The half-brother to Winx was touted as the star of the show on the opening day of the 2016 Australian Easter yearling sale and the son of Snitzel did not disappoint.
Duncan Ramage, seated next to James Cummings, tried hard but it was Gai Waterhouse, in her usual position beneath the Moreton Bay fig, that had the final bid at $2.3 million.
Waterhouse said the colt will race for Emirates Park Stud with Husain Lootah, son of Nasser, standing alongside.
"As one of the leading breeding farms in Australia, His Excellency said to me several weeks ago the half-brother to Winx will top the sale," Waterhouse said.
"Then when Hussain saw the colt and after inspecting him several times he said he thought he was one of the nicest colts in the sale and that we should buy him."
Waterhouse trains El Divino, the two-year-old brother to the 2014 colt and dead-heat with Astern in Saturday's Group III Kindergarten Stakes at Randwick.
"As soon as they passed the post Hussein was on to me and said 'We must buy this colt' - so we have."
Hussein has attended the Australian Easter sale several times and this is the first time he has actively sought to purchase.
"He is a very nice colt, by a great stallion and from a very nice family - so why not," Lootah said.
"The win of El Divino adds a lot to the page but Winx is a champion and this colt is by a great stallion so we were expecting to pay that price.
"I hope he can be running in the Slipper next year!"
