Arqana October Yearling Sale | Horse Racing Free Tips

Zarak Filly Leads The Way At Arqana

DEAUVILLE, France–Zarak (Fr), the Aga Khan Studs' beautifully bred son of Dubawi (Ire) and Arc heroine Zarkava (Fr), has made a promising start with his first 2-year-old runners this season and currently has 11 winners to his name from 26 runners. At the weekend he was represented by his first stakes winner when the Gestut Haus Zoppenbroich homebred Lizaid (Ger) the G3 Preis der Winterkonigin for Peter Schiergen at Baden-Baden, while another recent winner, Zagrey (Fr), gave an important update to the filly who topped trade as Part III of the Arqana October Yearling Sale got underway on Thursday.

Lot 568, the Zarak filly from Haras de Castillon out of Grey Anatomy (Fr) (Slickly {Fr}), was bought for €95,000 by Anne-Sophie Yoh Benet of YOHEA, having received a boost to her page by the victory of her full-brother on Oct. 11 at Amiens.

She is also a half-sister to the treble winner and Group 1-placed Graignes (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}).

“She is a beautiful, well-bred filly, and she really had something special,” said Yoh Benet. “I bought her for a new client for whom I bought several broodmares last year and who wanted to invest in yearlings. We have bought five in total, they will stay in France and we will decide on the trainer according to the profiles of the fillies.”

At a drenched Deauville racecourse on Thursday, the Al Shaqab juvenile Welwal (GB) continued his upwardly mobile progression with his second victory in three starts, and a yearling by his sire Shalaa (Ire) was the leading colt of the day when bought by John Hammond and Federico Barberini for €43,000. Offered as lot 609 as one of a smart draft from Guillaume and Camille Vitse's Normandie Breeding, he is a son of the 2-year-old listed winner Luna Royale (Fr) (Royal Applause {GB}).

A smaller fourth session of the sale saw 76 yearlings sold–or 83.5%–at an average of €16,007 (+15%) and median of €14,0000. The day's aggregate of €1,216,500 pushed the tally for the sale as a whole past €26 million, which is already up by 50% on 2021 with one session of around 100 yearlings to sell on Friday from 11am.

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Rosacea’s Sister Tops Arqana October Day Three

DEAUVILLE, Newmarket–By the end of the second session of the Arqana October Sale, turnover had already passed the 2020 total for all five days, and trade continued to bowl along in a similarly upbeat fashion on Wednesday with another €4,744,000 added to the overall tally which has just passed the €25-million mark. To put that in context, the current aggregate has been achieved from the sale of 424 yearlings so far this week. Last year, €18,617,000 was paid for 578 horses, and from a significantly smaller sale in 2019, €17,456,500 was accrued from 414 horses.

In short, Arqana is well on its way to record October figures. Wednesday's session posted the highest clearance rate yet this week of 87%, with the 139 horses sold setting an average price of €34,130 (+41%) and median of €28,000, up from €20,000.

Across the road from the sales at the racecourse on Tuesday, Rosacea (Fr) (Soldier Hollow {Ger}) went into plenty of notebooks as a filly to follow towards next season's Classics when winning the G3 Prix des Reservoirs. Fast-forward 24 hours and it was her yearling half-sister's turn in the spotlight–in the sales ring for now, but with the aim being that she can follow her sibling in being an above-average galloper.

“Let's hope she can run a bit. She's an athletic filly from a good family and her sister ran very well yesterday,” said John Hammond after buying Haras de la Perelle's daughter of Tamayuz (GB) for €125,000. Her winning dam Relizane (GB) is a Zamindar half-sister to Reggane (GB) (Red Ransom), winner of the GI EP Taylor S.

The former trainer was standing with Mathieu Alex of Sumbe and confirmed that the filly (lot 377) had been bought to race in partnership for Gerard Augustin-Normand and Nurlan Bizakov, the owner of Haras de Montfort, where Augustin-Normand's former Prix du Jockey Club winner Le Havre (Ire) has stood so successfully since 2010.

Now 15, Le Havre was responsible for the top-priced colt of the day, lot 396, who was bred by Rashit Shaykhutdinov and consigned on his behalf by Haras d'Ombreville. A gaggle of connections gathered in the passage to the right of the auctioneer, with the colt being knocked down at €120,000 in favour of Alain Decrion, who was standing with Nicolas de Watrigant and trainer Jerome Reynier. The latter confirmed that the son of the Group 3-placed Sage Melody (Fr) (Sageburg) had been bought for one of his principal patrons, Jean-Claude Seroul, the owner of two Group 1 winners with Reynier this year in Marianafoot (Fr) and Skalleti (Fr).

