Black Caviar’s half-brother took over at the top of the Inglis Easter yearling sale leader board on Wednesday afternoon.

Trainer John Hawkes went to $1,025,000 to buy the Casino Prince – Helsinge colt that entered the ring as Lot 277.  Makybe catalogued him on behalf of Gilgai Farm owner Rick Jamieson.

“People said it was a crazy scheme using a rookie sire like Casino Prince,” Jamieson said prior to the start of the yearling sale.  “But he hasn’t stopped parading for prospective buyers.”

Besides the world champion mare, Helsinge is also the dam of promising colt Moshe.  He is trained by Hawkes and, like Black Caviar, is by Eliza Park sire Bel Esprit.

Moshe is a last start Moonee Valley winner and is raced by a syndicate managed by Roy Higgins and Wylie Dalziel.

Hawkes was bidding on behalf of bloodstock agent Rick Connolly which suggests the colt will race in the colours of Patinack Farm owner Nathan Tinkler.  “He is a lovely horse and is a half-brother to a champion,” Hawkes said.  “Time will tell but hopefully he will be good enough to make a stallion.”

Patinack Farm is home to the colt’s sire Casino Prince.  He is a son of Flying Spur and was a G1 winner of the AJC Chipping Norton Stakes.