Thursday’s Insights: Pricey Pletcher Colts Debut at Gulfstream

5th-GP, $89K, MSW, 4yo/up, 7 1/2fT, 2:09pm EST
Trainer Todd Pletcher offers up a pair of seven-figure sales horses making their belated debuts. Victorious Racing LLC's SWORDOFHONOR (IRE) (Siyouni {Fr}) sports some pretty flashy credentials. The €1.5 million Arqana August yearling purchase is a half-brother to the year-older Angel Bleu (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a two-time Group 1 winner as a juvenile who subsequently won last summer's G2 Celebration Mile S. at Goodwood. Consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux and purchased by Oliver St Lawrence, the bay was the second highest-priced yearling and the top-priced colt of the 2021 Arqana August Yearling Sale. His family also includes Group 1 scorers Elvstroem (Aus) and Haradasun (Aus). The son of Cercle de La Vie (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), sister to Group 1 winners Highland Reel and Cape of Good Hope, posted a pair of bullet works–including the most recent a 1:01 (1/5) move Feb. 8–at Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs base.

Also representing the Hall of Famer is Repole Stable and St Elias Stable's STORM READY (City of Light), a $1.05 million Keeneland September buy. The half to GSW Biddy Duke (Bayern) posted his latest breeze at Palm Beach Downs Jan. 31, covering five panels in 1:00 3/5 (1/2). The colts will be partnered by the Ortiz brothers, the former by Jose and the latter by Irad. TJCIS PPS

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Half-Sister To €2.2-Million Arqana August Sensation Set For ParisLongchamp Unveiling

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Observations features a half-sister to a seven-figure Arqana yearling.

14.23 ParisLongchamp, Mdn, €50,000, unraced 2yo, f, 8fT
Pascal Bary trainee LADY INVINCIBLE (FR) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is the second of three foals out of a half-sister to MG1SW sire Shamardal (Giant's Causeway). The May-foaled bay is a €300,000 Arqana August graduate, whose year-younger half-brother by Siyouni (Fr) was the highest-priced colt when knocked down for €2.2 million at this month's renewal of that sale. Eight-strong opposition includes Al Shaqab Racing's homebred Silham (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who is kin to two stakes performers out of GI Madison S. heroine Shotgun Gulch (Gulch), representing the Jean-Claude Rouget stable; and His Highness The Aga Khan's Candala (Fr) (Frankel {GB}), who is a Francis-Henri Graffard-trained daughter of MGSW G1 Prix Vermeille second Candarliya (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}).

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Sensational August Sale Closes With €2.2m Siyouni Colt to Coolmore

By Brian Sheerin and Emma Berry

DEAUVILLE, France–It was the bloodstock sales equivalent of a mic drop: two lots, five minutes, €3 million. Boom.

Coomore has long nurtured its partnerships, and with Peter Brant, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Georg von Opel's Westerberg, the Magnier-led operation has enjoyed plentiful success. Most notably this season that has come with Paddington (GB), a multiple Group 1-winning son of Siyouni (Fr) bred by Dayton Investments at Ecurie des Monceaux, and it was to that nursery that the team turned again, signing for the day's top lot [244], also by Siyouni, for €2.2 million.

The names of MV Magnier and Brant's White Birch Farm were on the ticket, just as they were for the previous colt [243], a son of Wootton Bassett (GB) whose yearlings on offer this season are from the first crop conceived in Ireland since the stallion's purchase by Coolmore. 

Those two sires, Siyouni and Wootton Bassett, have formed the cornerstone of the French stallion ranks in recent years, backed up by the late Le Havre (Ire) and Kendargent (Fr), and even with Wootton Bassett no longer in the country, his stock is still high in Deauville. A batch of 24 of his yearlings went through the ring over the last three days for an average of €349,375, led by the €800,000 colt from Monceaux out of the American Pharoah mare Holy Roman Empress (Ire), herself a winning daughter of the G1 Phoenix S. winner Damson (Ire) (Entrepreneur).

The Siyouni colt, meanwhile, is out of Hourglass (Ire), a Galileo (Ire) half-sister to Shamardal. Both colts were bred by China Horse Club from mares bred by Coolmore and associates.

“They're two very nice horses and, interestingly enough, we actually sold the two dams a couple of years ago,” said Magnier. “We've come back and bought the progeny because China Horse Club are very good breeders and Monceaux are an incredible farm. They do a very good job raising horses and we're lucky to get the two of them. They'll both go to Ballydoyle.”

