Arqana | Horse Racing Free Tips

Bloodstock Agent Chris Richner Dies At 68

Chris Richner, a popular face on the French sales circuit who combined his bloodstock agency with being a longtime representative of the Agence Francaise and Arqana, has died at the age of 68 from Covid-19.

The Swiss-born horseman worked in banking in England and Switzerland before putting his equine knowledge to good use in his role as an agent particularly focused on assisting Eastern European clients.

Among the Classic winners purchased by Richner for Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic are Border War (Fr), Czech Chardonney (Fr), Eminens (Fr) and Magnas (Fr), while Autor (Ire) won the G3 St Leger Italiano. He was also responsible for buying Tzigane Du Berlais (Fr) (Poliglote {GB}), winner of the famous Velka Pardubice steeplechase, as a yearling from Arqana for €26,000.

Two of Richner's best known purchases were Subway Dancer (Ire), a dual Group winner in France who was also third in the G1 Champion S on British Champions Day, and the G2 Prix du Gros Chene winner Tour To Paris (Fr).

Acknowledging his contribution to the sales company, a statement released by Arqana said, “We sincerely thank [Chris] for all these years spent at our side. Always a friendly face at the sales, his joie de vivre and kindness will be missed by all.”

The post Bloodstock Agent Chris Richner Dies At 68 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Le Courtois Appointed ARQANA Manager of Info. Systems

ARQANA announced the addition of Pierre Le Courtois to the position of Manager of Information Systems. The 26-year-old native of France graduated with a General Engineering degree before specialising in Network and Information Systems at EIGSI in La Rochelle. More recently, he was in charge of web development and project management at a digital services company for a little over a year. Additionally, Le Courtois secured an amateur rider's license in 2012 and served stints with trainers Arnaud Chaille-Chaille, Pierre Fertillet and Willie Mullins.

“Pierre's training and experience will enable him to design and manage various projects to improve the experience of our buyers and vendors, using digital technology to make their lives easier,” said ARQANA President Eric Hoyeau. “He will also be in charge of cyber security and technology watch to identify and imagine the practices that will make tomorrow's sales.”

The post Le Courtois Appointed ARQANA Manager of Info. Systems appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Miami Voice Tops Arqana Online Sale

Miami Voice (Ire) (Shalaa) (lot 1), a debut winner at Fontainebleau on Mar. 12 for trainer Alessandro Botti, topped three lots sold during Arqana Online's latest sale on Friday. The 3-year-old colt was bought for €250,000 by Mandore International Agency and Meridian International, with Nicolas de Watrigant explaining the transaction was made on behalf of a partnership.

“We've bought him for a syndicate that is made up of Alain Jathiere, Gerard Augustin-Normand, Carlo Ancelotti and Sol Kumin”, de Watrigant said. “He'll continue his career with Alessandro Botti.”

Miami Voice is out of Lou (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), an unraced half-sister to triple Group 1 winner and sire Charm Spirit (Ire) and also from the family of last year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches scorer Dream And Do (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}).

Three of the six lots offered were sold during the sale. De Watrigant also swooped at €150,000 for another 3-year-old colt, Sotoro (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}) (lot 3), who was third in the Listed Prix Montenica on Mar. 18 for trainer Edouard Montfort. De Watrigant confirmed that Sotoro is for Sol Kumin's Madaket Stables. “He'll stay in France in view to running in the Prix Djebel if the ground is good because Edouard says he is in very good form,” de Watrigant said. “However, if it rains, he'll go straight to the United States.”

Boogie (Fr) (Sri Putra {GB}) (lot 4), second on his debut over hurdles at Compiegne in the Prix d'Essai des Poulains, was bought by Yannick Fouin for €80,000.

Arqana President Eric Hoyeau and executive director Freddy Powell said, “We would like to thank all the vendors and bidders that have trusted in us in the organisation of this sale, and we wish the best to the new owners with their purchases. We are satisfied overall, and Arqana Online is a good opportunity to showcase recent performers. The buyers were there, and once again it has proved that this type of sale represents a good opportunity between two physical sales.”

The post Miami Voice Tops Arqana Online Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Arqana May Breeze-Up Catalogue Online

A total of 158 2-year-olds have been catalogued for the 2021 Arqana Deauville Breeze-Up Sale, to be held Friday, May 14, beginning at 1pm, one day after all the lots will perform their under-tack breezes at Deauville-La Touques Racecourse.

The catalogue is enriched with pedigrees to appeal to an international buying bench, with many prominent sires from either side of the Atlantic strongly represented. European stalwarts include the likes of Dark Angel (Ire), Dubawi (Ire), Exceed and Excel (Aus), Galileo (Ire), Invincible Spirit (Ire), Mehmas (Ire), No Nay Never, Sea The Stars (Ire), the late Shamardal, successful dual-hemisphere stallion Showcasing (GB), Siyouni (Fr) and Wootton Bassett (GB). The young progeny of first-crop sires such as Almanzor (Fr), Caravaggio and Churchill (Ire) are also set to go under the hammer in Deauville.

The May Breeze-Up Sale can proudly boast of having sold American Classic winner War of Will (€250,000, 2018 sale), who added last year's GI Maker's Mark Mile to his victory in the 2019 GI Preakness S. There is no shortage of American horse power in this year's event, as Triple Crown winner American Pharoah–sire of the €1.1-million sales-topping Ocean Atlantique–the reliable Distorted Humor, leading sire Into Mischief, Medaglia d'Oro, More Than Ready, Speightstown and War of Will's sire War Front all feature in the catalogue.

Seven of the sale's offerings are either out of Group 1 winners or are related to top-level scorers, including lot 22, a Dark Angel (Ire) son of G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) from the draft of Star Bloodstock; and lot 143, a Caravaggio half-sister to dual South African Grade 1 winner Queen Supreme (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) from Kilbrew Stables.

Brendan Holland's Grove Stud was responsible for last year's €715,000 sales-topping daughter of War Front–Beauty Parlor (Elusive Quality) and that operation will be represented by 10 juveniles, chief among them lot 76, a colt by American Pharoah and the second produce of Queen of the Sand (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), a Grade III winner and Grade I placed in America. A total of 35 vendors will travel from France, Ireland and Britain to Deauville.

Already in 2021, Arqana Breeze-Up graduates have made their mark at the Dubai World Cup Carnival. Al Tariq (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a €150,000 graduate of the 2018 sale, took out the G3 Al Shindagha Sprint and is one of 14 entered for Saturday's US$1.5-million G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan. Midnight Sands (Speightstown) made a successful Dubai return in the G3 Burj Nahaar S. on Super Saturday Mar. 6 and the €80,000 grad figures to take plenty of beating in the G2 Godolphin Mile earlier on World Cup Saturday. Summer Romance (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), the €800,000 second-dearest lot in 2019 when purchased by Godolphin, added the G2 Balanchine S. to her success in last year's G3 Princess Elizabeth S. at Epsom.

Click here for the complete catalogue.

The post Arqana May Breeze-Up Catalogue Online appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post