Reynier said, “He's a very athletic colt and his dam was a very good racemare. He has a lot going for him and his half-brother Millau (Fr) has just earned some black type.”

The same team later signed for a Zoffany (Ire) grandson of the GI Canadian International winner Sarah Lynx (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) at €70,000. Consigned by Haras de Bourgeauville as lot 406, the colt is the first foal of the listed-placed Segra (Ire) (Shamardal).

Immediately preceding the Le Havre colt's turn in the ring was a young son of Almanzor (Fr), whose first-crop runners have included the Group 3 and listed runners-up Queen Trezy (Fr) and Saving Grace (Fr) in the last two days. Lot 395, from the Haras d'Etreham stallion's second crop, was bred by Pierre Cornou, who will retain a share in the colt, who was signed for by Ghislain Bozo for €100,000.

From the Lagardere family which includes Arc winner Sagamix (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}) and the G1 Grand Prix de Paris-winning Galileo (Ire) full-brothers Japan (GB) and Mogul (GB), the page has been given another boost this season by the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S. winner Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}).

“The breeder wanted to keep a part of the horse and so we'll put together a partnership,” Bozo said. “He will be sent into training with Edouard Monfort. He may be only of average size but he's a really good-looking colt and the family has done well recently.”

English agent Daniel Creighton stepped in late in the session to buy the Marc Bridoux-bred daughter of Shalaa (Ire) from the Haras de la Hotellerie draft for €110,000. The filly's dam Crystal War (Ire) (Declaration Of War) cut no ice on the track but as a half-sister to the St Leger winner Rule Of Law (Kingmambo) and two other black-type performers, she had plenty of residual value and her first foal (lot 521) was well received at Arqana. The family also includes Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), recent winner of the GIII Knickerbocker S. in the U.S. for Chad Brown and a grand-daughter of Rule Of Law's full-sister Katyusha.

Seabhac, a son of Scat Daddy standing at Larissa Kneip's Haras de Saint Arnoult, has his first yearlings selling this year and the leader so far at Arqana is Thierry de la Heronniere's daughter of Shimmering Sands (Fr) (Medicean {GB}), who sold to Prime Equestrian for €77,000. The filly's 2-year-old half-sister Anterselva (Fr) (Fast Company {Ire}) has won this season for Gianluca Bietolini as well as finishing runner-up in the listed Prix La Fleche.

Seabhac, who stood his first season at a fee of €5,000, has had three yearlings sold this week for an average of €39,667.

The demand for the first yearlings of Cloth Of Stars (Ire) also continued on Wednesday, with Tina Rau and Nicolas Clement going to €76,000 for lot 454 from Haras d'Haspel. The filly's dam Vejer (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) is a half-sister to young stallion and Group 1 winner Zelzal (Ire), who is bred on the same Sea The Stars (Ire)-Kingmambo cross as Cloth Of Stars. The latter's 14 yearlings sold at Arqana October have returned an average of €66,500.

There are still two days of the Arqana October Yearling Sale to go, and those who love to find a bargain can take some encouragement from the impressive debut of the Jane Chapple-Hyam-trained Claymore (Fr) (New Bay {GB}) at Newmarket–one of three juvenile winners for the Ballylinch Stud stallion on Wednesday. Bought at Arqana October last year for €5,000 by breeze-up pinhookers Mary Reynolds and Ambrose O'Mullane of Ardglas Stables, the colt then sold for £10,000 at the relocated Goresbridge Breeze-up in June.

Claymore made nearly all in the seven-furlong novice contest to post a four-length victory over the Godolphin favourite Noble Order (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and is now being quoted at around 40/1 for next year's 2000 Guineas. Chapple-Hyam is also responsible for New Bay's first Group 1 winner, Saffron Beach (Ire).

Action returns to the ring at Arqana on Thursday at 2 p.m. local time.

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Rosy Glow Continues As Sun Shines On Arqana

DEAUVILLE, France–In weather that wouldn't have felt out of place for Arqana's August Sale, the sales ground in Deauville was bathed in warm sunshine on Tuesday while trade in the ring continued to be similarly encouraging.

There was a time when Elusive City, at €15,000, was the most expensive stallion at stud in France. Much has changed in the intervening decade and the former Haras d'Etreham stallion was lost to the local breeding industry when suffering a heart attack in 2019 after standing ten seasons in France. But he was remembered at Arqana on Tuesday when a member of his final crop provided one of the highlights of the second session. The colt out of the Allied Forces mare Forces Sweetheart brought a bid of €150,000 from Paul Harley which was enough to lead the second session of the five-day sale.