Ecurie des Monceaux has held the title of leading consignor at the August Sale since 2012 and it was once again on top, with 35 yearlings sold for a total of €15,180,000.

Monceaux's Henri Bozo said, “It's been a very good sale. As it has got going it has gone from strength to strength and to have sold those two big horses to Coolmore is a great proof of trust from them to us. The Siyouni colt is a lovely horse with the magic cross, he's magnificent, a good mover, and there is plenty to come physically.”

He continued, “I think that we saw from the beginning of the showing days that there were more and more people. A lot of principals were looking at the horses and enjoying the sale and everybody was confident.”

Bozo and some of his partners were also involved in one of the Group 1 contests on the racecourse at Deauville earlier in the day when their Ramatuelle (Justify) was collared close home to finish second by a head in the G1 Sumbe Prix Morny.

“I got too excited too early and I thought she was going to win,” he said. “She's so tough, she's amazing.”

Ramatuelle will be a valued addition to the Monceaux broodmare band in due course, but first we may see her travel to Newmarket for the G1 Cheveley Park S.

Talking Points

  • All credit to Arqana, this year's August Sale didn't miss a beat. The aggregate was up 15.41% to €56,949,000 while the average climbed 10.7% to 232,445. Along with that, the clearance rate was a healthy 86%, up 4% on last year. In short, it was an excellent, record-breaking sale. 
  • Plenty of attendees at the sale remarked upon the importance of the presence of some of the heads of major global racing and breeding operations in Deauville, and it may well have been a contributing factor to an incredibly buoyant market at Arqana. Godolphin, Coolmore, and a rejuvenated Al Shaqab filled the top three buyers' slots.
  • For the twelfth year in a row, Ecurie des Monceaux was the leading August vendor, selling 45 yearlings at and average of €451, 714, but it was also a terrific sale for Nicolas de Chambure and his team, who sold the top lot, the Dubawi half-sister to Bucanero Fuerte (Fr), for €2.4 million along with 14 other yearlings for a total average price of €340,895.
  • Siyouni has long been the stallion king of France and, with Mqse De Sevigne (Fr) winning her second Group 1 in three weeks across the road just before the start of the final session, and the scintillating prospect of Paddington (GB) running in Tuesday's G1 Juddmonte International, the stock of the Aga Khan Studs' star resident really couldn't be higher. At Arqana over the last three days, 15 of his yearlings sold for a total of €6,950,000, putting him behind only Dubawi (Ire) and Frankel (GB) on the sale's sires' table.
  • Freshman sires featured prominently, with Ghaiyyath's €455,000 average for three sold giving him bragging rights, but it was also a notable debut for Haras d'Etreham's Hello Youmzain, whose stock drew many favourable comments and who ended the sale with 19 sold at and average of €128,789. His initial stud fee was €25,000.

Coulonces Back in Spotlight With Another Japanese Buyer

On Saturday Anna Sundstrom sold a homebred Sottsass (Fr) colt to Mitsu Nakauchida for 525,000gns, and a day later another Japanese trainer, Yoshito Yahagi, also found favour with Sundstrom's Coulonces Sales draft. He selected a Wootton Bassett (GB) colt out of the G3 Prix Miesque winner Magic America (High Yield) for €1,000,000.

“I was interested in buying a yearling by Wootton Bassett, as I think he has the ability to succeed in Japan as a sire,” said the trainer who has launched successful international raids on the Breeders' Cup and Saudi Cup. “I have been here all three days, and my impression is that this is a very strong market. I was on my final bid for this colt.”

Last year, Yahagi was responsible for buying the sale's top lot, a €2.1 million brother to the Arc winner Sottsass (Fr). This time he signed for two yearlings, including a first-crop son of the 2,000 Guineas winner Kameko for €140,000.

The Tweenhills stallion has made a rock-solid start, but far more interesting than the fact the Kameko posted an impressive €177,500 average for four yearlings sold were the buyers of his sons and daughters. The Hong Kong Jockey Club snapped up a colt by Kameko on Friday for €310,000 and, along with  Yahagi, French trainer Yann Barberot also featured on the list of buyers. 

