Ellis' solution to the problem was to implement his first "fillies" syndicate after concentrating for a number of years on "colts only" options.
"I thought I would put a filly's syndicate together, similar to the colts," he said. "That is the first filly I have bought for this syndicate.
"I've grown up loving this family and to think we now have one to train is a huge thrill."
Ellis faced red-hot competition for the youngster although he admitted he still had ammunition left if he hadn't secured her with his $900,000 bid.
"One of my staff sent me a text saying there were four people bidding," he said.
"I think the competition on the good horses has been very very strong. Often you don't get the feel of how strong it is until you try and buy one."
Ellis faced similar competition just 30 minutes later when he set the sale's top price so far when he outlaid $1.025 million for Lot 301, another Savabeel colt from outstanding racemare Katie Lee. Ellis fought off the attentions of both Debbie Rogerson and Peter Moody to secure the colt who will form an integral part of his 2018 colts syndicate.
Ellis pointed out that he hadn't felt nearly as much pressure to secure the flashy bay as he had just half an hour earlier.
"I've had so much success in the last 10 years, with buying these colts, that the syndicate filled within 48 hours," he said.
"We sent out emails to our owners telling them what we were going to do and within 24 hours we had filled 90 per cent, with the remaining shares taken the next day.
"The syndicate is filled with genuine racing people who love racing and the challenge of trying to get a stallion."
Ellis was adamant that Karaka was the only place to buy such a quality colt although he went to the end of his "rope" to secure the colt.
"That was my last bid to win him."
• Gordon Cunningham was expecting something special when Lot 156 entered the ring and the Curraghmore principal wasn't disappointed.
The son of Fastnet Rock was the subject of a spirited bidding duel before he was knocked down to Mark Pilkington for $1 million.
"He's a colt with a great pedigree and the looks to match," Cunningham said. "He's got a great mind and attitude as well, he was always going to attract a lot of attention from the bigger players from a stallion point of view."
The colt is the first foal of the Savabeel mare Diademe, who crowned her career when she claimed the Group 1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1600m) after previous success in the Group 2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) and twice winning the Group 3 Westbury Classic (1400m).
Diademe is a sister to the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner Embellish while the multiple Group One-winning sprinter Sacred Star is also part of the family.
"He was very popular from the first parade at home, he's a top quality colt," Cunningham said.
Curraghmore also sold a son of Zoustar and the Flying Spur mare Crystal Spur for $460,000.
Pilkington has previously enjoyed success with the stock of Fastnet Rock and he was delighted to add another one.
"My take on him is that he's a mid-size, athletic Fastnet - not a big heavy one," he said.
"He's in keeping with the same sort of horse as Merchant Navy.
"We recently negotiated the sale of him to Coolmore for $27 million so it would be nice if he was going well enough to head down the same path."
- NZ Racing Desk