As a full-brother to G3 Prix Paul de Moussac winner National Service (Fr), the colt had plenty to recommend him on paper but it was his physical attributes that swayed Harley in favour of lot 252, as well as the lure of the €200,000 Criterium de la Vente de Yearlings d'Octobre Arqana.

He said, “I just thought he was one of the best horses today. He looks an athlete, a racehorse, with a good mind. His full-brother won as a 2-year-old and I suppose we will always have in the back of our minds the Arqana sales race on Arc weekend. It would be nice to have a run before then in September.”

Harley added, “It's not yet decided where he will be trained but he will stay in France.”

It was a good day for Anna Sundstrom of Coulonces, who consigned the colt and three of the six highest-priced yearlings of the session, including lot 253, a first-crop son of Coolmore freshman Sioux Nation, who sold for €87,000 to Marco Bozzi.

With a changed sale format over the last two years, since when the October Sale has been extended to five days, it is hard to make reliable comparisons on figures. But drawing a direct line to last year's sale, held just before France was plunged back into an extended lockdown, plenty of improvement in the trade is shown 12 months on. The aggregate of €3,865,500 was up by 25%, while the average rose by 39% to €36,814. The median improved from €20,000 to €29,000 and the clearance rate of 83.3%, from 105 of the 126 lots sold, was almost identical to 2020.

Christophe Ferland will take charge of Jedburgh Stud's smart daughter of Iffraaj (GB) (lot 258) on behalf of Swedish owner Finn Blichfeldt, who has enjoyed success on the track in France this year with juvenile winner and listed runner-up Hot Queen (Fr) (Recorder {GB}). Blichfeldt also breeds in the country under the name AB Ascot.

Ghislain Bozo went to €140,000 for the owner/breeder to secure the first foal of Gaviota (Fr) (Rio De La Plata). The dependable Iffraaj has already worked well with the family as the mare is a half-sister to his son and Group 3 winner Dibajj (Fr). The further family also includes the King's Stand S winner Chineur (Fr), as well as the G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up The Summit (Fr), by Iffraaj's son Wootton Bassett (GB).

“She's very racy, with a lot of quality,” said Bozo. “The family has a lot of speed and she will one day have a good profile for a broodmare. Christophe Ferland will train her for my Scandinavian client AB Ascot.”

Roughly an hour after Carlos and Yann Lerner had provided Almanzor (Fr) with his first black-type performer in the G3 Prix des Reservoirs runner-up Queen Trezy (Fr), the father-and-son training team was in action at Arqana and bought a yearling by the same sire for €130,000. Lot 242 is the second foal of Et Toi Et Moi (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), a winner at three for Jean-Claude Rouget and out of a half-sister to five black-type winners.

Al Wukair (Ire), Haras de Bouquetot's son of Dream Ahead, has sired more winners than any other freshman sire in France this season with eight to his name, and one of his second-crop daughters ended up among the six-figure yearlings on Tuesday when sold for €110,000 to Mandore International and John Hammond.

The half-sister to listed winner Mouillage (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}) is out of the Cape Cross (Ire) mare Hazely (GB) and was consigned as lot 270 by Normandie Breeding. She will race in partnership for Al Shaqab and Gerard Augustin-Normand.

Al Wukair's stablemate Zelzal (Fr), by Sea The Stars (Ire), has also made a promising start with his first runners this year, with his six winners headed by the treble scorer and listed victrix Zelda (Fr). At Arqana over the last two days, five of his yearlings have sold for an average of €94,800, with David Redvers having bid €170,000 on Monday for a half-sister to listed winner Bebeautiful (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) from Haras d'Haspel, the breeder of Native Trail (GB).

The G3 Prix des Reservoirs, run at Deauville an hour before the start of Tuesday's sale, was won last year by subsequent G1 Qatar Prix de l'Opera winner Rougir (Fr) (Territories {Ire}), who, with Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}), has provided two Group 1 winners in a fortnight for the Haras de la Gousserie and trainer Cedric Rossi. The result of this year's race had a bearing on the October Sale as Wednesday's session features a half-sister to the winner Rosacea (Fr) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) as lot 377, who is set to sell in the first half-hour of trade at around 2:30pm. The daughter of Tamayuz (GB) is consigned by her breeder Haras de la Perelle and is out of a winning Zamindar half-sister to the GI EP Taylor S. winner Reggane (GB) (Red Ransom).

Wednesday's session at Arqana begins at 2 p.m. local time.

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Camelot Colt Tops Buoyant Arqana Opener

DEAUVILLE, France–A strong opening day of the Arqana October Sale saw a colt by Camelot (GB) top proceedings at €440,000, bought late in the session by Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International Agency on behalf of MV Magnier.