Speaking about the strong start from the £15,000 sire, David Redvers of Tweenhills said, “Delighted. It's been a great start. There is a mixture of happiness and sadness because, when a horse is sold abroad, it lessens the exposure for the stallion at home. But, wherever he does well, it will be a good thing. I think we have some really exciting yearlings to come. The ones I have seen tend to be really sharp-looking. If they are out of a fast mare, he seems to be putting that strength into them. With the Roaring Lions, I rarely saw one that didn't look as though it would need at least 10 furlongs at three.”

He added, “With the Kamekos, we certainly have one going to Book 1 and he is out of a very fast mare and looks very sharp. He could be his first two-year-old runner. Sheikh Fahad wants to expose Kameko to the market so he is selling some of his nice ones.”

A Siyouni for Restrepo and JR Ranch

“We've waited three days for this filly,” said Ramiro Restrepo after signing for lot 279, a Monceaux-bred Siyouni daughter of the unraced Lucerne (GB), a Frankel (GB) half-sister to the treble Group 1-winning miler Charm Spirit (Ire).

At €700,000, she was another significant purchase in Europe by the American-based JR Ranch, who gave £250,000 for Ocean Vision (Ire) (US Navy Flag) at the Goffs London Sale in June. 

Restrepo, who acts as Marquee Bloodstock, continued, “She is going to be a cornerstone, hopefully a foundation mare down the line for us. We bought Ocean Vision for the same partner, JR Ranch. He has a lot of passion for Thoroughbred racing and this filly has it all: temperament, class, physique, beautiful pedigree. She's out of a Frankel mare who is a half to Charm Spirit, a major Group 1 winner, and Dream And Do is in the family, who is one of Siyouni's Group 1 winners.”

Restrepo added that the filly will be the first to race in France for JR Ranch and that she will be trained in Chantilly by Tim Donworth, who previously trained Ocean Vision.

He said, “I have known Tim since he was on the Flying Start course. We bought Ocean Vision, who was one of the nicest horses in his yard. He brought the horse over to America for the Grade II and our partner was super-impressed with how he handled himself and the love that he showed for the horse, so it was only right to replace one in his barn.”

Stroud: 'It Has Been Great To Get The Principals Here'

Just a few hours after his Craven Breeze-Up purchase Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) confirmed himself one of the best two-year-olds in Europe when storming to G1 Prix Morny glory for KHK Racing Ltd, Anthony Stroud rounded off a weekend to remember by signing for a Camelot (GB) colt with “a stallion's pedigree” on behalf of Godolphin for €850,000.

Purchased from Gestüt Ammerland, the Camelot colt brought Godolphin's total spend at Arqana over the past few days to €5,350,000 across 10 yearlings, which made the operation the leading buyers at this year's sale.

Very nice horse from Gestüt Ammerland,” Stroud said of lot 267. “We bought the half-brother [a Shamardal colt for €1.6m] here last year and we like him. This colt obviously has a stallion's pedigree and the team thought he was one of the picks of the sale. He's a nice staying horse.”

Stroud added, “I think it has been a good sale. The main thing is that it has been great to get the principals here like John Magner, Sheikh Mohammed, Al Shaqab, Amo Racing and now Wathnan Racing. There are many more and you couldn't come to a nicer place than Deauville for a sale, could you?”

Not only was this year's August Sale a hugely successful one for Godolphin with a view towards the number of high-class yearlings added to the system, but the performance of the Darley stallion roster was something that gave the team a lot of satisfaction. 

Dubawi was out on his own as the leading stallion at the sale with seven yearlings selling for €5,690,000 but his sons Night Of Thunder (Ire) and freshman Ghaiyyath (Ire) enjoyed some time in the limelight, with Godolphin snapping up all three offerings by the latter to the tune of €1,365,000.

Stroud commented, “We all have great faith in Ghaiyyath, including the boss, and the three that were here were a really good representation of the stallion. We've great faith in him so we will see what happens. We're very happy going forward.”

'We're Back': Al Shaqab Make A Statement With €3.5m Spend 

The smile on Benoit Jeffroy's face said it all after Al Shaqab signed for the ninth yearling purchased at this year's August Sale, a Wootton Bassett (GB) colt from Haras du Mont dit Mont for €575,000, which helped bring the total spend for the operation made famous by Treve (Fr) to €4,135,000.

