‘Stubborn’ Buyer Wins Out At Arqana As Buskop Bags 190k Zarak Foal 

By Brian Sheerin and Katie Petrunyak

Danish buyer Morten Buskop was left thanking his lucky stars on Sunday that his unnamed but long-standing client was more stubborn than him as he came out on top for the €190,000 Zarak (Fr) foal who led the way at the second session of the Arqana breeding stock sale. 

There's nothing quite like seeing the sales house back up when a highly regarded horse walks into the ring and it became evident pretty quickly that the Haras de Montaigu-drafted colt had plenty of suitors with many of the top judges playing on lot 400. 

A daughter of one of the best stallions in France and out of the well-bred Sea The Stars (Ire) mare Brodie (GB), the Sunday sale-topper could be offered for resale or put into training by Buskop's client, with the agent keen not to tie up plans at this early stage. 

He said, “My client is a very stubborn man when he decides he likes the horse or the foal. He likes the Zaraks, of course, and we thought there is a lot of Dubawi (Ire) in this horse.”

Buskop added, “The page is nice. He's out of a Sea The Stars mare so that should do the job. We also like the fact that the granddam is by Linamix (Fr). Very happy with the purchase.”

The main takeaway from Sunday's action was the clearance rate climbing 4% to 83% compared to last year's figures. The average was virtually the same at €36,592 while the median climbed €2,500 to €30,000. The aggregate was also up by almost 2% to €7,757,500.

Howdy Partner – Ballylinch Form Strong Partnerships

Two years ago, Meridian International and Ballylinch Stud teamed up at Arqana to bid on a colt by New Bay (GB), however, they came in as underbidder when the youngster sold for €180,000. Flash forward to this September and the juvenile named Alcantor (Fr), who was a TDN Rising Star on debut, claimed the G3 Prix Thomas Bryon Jockey Club de Turquie for Baron Edouard De Rothschild. 

Meridian International's Ghislain Bozo and John O'Connor of Ballylinch Stud were keen to try for the same family again as Alcantor's half-sister by another Ballylinch sire took to the ring at Arqana. After a lively round of bidding, the partners came out on top with a winning €115,000 bid for the daughter of first-crop sire Waldgeist (GB).

“We think we're going to either pinhook her or race her,” said Bozo of lot 396. “She's a very good mover and Alcantor is obviously a very good horse. We're going to try to get the best out of her.”

“We like doing partnerships,” O'Connor added. “We think we are good partners for people and it's been very successful for us. It allows us to spread the risk over a larger number of horses and we're always happy to do it mostly on our own stallions. We like that best. She's by Waldgeist and the trainers have been very positive about him, so he has to get some more winners next year but the trainers tell me that they're very nice horses.” 

Consigned by Haras du Hoguenet, the April-foaled weanling is out of Bianca de Medici (GB) (Medicean {GB}), who hails from the family of dual Arc heroine Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) and whose six foals from six to race also include Group 2 winner Boscaccio (Ger) (Mount Nelson {GB}).

“We know that the mare is a proven mare so she's bred some good ones,” O'Connor said. “She's a very nice filly. We might end up racing her. If we do, at least we have one that looks like a racehorse.” 

Ballylinch Stud went on to team up with an unnamed partner to secure Royal Grey (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) (lot 477), a listed winner in Italy, for €135,000. She was purchased once again by Bozo of Meridian International and will join trainer Nicolas Clement after a short break. 

Bozo explained, “She is going to be trained by Nicolas Clement and is a very nice filly with good form. The stallion needs no introduction and she is just a lovely filly with a very good page. We will give her a break for a month and then she will go back into training where she can hopefully take in a listed win in France.”

Royal Grey, a daughter of G2 Lowther S. runner-up Infamous Angel (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), was sold for £45,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale last year. She has amassed three wins in Italy for Endo Botti. 

Bozo continued, “It's a partnership between a client of Nicolas Clement's and also Ballylinch Stud. Havana Grey is a lovely stallion and he could be the next Wootton Bassett (GB) maybe. He stands out so much and his stock have a good temperament and are very keen to go. I'm very impressed by them.”

 

 

Top Jockey Ronan Whelan Gets In On The Arqana Action

Some jockeys jet off to exotic places on their holidays over the winter but top Irish rider Ronan Whelan swapped topping up his tan for adding to his bloodstock portfolio alongside his father Tom, a renowned breeder in his own right. 

