A daughter of super sire Zabeel has fetched the highest price for a filly of $1.3 million at this year's Australian Easter sale in Sydney.A half-sister to Group One winner Zarita, the filly was the highest-priced lot on the third and final day of the first session of the sale.The highest price paid overall was $1.875 million for a Redoute's Choice colt out of Regrowth from the family of Golden Slipper winner Forensics.But the gross for the three-day sale was down more than $10 million on 2009 wi

A daughter of super sire Zabeel has fetched the highest price for a filly of $1.3 million at this year's Australian Easter sale in Sydney.

A half-sister to Group One winner Zarita, the filly was the highest-priced lot on the third and final day of the first session of the sale.

The highest price paid overall was $1.875 million for a Redoute's Choice colt out of Regrowth from the family of Golden Slipper winner Forensics.

But the gross for the three-day sale was down more than $10 million on 2009 with the average falling from $241,371 to $223,537.

Peter Carrick, who races horses under the banner of Lakeview Resources, was more than happy to pay $1.3 million for the Zabeel filly with her long-term future in mind.

"Once you have your mind made up on what you want it doesn't matter what you pay in the end," Carrick said.

"Whether this filly is successful in racing, she is going to be a classic broodmare.

"Lee Freedman introduced the filly to me and he will train her."

Carrick is a plumber who sold his company to the Hastie Group and although he still works in the business, he has invested heavily in thoroughbreds.

"I have a broodmare band of 130 and have 30 racehorses in work with six different trainers," he said.

Notably absent from the sale for the second year running was the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) which normally accounts for $5 million in sales.

The HKJC refused to buy horses after jockey Chris Munce was relicensed in NSW following his release from jail on betting charges in Hong Kong.