“It's great to be back,” Jeffroy beamed, as Al Shaqab set the foundations of a rebuilding process at Arqana over the past three days that saw the operation sign for yearlings by some of the most sought after stallions in the world, including Siyouni, Kingman and No Nay Never.

Jeffroy said, “Listen, it has been good to be investing in these yearlings and nice to get some yearlings that we liked and into fillies and new families. We have really enjoyed going around selecting them with Sheikh Joaan, who has been really involved throughout the past week and was here. He said, 'Let's go and find some nice horses for next year,'. Hopefully we have found some good ones.”

Elaborating on the reasoning behind the strongest spend at a yearling auction for many years by the operation, he said, “We spoke in May about trying to regroup and select more with a view towards the broodmare band. It's very tough to breed the [good] horses. We have 60 mares now compared to the big operations that have a lot more mares and access to all of the big stallions. “We just thought that we would stay a little more selective on the breeding side of things and to try and buy some more nice horses at the sales. That's the plan.”

That's not to say that it was all plain sailing. The strength of the market in Deauville meant that even the reinvigorated Al Shaqab operation struggled to land every punch but emerged from the 12 rounds at Arqana in better shape than it began. 

“First day was good but the second day we got beaten quite a few times. Today, we got beaten twice, but got one we really liked–the Wootton Bassett. It's been a really good market and, to be honest, the guys at Arqana have done a great job. There have been a lot of horses with good physicals and good pedigrees and we are lucky to have bought nine now.”

He added, “Last year we bought six or seven horses at Book 2, including Baheer (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who is quite exciting for Richard Hannon. We also bought some horses here in Deauville but not to this level. That's why I said to Sheikh Joaan, it's good to keep going with higher quality and the horses by the big stallions because, if you want to keep a mare, it's good to have one by a big stallion. Also, if you become a good racehorse and stallion, you want to be by a good sire. We are just trying to upgrade.”

Al Shaqab went on to sign for another Wootton Bassett for €675,000, elevating the spend beyond €4m. Interestingly, Amo Racing bought in to lot 235, the Wootton Bassett who colt €575,000, later on in the day. That represents a new partnership.

As well as recruiting runners for next year and beyond, Al Shaqab offered prospective buyers the first glimpse of progeny by the Haras de Bouquetot-based stallions Wooded (Ire) and Romanised (Ire), and Jeffroy described himself as pleased by the start the freshman sires have made.

He said, “Wooded has been very well received. His first yearling made €140,000. Personally, I find him quite exciting. They have great depth and are nice horses. I think we will see more from him in October and we are also pleased with Romanised. 

“We stand him on behalf of Mr Ho and the filly was very well sold here on Saturday. Romanised has some nice yearlings selling at V.2 so we are happy. Yes, they are on the cheaper side, but who knows? They might be the ones.”

Buy of the Day

Lot 255, B, C, Zarak (Fr) – (Just Sherry (Ire) (Intense Focus)
Vendor: Haras du Cadran
Buyer: Godolphin
Price: €175,000

It is almost cheating when selecting a horse who cost €175,000 as the buy of the day but, given that figure was over €50,000 below the average of this year's sale, it is probably fair to include the Zarak (Fr) colt [lot 255] who was snapped up by Godolphin. 

Zarak needs no introduction for a start, and this good-walking son of his, consigned by top breeder Haras du Cadran, boasted a lot of likeable attributes. Such a statement is backed up by the fact an operation the size of Godolphin felt they couldn't leave him behind at the money. 

He is out of Just Sherry (Ire) (Intense Focus), a dual listed winner in France, who hails from the family of the 2,000 Guineas winner Cockney Rebel (Ire).

A nice athletic colt, he looks one who will benefit with a bit of time under his belt and he'll certainly get every opportunity to fulfill his potential. 

Away from the Zarak, lot 294, a filly by The Grey Gatsby (Ire), caught the eye in selling to Dan Astbury for €82,000. She is a big girl, but has a walk to match and carries herself. 

The Grey Gatsby is an intriguing sire and this filly of Anna Sundstrom's [Coulonces] draft was a nice model and is one to look out for in time.

 

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Sheikh Mohammed Jets In to Arqana for €1.25m Dubawi Colt 

By Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin

DEAUVILLE, France–In the week that it was confirmed that Diane Wildenstein's breeding operation Dayton Investments has been sold to the Wertheimer brothers, a Dubawi (Ire) yearling from one of the most recognisable Wildenstein families became the first seven-figure yearling in Europe this season.