This year marks Whelan's best, with 46 winners ridden domestically in Ireland, while Tom, who operates under Church View Stables, has enjoyed a good time in the ring.

The father-and-son team were involved in the purchasing of lot 315, a St Mark's Basilica (Fr) colt out of a half-sister to Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), for €110,000 to MAB Agency.

The sale comes just a week after a filly by the Coolmore-based stallion and out of the Oaks winner Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) topped the foal sale at Tattersalls at 575,000gns to Jill Lamb on behalf of Newsells Park Stud. 

“We fell in love with the colt,” Ronan Whelan said. “We can't wait to bring him back to Ireland. St Mark's Basilica is a promising stallion and he's from a great family.”

Marc Antoine Berghgracht's MAB Agency went on to sign for Tevara (GB) (Compton Place {GB}) (lot 331), offered in foal to Victor Ludorum (GB), from Haras du Logis at €100,000. MAB Agency spent almost €400,000 on six lots on Sunday alone.

Irish Buyers Going Ga-Ga For Galiway

Irish buyers have been going ga-ga crazy for the progeny of Galiway (GB) in recent times, largely down to the success Willie Mullins has enjoyed with the Haras de Colleville-based stallion.

Ireland's dominant National Hunt handler has done his bit to spread the good Galiway word through hurdlers Vauban (Fr) and Gala Marceau (Fr) and Mullins's fingerprints were all over one of the more expensive lots sold on Sunday. 

Less than a month after Paul Byrne, Harold Kirk and Mullins snapped up Zillow (GB) (Zoffany {Ire}) for €300,000 at the Autumn Sale here at Arqana, the three-year-old's dam Petunia (Ire) was sold in foal to Galiway to Irish buyers Seamus Murphy and Mark McStay standing alongside Timmy Hyde jnr. 

By Pivotal (GB) herself, Petunia hails from a good Wertheimer family and there was clearly no shortage of people willing to take the chance on Zillow turning out to be a fine dual-purpose type for Mullins with the hammer falling at €93,000.

To be fair to Murphy and McStay, there are worse people to be placing your faith in than messrs Byrne, Kirk and Mullins. Lot 438 could turn out to be a good buy. 

Buy of the Day

Mags O'Toole has a habit of turning water into the wine and nobody would be surprised if lot 303, a Sioux Nation colt out of winning Camelot (GB) mare Shalya (Fr), could double or even treble the €55,000 outlay if he rocks up to any of the major yearling sales next year.

Shalya, herself a winner at four, hails from the family of G1 Yorkshire Oaks and G1 Prix Vermeille victress Shareta (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}), plus a second Prix Vermeille winner in Shawanda (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}), who also claimed the G1 Irish Oaks. 

Sioux Nation, one of the top second-crop sires this year, celebrated a bumper sale at Tattersalls last week, with foals selling for 210,000gns, 155,000gns and 135,000gns.

All told, 10 foals by Sioux Nation sold for an average of 71,200gns. Given O'Toole's purchase came significantly under that average price from Tattersalls, one can assume that she is in a good position to turn a profit next year. 

Thought for the Day

The French way of auctioneering seems to be about building suspense and leaving no stone unturned to secure the best possible price for the vendors. Put it this way, there's nobody nipping off to the car parks early at Arqana. 

However, surely an argument can be made for the long, drawn out approach to auctioneering, where horses in the millions are climbing up in a series of  €25,000 bids, is counterproductive. Surely a more lively approach to auctioneering, in America for example, is best served for getting people's blood up and ultimately driving the highest price in the ring. 

Whether such a practice would ever catch on in France remains to be seen but there was no escaping that the ring felt flat for long periods of time on Saturday and Sunday at Arqana.

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Emotional Scenes At Arqana As Without Words Lifts Longways Stables’ Spirits

There were emotional scenes in the early parts of the Saturday session at Arqana when Without Words (Mendelssohn), who Mick Murphy and Sarah O'Connell of Longways Stables failed to sell at the breeze-up here in May, was knocked down to Justin Casse on behalf of Joseph O'Brien for €450,000. 

Without Words carried O'Connell's colours to victory on her second start for trainer Francois Rohaut at Toulouse. There was a kaleidoscope of significance to the win and subsequent sale with Murphy revealing afterwards that his wife had recently been diagnosed with cancer and is due to undergo chemotherapy next week. 

