Espiona now owns a place among the most expensive mares ever sold in Australia after the Group 1 winner changed hands in a standalone sale overseen by Magic Millions on Wednesday afternoon.
The daughter Extreme Choice, who turns six on Thursday, got to $4.15 million before being knocked down to Yulong Stud associate Zhijun Zhang.
Only four mares have sold for more than the former Chris Waller-trained mare, headlined by 10-time Group 1 winner Imperatriz, who will be a barnmate of Espiona at Yulong after being bought for $6.6m at the National Broodmare Sale in May.
Milanova ($5m) and three-time Group 1 winner Sunlight ($4.2m) are the only other mares to have sold for more than what Espiona fetched.
Denise Martin, who bought Espiona in partnership with Brett Howard for $190,000 at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2020, said the result exceeded expectations.
“We are elated,” Martin said.
“We were hoping for $3 million but to get to $4.15 million is beyond our expectations.
“We had 10 of her ownership group and Chris Waller Racing here together to watch the sale and it was just amazing.”
Espiona’s sale price comes off the back of a racing career that generated a tick over $3.3m in stakes, headlined by wins in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic and $2m The Invitation.
Four of her six minor placings also came at Group 1 level including a third placing behind Bella Nipotina and I Wish I Win in the Doomben 10,000 at her second-last start.