When there are yearlings by Darley's flagship stallion on the market, it is often a safe bet that Sheikh Mohammed will be interested. With the Ruler of Dubai in attendance in Deauville, the day's top lot (21) was duly sold to Godolphin for €1.25 million, with the sheikh's agent Anthony Stroud at the helm for the bidding. 

The colt was bred by the partnership of Ecurie des Monceaux, David Redvers, Langlais Bloodstock and Beauregard Bloodstock, who bought his dam Pretty Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) as a three-year-old for €150,000. Though she was placed just once in her brief racing career, she is a three-parts-sister to the treble Group 1 winner Persian King (Ire), who is himself represented by his first yearlings this season. Pretty Spirit and Persian King represent five generations of Wildenstein breeding and a dynasty which includes Horse of the Year Pawneese (GB), Arc winner Peintre Celebre, and more recently the champion stayer Stradivarius (Ire).

 

 

Five of the seven Dubawi yearlings in the sale were offered within the first 39 lots on Friday and all were consigned by Monceaux. Godolphin also bought lot 17, a colt out of the G3 Prix de Royaumont winner Pollara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) from Monceaux for €550,000, while David Redvers went to €400,000 for the grandson of another Group 3 winner, Pacifique (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) (lot 27). After the session ended, Redvers also privately acquired lot 5, a son of Group 3 winner Paix (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) herself a daughter of Pacifique, for €500,000. The final one to be sold during the session proper, at €390,000 to Hubie de Burgh, was the filly out of the Lope De Vega (Ire) mare Right Hand (GB) (lot 39). The Wertheimer-bred dam's half-sister Left Hand (GB) is one of Dubawi's many Group 1 winners and is the dam of this season's G3 Prix de Psyche runner-up Left Sea (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

 

 

Talking Points

  • A number of key industry figures have jetted in to Deauville for the first major yearling sale of the year in Europe. Sheikh Mohammed, John and Sue Magnier, Sheikh Joaan Al Thani and Kia Joorabchian are all in attendance, along with a number of owners from Bahrain, America and beyond. The many trainers on site include Aidan O'Brien and Yoshito Yahagi.
  • As is so often the case with sales, the opening session felt a tad shaky to begin with but it soon hit its stride. The day ended with 101 sold (seven fewer than last year) for an improved clearance rate of 85.6%. At €230,842, the average was up by 29%, and the aggregate was also up, by 20% at €23,315,000.
  • Wootton Bassett (GB) may have left the French stallion ranks but he has not been forgotten. Eleven members of his first Irish-conceived crop were sold in Deauville on Friday for an average of €338,182 from his 2021 fee of €100,000.
  • Pinatubo was another first-season sire to make a good start with his yearlings. The first lot into the ring was a filly from La Motteraye by the Darley-based stallion and she set the tone for a hot sale when selling to Louis Dubois on behalf of Wesley Ward for €250,000. All told, Pinatubo had four yearlings sell for €960,000 at an average of €240,000 on Friday.
  • Of the freshman sires on show at Arqana, Sottsass (Fr) also made a positive start, with five sold at an average of €142,400. Earthlight (Ire) had just one go through the ring, and Elevage de Tourgeville's filly (lot 101) from the family of Oaks winner Soul Sister (GB) fetched €160,000, sold to Blandford Bloodstock.
  • Five members of the first crop of Hello Youmzain (Fr) were offered on Friday, and all sold at an average price of €127,000. These were led by Haras de la Perelle's filly out of the Listed winner Testa (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) (lot 94) who was bought by Peter Kavanagh of Kildaragh Stud for €210,000. It is a family that Kavanagh knows well, as her third dam is Mahalia (Ire) (Danehill), a smart runner and influential broodmare for Gerry Oldam of Citadel Stud.
  • The sole Kameko yearling on the opening day of the August Sale will be off to Hong Kong eventually, having been bought by Mick Kinane on behalf of the HKJC for €310,000. Lot 42 is a half-brother to the dual Listed winner Buckaroo (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Ire}) out of the stakes-winning Galileo (Ire) mare Roheryn (Ire).

Coolmore Make Statement With €720k Wootton Bassett Colt

Wootton Bassett has gone some way in justifying Coolmore Stud's faith in him with River Tiber (Ire) winning the G2 Coventry S. for Aidan O'Brien and Bucanero Fuerte (GB) landing the G1 Phoenix S. for Amo Racing this year alone. 

