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Foaling manager the obvious choice to lead Winx’s daughter through the ring.

Paddy Sheehan isn't normally holding the lead when Coolmore put a high-profile yearling through the sale ring, but when a youngster out of Winx was up for grabs he was the only man for the job.

Sheehan is a long-standing employee at the New South Wales farm and has a close connection with the family, having been on hand when Winx was born in 2011 and also when her daughter of Pierro was 11 years later.

Now foaling manager at Coolmore, Sheehan was also there when Winx lost her first foal, and in the ensuing weeks while she was recovering from the ordeal, and he was honoured to get the call up for the Inglis Easter Sale.

"No one really knows what went on with the mare, she was in big trouble and she pulled through with the toughness that she showed on the racetrack," Sheehen said of her troubled first pregnancy.

"The owners have been so good to me, they put Winx first all the time and they said to me, 'you've done he work with her, so we want you to come and lead her through'.

"I usually stay back (at the farm) and look after young stock but Tom (Magnier) said to me, 'no, you're leading her through'."

Magnier said there was no more appropriate person to be by the filly's side when she sold, eventually to Debbie Kepitis for a world record yearling filly price of $10 million.

"When Winx lost the foal, the mare nearly died, and Paddy was there every night with that mare in the hospital," Magnier said.

"It was really fitting that Paddy lead that horse through today. I'm delighted that the partners agreed to that, and they were delighted that he did."

The filly was subject to a glare no yearling had previous experienced, both before stepping into the sale ring and during, and Sheehan felt a power he hopes will carry her to greatness.

"She's very strong," he said. "With all the public around, she really tensed up and you could feel it under her. She's an amazing filly," he said.