To view photos from the National Sale click here.

Star Coolmore Stud sire Encosta de Lago zoomed to the top of the sires table at the National Yearling Sale on the Gold Coast with three of his youngsters topping the second session today.

Patinack Farm snapped up their star pick of the sale – a colt from the Group One winning mare Ellicorsam – for the day’s top price, $320,000.

Offered for sale by Willow Park Stud, the Encosta de Lago colt was one of the most admired lots of the auction and Patinack’s Rick Connolly was able to outbid local agent Grant Morgan.

“He’s a really nice colt,” Connolly said. “He’s got plenty of scope and we thought he was the top colt of the sale.”

“He’s from a Group One winner and could become a top sire prospect.”

“Overall he was a great mover and looked a top prospect and we’re delighted to be able to have bought him,” he summed up.

Earlier in the day Grant Morgan tried to buy his other star pick of the sale – the Encosta de Lago filly from Golden Slipper winner Calaway Gal – again he was the underbidder – this time to New Zealand’s David Ellis.

The Newgate Farm offering sold for $280,000.

“In life if you want to make a business out of buying horses the real goal is to buy a colt or filly by a champion sire or out of a champion mare that looks a real athlete,” Ellis noted.

“With this horse you get all three. She’s by the champion sire of the country and from a Golden Slipper winner.”

The filly will be sent across the Tasman and she will join the powerful Te Akau stable fronted by record breaking trainer Mark Walker.

Ellis said the National Sale had been a happy hunting ground for him over recent years.

“I’ve purchased two Group One winners from this sale in recent years – Princess Coup and Tell a Tale. We’ve also bought a couple of other handy ones.”

“It’s been a great sale for us and we enjoying coming over each year.”

Leading South African based bloodstock agent Andy Williams, buying under his World Wide Bloodstock outfit was busy again – taking his two day spend to over $1.34 million.

His feature purchase today was the half sister by Rock of Gibraltar to Group One winner Arlingtonboulevard for $100,000.

The third session of the sale will be held from 11am (Qld time) tomorrow. That sale will be following by the National Racehorse Sale.