The owner of the legendary Winx wept tears of relief after paying a record £5.2 million to buy the superstar’s only yearling. Debbie Kepitis part-owns Winx, who won a world record 25 Group 1 races during a career in which she claimed 37 victories from 43 races until she retired in 2019. As a broodmare her first foal was stillborn but after a season off to recover she produced a filly foal by Pierro in October last year. Anticipation was huge ahead of the yearling’s appearance in the auction ring at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale in
Sydney on Monday. Undercover
police officers at Aintree to prevent more Grand National
protests Grand National jockey once dubbed 'the next big thing' announces retirement on live TV Big-spending US owner John Stewart had announced in advance he was determined to buy her. Several local and international connections were involved in the bidding which opened at £1m until Kepitis landed the knockout blow with a bid of A$10m [£5.2m], the highest price paid for a yearling at public auction in Australia . The world record was set in 1985 when a consortium including Coolmore partner John Magner paid $13m [£10.2m] for Seattle Dancer. Debbie Kepitis with the great Winx after the 2017 Cox Plate ( Image: Racing Photos via Getty Images) Kepitis, who bred the filly with another Winx owner Peter Tighe at Coolmore's
Australian stud, broke down in tears after the hammer came down. "I didn't come here to buy this horse originally," Kepitis told Racing.com. "We put her up for auction and then in the last few weeks, the family started to miss our 'granddaughter', so we decided that, as best we could, if we could get her, we would. "I'm privileged to be able to secure this filly on behalf on my family. She's Australian forever and she's going to be just fabulous. Hopefully she'll do a Winx, but it doesn't matter if she doesn't." Magnier’s son Tom posted on X: “After everything you have been through with this amazing mare, I know what this meant to you and your family. Wishing you the best of luck with the next chapter of the wonderful Winx story.” Stewart later admitted, “I was the 9 million bidder on the phone.” In another post he said: “Mission accomplished. I said before that my goal was for the filly to stay in Australia. Congratulations to @DKepitis and everyone in Australia! The winx filly is right where she belongs. I hope I played a small part in discouraging some of the international players out.”