The results on the racetrack carried over into the sales ring on Friday with Coolmore, from which John and Sue Magnier and their son MV were present at the back of the auditorium, going to €720,000 to secure Monceaux's (lot 118) colt by the stallion.

MV Magnier said, “He is a very nice Wootton Bassett and everybody knows that Monceaux does a brilliant job. Listen, he's a very nice horse and thankfully Wootton Bassett is absolutely flying at the moment.”

He added, “It was [a big commitment to bring Wootton Bassett to Coolmore Stud] and, thankfully, it looks like he has worked out. He keeps improving our stock and there are some very good two-year-olds by him. The future is going to be very bright for him.”

Coolmore's RIver Tiber could harden his reputation as a top-notch two-year-old in Sunday's G1 Sumbe Prix Morny at Deauville, however, according to Magnier, the colt could struggle to maintain his unbeaten record after suffering an interrupted prep for the race. 

He explained, “Aidan will hopefully run River Tiber on Sunday but he missed a week two weeks ago so he is a little bit worried about how fit he is coming into the race. Hopefully, if he does run, he can run well.”

Asked about the market, Magnier added, “It's been good and Arqana does a great job in getting everybody here from America, Japan, the Middle East, Australia, Ireland, England and Europe.”

 

 

Widespread Praise For Wootton Bassett 

Wootton Bassett's popularity was borne out in the results throughout the day with top American owners snapping up an expensive colt by him, respected bloodstock agent Richard Brown declaring his love for the stallion and even Godolphin shelling out €320,000 for a colt by him. 

His first yearlings from his debut year at Coolmore Stud sold well, with 11 going for an average which was more than three times his 2021 fee of €100,000. 

One of the picks was a filly (lot 33) consigned by Haras d'Etreham, and she made her way to the Bregman Family in America for €550,000. The Bregman Family are perhaps best known in Europe for being the owners of classy juvenile No Nay Mets (Ire) (No Nay Never) and are represented by bloodstock agent Mike Akers.

After signing for the most expensive filly by Wootton Bassett on the day, Akers said, “Lovely filly, very well prepped from a breeder who has been producing nice horses for a long, long time. I bought her for Alex Bregman of the Bregman Family Racing LLC. Alex is racing some nice fillies and hopes to be a significant breeder here and in the US in the future. We are very happy with what we have bought.”

 

 

Blandford Bloodstock's Richard Brown may not have been able to confirm who his Wootton Bassett filly would be racing for but didn't hold back in his praise for the stallion when going to €410,000 to secure lot 82 from Ballylinch Stud. 

Out of a winning Oasis Dream (GB) half-sister to Silasol (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), Brown's purchase hails from a strong Wertheimer family and had the looks to match. 

Brown said, “I love the stallion and, obviously, he's having an incredible year. It's a very good pedigree and she comes from an exceptional nursery. Historically, I haven't bought a huge amount of horses from Ballylinch but it hasn't been from a lack of trying. They are a world-class nursery and do an exceptional job. Her dam is a sister to a very good filly [Silasol] and physically, I thought she was right up there with the best fillies that I have seen here. There is a very good selection of horses here. I had to stretch to get her but I am delighted to have got her.”

He added, “It looks like Wootton Bassett is going to go from strength to strength. He's one of the leading sires around so you have to take him very seriously.”

Godolphin added a Wootton Bassett to their roster in the shape of lot 6, a filly consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux who hails from the family of the brilliant Peeping Fawn (Danehill), for €320,000. 

Saint Pair's Frankel Plays Starring Role

Richard Brown was back in action later in the session but remained tight-lipped about the client on whose behalf he bid €950,000 on the colt by Frankel (GB) out of Via Pisa (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}) (lot 111). 

From the signature family of Andreas Putsch's Haras de Saint Pair, the 11-year-old dam was herself a Listed winner whose dam and granddam Via Medici (Ire) and Via Milano (Fr) are both Group 3 winners. The family also includes the Japan-based stallion and Grade 1-winning miler Admire Mars (Jpn). Via Pisa's first foal, a brother to this colt, is the treble winner and Listed-placed Green Fly (Fr).

