Encouraging Start To Arqana’s Sales Year

Arqana has its first auction of the year in the book and the activity across the last two days at the mixed February Sale will likely have pleased Eric Hoyeau and his team after some solid trade, particularly for broodmares. That has been very much in accordance with similar sales which have already taken place in Britain and Ireland this year and, from a larger catalogue than last year's lockdown fare, the figures at Arqana have lifted slightly across the board. 

Turnover was of course up, with 38 more horses sold this time around at the close of trade, bringing an aggregate of €4,154,00, representing an improvement of 37.7%. The median rose slightly to €6,000 from €5,500 and the average was up by 19.8% at €13,847. The clearance rate was unchanged at 80%.

It didn't take long for trade to click into top gear with the arrival in the ring, five lots from the start of the session, of Osaila (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), the dual Group 3 winner in her days in training with Richard Hannon.

It didn't take long for trade to click into top gear with the arrival in the ring, five lots from the start of the session, of Osaila (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), the dual Group 3 winner in her days in training with Richard Hannon. 

Arthur Hoyeau ended up in front as the bidding settled at €200,000 for the 10-year-old mare (lot 224), who is grand-daughter of the great Detroit (Fr) (Riverman {Fr}), one of the rare broodmares to have won the Arc herself and to have produced an Arc winner, in this case Carnegie (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). Osaila will head to Coolmore Stud in Ireland for a date with the European Horse of the Year for 2021.

“She is a very beautiful mare, with one of the best profiles in the sale,” said Hoyeau. “She had a great racing career and her pedigree is exceptional. She is already the dam of a winner and will be covered by St Mark's Basilica (Fr) this season.”

The further family of Osaila, who was not in foal after being covered by Toronado (Ire) last season, includes the G2 Ribblesdale S. victrix Banimpire (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and Melbourne Cup winner Twilight Payment (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).

The in-foal crew was led by lot 227, the Dubawi (Ire) mare Zomara (Fr), who is a winning half-sister to Listed winner Merveillo (Fr) (Archipenko). With a yearling colt by Starspangledbanner (Aus) already on the ground, she was sold by the Channel Consignment carrying to Haras d'Etreham's young sire Persian King (Ire), with Alain Decrion bidding on behalf of Yeomanstown Stud to €140,000. The mare's dam Merville (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) is a half-sister to the Group 1 winners and stallions Ectot (Ire) and Most Improved (Ire).

The most sought-after mares of the day came through in quick succession, with lot 231 Helcia (Fr) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), who is in foal to Mehmas, selling to David Redvers, bidding on the phone via Freddy Powell, for €115,000. The 6-year-old mare is a daughter of the dual GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Mizdirection (Mizzen Mast).

Among the smart Flat pedigrees were some decent mares with strong dual-purpose credentials, and none more so than Crystal Reef (GB) (King's Best), whose three Group-winning half-brothers Martaline (GB), Reefscape (GB) and Coastal Path (GB) have all posted some notable results as National Hunt sires. Now 17, Crystal Reef has produced the G2 Prix Chaudenay winner Doha Dream (Ire) (Shamardal) and was offered as lot 411 in foal to the most sought-after French jumps sire, Doctor Dino (Fr). Sebastien Desmontils of Chauvigny Global Equine was the successful bidder at €130,000.

Bidding via telephone, agent Paul Harley went to €120,000 for lot 388, the pretty grey Galileo (Ire) sister to stakes winners Pablo Escobarr (Ire) and Roberto Escobarr (Ire). The 8-year-old was offered in foal to Starspangledbanner (Aus) by Haras de Bouquetot, and she will now join Anna Sundstrom at Coulonces. Bouquetot ended the two days as the leading vendor, with 11 horses sold for €809,000.

Top marks in the yearling section went to Domaine de l'Etang's colt by No Nay Never (lot 222). The son of the Galileo mare Meeting (Ire), from the family of Gregorian (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}), was pinhooked by Charles Briere of the Fairway Consignment at €80,000.

“I bought him for a partnership,” Briere said. “He is a beautiful colt who should mature well and he is bred on a good cross.”

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Group 3 Winner Pollara, In Foal To War Front, Tops Second Day Of Keeneland November Sale At $975,000

Pollara, a Group 3 winner in France who is carrying her first foal by War Front, sold to Arthur Hoyeau, agent, for $975,000 during Tuesday's second session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, which was marked by international and domestic participation.

A total of 197 horses sold today for $27,690,000, for an average of $140,558 and a median of $100,000.

Through two sessions, 325 horses have grossed $77,465,000, for an average of $238,354 and a median of $135,000.