Consigned by the leading vendor Ecurie des Monceaux, lot 209 is a half-brother to the listed Prix Michel Houyvet winner Big Blue (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

As has been seen throughout the European yearling season so far, there was a buoyant level of trade in Deauville on Monday, with figures exceeding the pre-pandemic returns of 2019.

Turnover from 180 horses sold reached €16,017,000, with the average of €88,983 being up by 53% on last year and comparing favourably to the 2019 figure of €81,362. The median of €65,000 was up from €60,000 in 2019 and €43,000 12 months ago. The clearance rate was also up at 82.5%.

Wootton Bassett In Demand

For much of the day colts by Siyouni (Fr) and Wootton Bassett (GB) had shared top billing, with each being sold for €420,000, to Coolmore and Anthony Stroud, respectively.

Wootton Bassett may no longer stand in France but his burgeoning reputation ensured that he played a significant role during the first session at Arqana. Anthony Stroud and Matt Coleman signed for four of his yearlings, including the day's co-second-top lot (lot 49). Though that colt out of the Frankel (GB) half-sister to Charm Spirit (Ire), bought for €420,000 from Ecurie des Monceaux, was for an undisclosed client, two of the quartet were bought for Alison Swinburn, who has enjoyed noted success with the stallion through Audarya (Fr). The G1 Prix Jean Romanet and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner was bought from this sale for €125,000 back in 2017.

After signing for lot 14, a daughter of the Group 3-placed Harem Lady (Fr) (Teofilo {Ire}) at €210,000 from Haras d'Etreham, Stroud said, “She's been bought for the same connections as Audarya and will go into training with James Fanshawe. She's a lovely, athletic filly.”

That purchase was backed up a little later by the acquisition of lot 45 from La Motteraye Consignment. Knocked down at €270,000, the colt is the first foal of the dual winner Lolldaiga (Ire), who is also by Teofilo and is a granddaughter of the G3 Prix de Flore winner Louve (Irish River {Fr}).

Stroud Coleman also signed for lot 153, Haras de la Louivere's May-born colt out of the unraced Tubereuse (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), a sister to the G3 Prix d'Aumale winner Lesstalk In Paris (Fr), for €310,000.

With 14 yearlings sold during the first session, Wootton Bassett's average for the sale stood at €200,857.

Al Shaqab and Etreham Partner Up

Al Shaqab Racing were also among the buyers of Wootton Bassett's stock, with the team going to €220,000 to secure lot 80 through Nicolas de Watrigant. Another from the Monceaux draft, the filly is a daughter of the South African Grade 3 winner and Grade 1 runner-up Olma (SAf) (Dynasty SAf), herself a granddaughter of the G1 Fillies' Mile victrix Teggiano (Ire) (Mujtahid).

Al Shaqab's purchases on Monday also included a Sea The Stars (Ire) colt bred on the same Kingmambo cross as Saturday's G1 Queen Elizabeth II winner Baaeed (GB), as well as the Al Shaqab stallion Zelzal (Ire), another Group 1-winning miler by the Aga Khan Studs stallion.

After going to €320,000 for the full-brother to listed winner Sivoliere (Fr) (lot 117) from the Etreham draft, Al Shaqab's Paul Hensey said, “He was our pick of the catalogue today. Obviously Sea The Stars is going from strength to strength and he's bred on the same cross as Zelzal, which was of interest to us. He will be trained by Stephane Wattel.”

Al Shaqab also formed a partnership with Etreham to buy the Haras de Fresneaux-bred colt by Almanzor (Fr), whose dam Rapid Transaction (A P Indy) is a granddaughter of the GI Kentucky Oaks winner and stellar producer Blush With Pride (Blushing Groom). Offered as lot 98 through Haras des Capucines, the half-brother to black-type earners Fastidious (Fr) and Central Park West (Fr) was bought for €180,000.

Siyouni Stronghold

Coolmore's support for Siyouni (Fr) yearlings has been strong this season in particular, but that's hardly a surprise given that it recruited Arc winner Sottsass (Fr) to the stallion yard in Fethard for the 2021 season and has already welcomed this season's outstanding 3-year-old St Mark's Basilica (Fr) ahead of next season. Those two stallions are both out of daughters of Galileo (Ire) but Monday's acquisition (lot 67) is a son of the listed-winning Montjeu (Ire) mare Modern Eagle (Ger).

Strong competition for the half-brother to the listed-placed Masterpiece (Fr) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) took agent Laurent Benoit to €420,000 and he later confirmed that he had been bought for the Coolmore partners.

