Coolmore’s Golden Slipper winning Group I sire Pierro set a new sale ring benchmark for himself when the half-sister to this year’s brilliant two year-old filly Learning to Fly sold for $1.75million at Inglis Easter on Monday.
Bred and consigned by Coolmore, this lovely filly is third foal of Fastnet Rock’s brilliant Group III winner Ennis Hill, whose second foal Learning to Fly, won her first three starts – Group III ATC Widden Stakes, then the $2million Inglis Millennium and Group II ATC Resiling Stakes before losing her rider in the Golden Slipper.
The glamour filly sparked a tense bidding duel before being knocked down to bloodstock agent Michael Wallace for Kuldeep Singh Rajput of Gandharvi Racing.
Gandharvi Racing have already enjoyed some success racing in our region with smart Kiwi trained filly Ulanova, a gallant second in the Group I Sistema Stakes in New Zealand won by Tokyo Tycoon, who may lose that race due to a positive swab.
“She’s for Gandharvi, who are looking to build a long term racing and breeding investment in Australia,” Michael Wallace told Jemma Cutting of Inglis.
“Gandharvi will have the majority, but Coolmore will stay in for a smaller share.
“Being by Pierro she may take a little longer than Learning to Fly, but I’d hope to see her back at Randwick this time next year.”
Wallace also indicated the filly would be trained by Annabel Neasham, who has done such a great job with Learning to Fly, a $900,000 purchase from this sale last year.
Learning to Fly has won over $1.4million this season and delivered a red Ferrrari to her trainer for being the first progeny of Triple Crown hero Justify (USA) to win a juvenile major with her victory in the Inglis Millennium.
Ennis Hill is a sister to Group I placed stakes-winner Lake Geneva and exciting young stakes-winning sire Acrobat, who covered 188 mares at Coolmore last spring in his first season.
Ennis Hill has an I Am Invincible filly to follow and was covered by Snitzel last spring.
