There was a steady start to proceedings at Arqana's two-day February Sale, with figures pretty much on par with last year's trade and the National Hunt filly Be A Nice Girl (Fr) (Bathyrhon {Ger}) topping the first session at €120,000
A decent clearance rate of 78% from 141 horses sold brought turnover of €1,772,000, with the average and median both contracting slightly at €12,567 and €6,000 respectively.
The day's leading lady was the 4-year-old hurdler offered as lot 63 by her trainer Jean-Pierre Fertillet. Happily for him, Be A Nice Girl will be returning to his stable after she was signed for by Marco Bozzi on behalf of an unnamed French owner.
“She has been bought for a good client and she will stay with Jean-Pierre Fertillet,” confirmed the agent. “It's the first time they have bought a jumper and €120,000 is an awful lot of money but they were happy to do that and she is a very nice mare.”
Bred by Richard Venn and Pascal Noue, Be A Nice Girl was originally sold as a 2-year-old for €23,000 and has made just one start to date. Her dam Turgotine (Fr) (Turgeon {GB}) is a full-sister to the dam of the dual Grade 1-winning steeplechaser Allaho (Fr) (No Risk At All {Fr}).
A few lots later, the 3-year-old Marynder (Fr) (Pedro The Great) was knocked down to Alessandro Marconi for €90,000 and will eventually end up racing overseas. Trained last season by Joel Boisnard, the gelding ran just three times, winning over a mile at Chantilly and placing at Deauville.
Marconi said of lot 66, who hails from the family of Godolphin's dual Grade I-winning filly Questing (GB) (Hard Spun), “His dam is by Hard Spun, a stallion that I really like and who I think is a very good broodmare sire.We don't know yet if he will race on in France; the owners' premiums are interesting. We will have a think but the final objective remains the Middle East.”
Signing under the name of his Horse Racing Advisory, Hubert Barbe went to €90,000 in pursuit of lot 38, the AQPS mare Green Dragoness (Fr) (Enrique {Ire}), who was consigned by Haras du Lieu des Champs on behalf of trainer David Cottin. A winner last season herself over fences, the 6-year-old is well credentialed as a broodmare prospect as she is a half-sister to the champion French chaser and 11-time winner Blue Dragon (Fr) (Califet {Fr}) as well as to the five-time winner Fabulous Dragoness (Fr) (Poliglote {GB}). Barbe advised that Green Dragoness will now join Haras de Couely.
Of the in-foal mares offered for sale later in the session, two daughters of Galileo (Ire) sold for €80,000 each. Denis Brosnan's Epona Bloodstock signed for lot 193, Haras de Bouquetot's full-sister to Listed winner Cameron Highland (GB) and a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Solid Stone (Ire) (Shamardal). Named Ghand (GB), the 8-year-old was sold in foal to Bouquetot's Romanised (Ire).
Marc-Antoine Berghgracht bought the unraced Balkis (Fr) (lot 154), who is also by Galileo and consigned by Bouquetot. A daughter of the GI American Oaks winner Harmonious (Dynaformer), she was sold carrying her second foal by Bated Breath (GB).
The sale continues on Wednesday from 11am local time.
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