Those partners sometimes include Peter Brant of White Birch Farm, who in his own right went to €350,000 for a filly by young Coolmore stallion Churchill (Ire). Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock did the bidding on his behalf for lot 119, the half-sister to G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Shakeel (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}), who was bred and sold by Haras de Montaigu.

“She'll be trained here in Deauville by Jean-Claude Rouget,” said the agent.

Zerolo and Brant also struck late in the day for lot 201, another of the colts to have contributed to a good day for Wootton Bassett. The grandson of the G1 Nassau S. winner Winsili (GB) (Dansili {GB}) was bought from La Motteraye for €400,000.

Bouchard Invests In Dubawi Filly

There was just one Dubawi yearling in the Arqana October catalogue and she will eventually join the broodmare band being assembled by Jean-Louis Bouchard, who bought the half-sister to G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Intellogent (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) for €340,000 through agent Gerard Larrieu.

“I love Dubawi,” said Bouchard , who was in the restaurant with Larrieu and trainer Pascal Bary as the Ecurie des Monceaux-consigned filly (lot 77) went through the ring. “I like the filly, she's very tall. I bought a stud about four or five years ago and we have been building that up and I need very good mares for the future. I think she should be a very good broodmare, she's the sister of a Group 1 winner, she's got everything [going] for her.”

Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland signed up one of the two Galileo (Ire) colts in the sale, a half-brother to the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. winner Mukhadram (GB) (Shamardal), sold as lot 55 through Haras des Capucines for €260,000.

“He's been bought for an established client who has horses in training in France, Ireland and England,” said the agent. “We thought he was a good physical and obviously he has a good pedigree. They're not making Galileos any more so we thought he was a bit of value.”

The colt is out of Magic Tree (UAE) (Timber Country), a half-sister to the Group 1 winners Mastery (GB) (Sulamani {Ire}) and Kirklees (Ire) (Jade Robbery).

Rising Stars

Cloth Of Stars (Ire), another Group 1 winner bred on the Sea The Stars–Kingmambo cross, has his first yearlings for sale this year and made quite a splash on Monday through lot 145, the half-brother to G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis winner Ocean (Fr) (Exosphere {Aus}). Bred by Julian Ince as Haras du Logis, where the stallion stands, the colt is out of Tevara (GB) (Compton Place {GB}), who is also responsible for the listed winner Aiming For Rio (Fr), by another Logis stallion, Rio De La Plata. The mare is out of the G2 Cherry Hinton S. winner Torgau (Ire), whose sire Zieten also stood at Haras du Logis.

“It's fantastic,” said Ince after Anthony Stroud signed for the son of Cloth Of Stars at €280,000. “We brought three here by the stallion and they loved them. Someone even accused me of cloning yearlings as they all look so alike. It's great to have a stallion who is producing such lovely stock.”

It was announced this week that last season's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Victor Ludorum (Ire) (Shamardal) will stand at Haras du Logis from 2022.

A Duo For Australia

Niall O'Connor, who graduated from the Godolphin Flying Start course last year, got his career as a bloodstock agent off on a promising footing with the purchase of two yearlings for the Australian training partnership of McEvoy Mitchell Racing.

His second signing of the day at €185,000 was for lot 91, a daughter of Camelot (GB), who has enjoyed notable success in Australia through Group 1 winners Russian Camelot (Ire) and the ill-fated Cox Plate winner Sir Dragonet (Ire). Consigned by Anna Sundstrom's Coulonces operation, she is the first foal of 3-year-old winner Pink Paint (Fr) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) from the Wildenstein family of Arc winner Peintre Celebre.

The agent had also struck early for lot 12, going to €105,000 for a daughter of Le Havre (Ire) and another first foal, this time out of the winning Rajsaman (Fr) mare Gouville (Fr). The further family includes a name familiar to Australian racing fans in Contributor (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), a dual Group 1 winner in the country for John O'Shea and Godolphin.

“This was a team effort between Tony and Calvin McEvoy and their regular agent Damon Gabbedy, who unfortunately couldn't be here because of the travel restrictions,” said O'Connor, who has previously worked at both Keeneland and Magic Millions. He has also completed stints with agents Dermot Farrington and Jeremy Brummitt, with the latter charged with buying yearlings for Quantum Leap Racing, which is run by O'Connor's father, Eamonn.

He added, “While on the Flying Start I had a work placement with McEvoy Mitchell Racing at Flemington and they expressed an interest then in getting involved in Europe. Hopefully these two fillies can prove their worth on the track. The market has been so strong for colts this year. We looked last week at Tattersalls and came on here in the hope of finding a bit of value. The Camelot filly was one of the nicest on the sale and we're lucky to have her.”

Selling recommences at Arqana at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.

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