Denise Martin and her Star Thoroughbreds owners of dual Group I winning mare Espiona got the biggest pay day of all on Wednesday afternoon when their star mare was sold through Magic Millions Online in a virtual sale for $4.15million.

Prepared for sale by Randwick Bloodstock’s Glenesk Thoroughbreds, the five year-old Extreme Choice mare was always going to be a highly desirable commodity having won the Group I ATC Coolmore Classic among her seven career wins for the Chris Waller stable that netted over $3.3million in prizemoney.

There was a protracted bidding duel for the mare which concluded with Zhijun Zhao securing her for $4.15million, so she will be headed to join the Yulong broodmare band this spring.

Zhijun Zhao was the biggest buyer at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale earlier this year purchasing eight mares for $13.125 million with champion mare Imperatriz the jewel in the crown at $6.6million.

Espiona was originally purchased by Star Thoroughbreds/Randwick Bloodstock Agency from the Torryburn Stud draft at Magic Millions back in 2020 for $190,000 so has proven a phenomenally good investment.

“We are elated,” an emotional Denise Martin said moments after the sale. “We were hoping for $3 million but to get $4.15 million is beyond our expectations.

“We had 10 of her ownership group together in Sydney along with trainer Chris Waller to watch the sale and it was just amazing. I don’t think any will be heading back to work or home soon!”

She is the only filly from her dam Dahooil, who died in 2022 and her only other foal is an unraced two year-old Capitalist colt called Transactions that made $275,000 as a yearling and is trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman.

Espiona is one of two Group I winning mares for Newgate Farm’s outstanding sire Extreme Choice with the other being She’s Extreme, who sold for $3.4million at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale this year to Tom Magnier.

Extreme Choice stands at a fee of $275,000 this spring.