“Once you have these families it's great but of course we didn't expect that,” said Putsch. “We had fantastic vibes all through the presentation days. We were busier than ever and the amount of high-rollers looking at the horses was tremendous. I'm really very impressed.”

He added, “Today we had a rocky start and we bought back the first filly but then it got stronger and I expect it to be strong tomorrow.”

 

 

Force Behind Amo Racing Ahead Of Prix Morny

Less than a week after recording a Group 1 breakthrough at the Curragh when Arqana August graduate Bucanero Fuerte (GB) landed the Phoenix S., Kia Joorabchian of Amo Racing was once again flexing his muscles in the sales ring.

Things could get even better for the Amo team on Sunday when, just a few hundred yards across the road at Deauville racecourse, the operation's Royal Ascot winner Valiant Force (Malibu Moon) will bid for Group 1 honours of his own in the Prix Morny. 

Those are the stars of today but Joorabchian was busy recruiting next year's two-year-olds at Arqana alongside Robson Aguiar, who said he hopes lot 112, a Kodiac (GB) filly from Etreham who cost €430,000, is as nice as she looks.

“She will be for racing and, if she goes as nicely as she looks, I think she could be a very nice racehorse,” he said. “I have worked with a lot of Kodiacs and she looks like a good one.”

Reflecting on the fine run Amo Racing is enjoying, Aguiar added, “We try to buy a good horse. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. At the moment, it's working.”

 

 

Knight Snaps Up Sottsass Filly For New Saudi Investors

The first yearlings to sell by the Arc winner Sottsass (Fr) went down well with five selling for an average of €142,400, headed by the €300,000 daughter of prolific producer Shermeen, who was bought by Richard Knight on behalf of new Saudi investors. 

Knight described himself a big fan of Coolmore Stud's Sottsass, who stands for a fee of €25,000, and labelled lot 66 as his favourite offering by the stallion in the entire sale. 

Knight said, “I thought she was a very athletic filly and is a daughter of Sottsass and, from what I have seen from the stallion, she was my pick. The dam has been a very good broodmare and she has been bought for a new Saudi operation called Salhia Stud and she'll go back to the UK where she will be trained.”

Shermeen was multiple Group-placed herself before producing seven individual winners, including three black-type performers, the best of which was David Wachman's G1 Phoenix S. winner Sudirman (Henrythenavigator).

There could be even more from the progeny of Sottsass at the August Sale as lot 183, a colt who sells under the Coulonces banner on Saturday, has been tipped by many of the top judges to be one who could command a pretty penny.

Rose Blooms Just In Time

John O'Connor is not known for his timekeeping, but he is certainly widely regarded as one of best operators in the business, both in his role at the head of Ballylinch Stud and as a breeder in his own right. A crucial update may have been last-minute for lot 121, the Lope De Vega (Ire) filly he bred from Xaarienne (GB) (Xaar {GB}), but it could not have been more emphatic as it came right under the noses of those in town for the sale when the filly's year-older sister made an explosive debut in the Arqana Series des Pouliches at Deauville on Thursday evening.

Named Rose Bloom (Ire) and running in the colours of the China Horse Club she was however only enhancing an already strong family. Other half-siblings include the G3 Prix Six Perfections winner See The Rose (Ire) and Listed winner Xaarino (Fr), both of whom are by Kendargent (Fr).

The yearling duly sold for €460,000 just over 24 hours later and was signed for by Alex Elliott on behalf of Coolmore.  

 

 

Buy of the Day

Lot 40, B, C, Hello Youmzain (Fr)-Rime A Rien (GB) (Amadeus Wolf {Ire})
Vendor: Haras de Montaigu
Buyer: Longways Stables
Price: €105,000

The first yearlings by Haras d'Etreham's dual Group 1-winning sprinter Hello Youmzain have impressed at Arqana, generally exhibiting a decent action and looking fairly forward types. It will be no surprise if they catch the eye of some of the breeze-up buyers, and indeed this colt out of the proven producer and stakes-placed Rime A Rien was bought by Mick Murphy and Sarah O'Connell of Longways Stables. If he gallops as well as he walks he could well prove profitable back in Deauville next May, especially as his half-siblings include the G2 Sapphire S. winner Soffia (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) and the Listed-placed multiple winner Nationalista (Fr) (Nathaniel {Ire}).

 

The post Sheikh Mohammed Jets In to Arqana for €1.25m Dubawi Colt  appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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