“Overall the market is strong,” Keeneland President-Elect and Interim Head of Sales Shannon Arvin said. “Five mares sold today for more than $500,000, which is pretty comparable to last year's session. Consignors have commented to us that they have been a little surprised at the strength of the market. So trade is strong.”

Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell agreed.

“Phil Schoenthal from Maryland brought Matt Dorman, who's developing a breeding operation, so they are here to fill up a farm,” he said. “Our international clients who came last year are back buying to lay down the foundations for their breeding operations. Keeneland is where the world comes to buy. If you look at the leading buyers at the end of the day. you have European, American and Japanese interests. There was a great mix of people today, and we hope that continues.”

Pollara, a 5-year-old daughter of Camelot, is out of the winning Storm Cat mare Brooklyn's Storm, a half-sister to French highweight and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Solemia. She is also from the family of French highweight and multiple Group 1 winner Silasol and group winners Prospect Wells and Prospect Park.

“She is going back to France,” said Henri Bozo, manager of Ecurie des Monceaux, about Pollara. “She is a very exciting mare. She is in foal to a very proven stallion. We try to breed classic winners. She stood out in Book 2.”

Pollara was consigned by Claiborne Farm, agent.

“She's such a nice mare, a group winner in France and in foal to the right horse,” Claiborne President Walker Hancock said. “Every single mare in the family is in foal to a world-leading sire. It's a very active family and they've all been bred to the best sires in the world. There are tons of upside to the family. When you have a page like that, a race record like that and in foal to the right sire the sky's the limit.”

Schoenthal, agent for Dorman's Determined Stud, paid $800,000 for Style and Grace, a winning, 4-year-old daughter of Curlin who is carrying her first foal by City of Light, and $600,000 for Vevina, a 5-year-old, stakes-placed daughter of More Than Ready who is carrying her first foal by Uncle Mo.

Style and Grace, a half-sister to Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Furthest Land, was consigned by Lane's End, agent. Out of the Rahy mare Flagrant, she is from the family of Grade 2 winner Ready for Rye and Grade 3 winner Dynever.

Vevina, who was consigned by Kingswood Farm, is out of My Sugar Bear, by Giant's Causeway. She is from the family of Grade 2 winners Possible Mate and Guided Tour.

Determined Stud is a new breeding and racing operation that acquired several horses at Keeneland's 2020 September Yearling Sale.

“We're just buying quality,” Dorman said about Determined's broodmare purchases on Tuesday. “We have some stallion shares so we have some stallions in mind. The farm is in Boyds, Maryland. We are really looking for quality, so I think the band will be around the 15-horse mark and then we will go from there.”

Lane's End was the session's leading consignor, selling 31 horses for $4,716,000.

Woodford Thoroughbreds paid $575,000 for Grade 3-placed mare Hot Cash, a full-sister to Grade 1 winner Stately Victor carrying her first foal by Curlin. Consigned by Hidden Brook, agent, the 5-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper is out of Grade 1 winner Collect the Cash, by Dynaformer.

“She will be a good addition to the broodmare band,” said Lincoln Collins, who signed the ticket for Hot Cash. “No breeding plans yet; we will sit down and think about it. We knew she was going to be expensive but you never quite know what that means. It is a better market than I think any of us thought it would be. The horse business is alive and well.”

“She sold well. We are happy,” Hidden Brook's Dan Hall said. “She's a young mare who could run and she's in foal to the right horse. (Her sale is part of) a major reduction (for Adena Springs), getting the numbers way down. It makes sense right now. We have close to 90, between mares and weanlings, all in this sale. There has been a lot of interest at the barn at all levels.”

For the second day, a colt from the first crop of undefeated 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify was the session's top-priced weaning. On Tuesday, M.V. Magnier paid $475,000 for the first foal of Grade 3-placed winner Inchargeofme. Nursery Place, agent, consigned the colt, who is from the family of Group 1-placed Johann Straus.

“He's a beautiful-looking horse, and Justify is making very good foals,” Coolmore's David Wachman said. “We're just excited to be able to buy a very nice horse by him. Across the board, they're very good, and he's a very smart horse, that horse. We're happy to have him.”

Yeguada Centurion of Spain led buyers by spending $3,127,000 for 17 horses.

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Hoyeau Launches Windfield Site

Arthur Hoyeau has launched a website for his transatlanic bloodstock advistory and trading service Windfield, which has bases in Lexington, Kentucky and Saint-Cloud, France. Services offered by Hoyeau through Windfield include private acquisitions and public sales work; partnerships for racing, commercial breeding or short-term investments; and portfolio management.

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