at Riverside today.

“You wouldn’t see this anywhere else in the world,’’ Magnier said.

“You wouldn’t see the build-up, you wouldn’t see the hype and atmosphere today, I’ve never witnessed anything like it at any auction house around the world.

“It’s just the perfect story. I knew she was going to make a very high figure because somebody is buying history. She is a classic, a collectors’ item and there’s only one person who deserved this today and that’s Debbie.

“It’s a dream story. I don’t think you can put a value on a filly like that. It’s just incredible, I’m delighted.’’

The filly sets a new benchmark for her Golden Slipper winning sire Pierro that will never be matched and at Coolmore there will be expectation as we head towards the spring with Winx now back in foal to champion sire Snitzel.

Pierro finished the sale as leading sire by average with his six yearlings sold averaging an incredible $1,935,000 with other good sales that included a Pierro colt from stakes-placed Testa Rossa mare Test the World that made $600,000 for Coolmore when knocked down to Hong Kong based buyer N Lee.

Also a full sister to Group II winner Tulip from Group II winner Musidora that was bought by Ladbrokes Racing Club / Newgate Bloodstock, from the Coolmore draft for $350,000.