Justify (USA) is one of the world’s best sires and this crop of yearlings are his last to be conceived in Australia with a lovely filly from Ennis Hill fetching $1.3million for Coolmore at Inglis Easter on Monday.
The stylish bay is from blueblood Group winning Fastnet Rock mare Ennis Hill and is a full sister to brilliant Group II winning filly Learning to Fly, who was narrowly beaten in the Group I SAJC Robert Sangster Stakes.
She was knocked down to Ciaron Maher Bloodstock / Linda Shanahan and Ciaron Maher’s Bloodstock Manager Will Bourne was delighted to secure a filly with such a great pedigree.
“I think the Easter Sale is about these blue hen mares and that’s what she is,” he said.
“She's a full sister to a very good horse, and I think we forget how good she (Learning to Fly) really was.
“You remember her racing as a two-year-old, and then obviously in Adelaide (G1 Sangster), the jockey did come a little bit wide and she did all the work and flew home. I think the caller even thought she won that G1, so she was a proper race horse.
“This filly is just an absolute stunning physical and she’s a blue chip mare for the future.
“I'd say we might see her in the latter part of her 2YO season, but she definitely has that scope, so we're going to give her the time she needs.
“She's going to be a long-term play and one to keep for life.”
Ennis Hill has a new stakes-placed 2YO this season in Free Flying and was sent to North America last year for another cover to Justify.
Learning to Fly has also retired to stud and after missing to Snitzel in her first year is one of the small number of lucky mares that are now in foal to ill-fated Wootton Bassett (GB).