He said, “We've had a good year but there have been ups and downs. Sarah is sick at the moment. She was diagnosed with cancer and starts her chemotherapy on Tuesday. She will be okay but she has a tough few months ahead of her.”

https://twitter.com/sazoconnell/status/1733460040399360359

It has been another successful year for Longways Stables on the track, highlighted by the Listed-winning and Group 2-placed graduate Flora Of Bermuda (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), and Saturday's result in the ring clearly meant a great deal.

Murphy continued, “We breezed her here in May. We liked her a lot and felt we weren't getting what we deserved so we bought her back at €175,000. 

“I bought her in America for $85,000 and thought that she was always going to be worth that because of her pedigree alone. We liked her, took a chance to race her, and Francous did a great job with her. He thinks she is a stakes filly. Sarah didn't want to sell her.”

Without Words is a half-sister Combatant (Scat Daddy), a Grade I winner for John Sadler, and Long Lashes (Rock Hard Ten), a Group 3 winner for Saeed Bin Suroor. She was consigned by La Motteraye on behalf of O'Connell and Murphy.

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Etreham’s Hello Youmzain and Persian King Shine at Arqana

On a day where BBA Ireland tightened its grip on yet another sale by signing for the top lot for €175,000, Haras d'Etreham boss Nicolas de Chambure was breathing a sigh of relief as the progeny of two of the stud's newbies Persian King (Ire) and Hello Youmzain (Fr) took flight.

Persian King enjoyed a particularly strong session. The G1 French 2000 Guineas winner, who stood for €30,000 in his debut season at stud, saw seven foals sell for €516,000, headed by a colt (lot 306) knocked down to Alex Elliott for €160,000. That foal is likely to be heading back to Yeomanstown Stud with Robert O'Callaghan standing alongside Elliott when the hammer fell and later telling the French media that the colt was one of the best on offer on the day.

The Arcadia Élevage-drafted Persian King is out of an unraced daughter of Siyouni (Fr) and Elliott shared O'Callaghan's opinions on the acquisition.

He said, “Persian King was a very good racehorse and he's a big horse himself, and this colt is a big boy too. He's out of a mare by Siyouni, who has to have every chance to make it as a broodmare sire as he's a phenomenal sire himself and is by Pivotal (GB).

“It goes back to the family of Miss France (Ire) and I actually bought one of her daughters last night so it's a strong Wildenstein family that I like. It's young and it's happening so I'm delighted to get him. He'll be sent back to Ireland before being offered for resale.”

Etreham also signed for a Persian King filly (lot 319) from Cour Blanche for €110,000 with a view towards a racing career and also picked up two foals by Hello Youmzain to pinhook with de Chambure clearly touched by the good results the young stallions posted on the day.

He explained, “Today has been a very positive step in launching the stallion careers of Hello Youmzain and Persian King. We had a much bigger group of foals from the stallions here than at Goffs or at Tattersalls so it was important that it went well. Everyone has been very positive about the two stallions and it is nice to see the English, Irish and buyers in general so keen on them. Not that we had any doubt, but to see them sell well to those foreign buyers and some very good judges is extremely positive.”

He added, “I hope today helps us attract some more mares from abroad. That would help give the horses more exposure in the future. But seeing how well their foals sold today, it will give breeders confidence going forward. It looks like Persian King and Hello Youmzain are comparing favourably with some of the better first-season sires in Europe.”

In Persian King, de Chambure has a Classic-winning stallion son of Kingman (GB) while Hello Youmzain, winner of the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. is one of the best sons of Kodiac (GB), offers something for speed-favouring breeders.

He explained, “The two stallions are very different. Hello Youmzain has strength and power and has passed that on to his foals. They are very forward and they look to be very forward mentally as well. They all walk very well and have very good bone. They look like they could be early types. He seems to be stamping them with great power in the hind quarter.

“With Persian King, his foals have a bit more scope and size. They have a bit more class and are still very light on their feet with a good walk. The one that made €160,000 is a good example of a nice Persian King as he had good size and balance. They are not heavy. They are athletic. I think the stallions are a little less unproven now that people have seen the foals so hopefully more people from England and Ireland will decide to send some nice mares next year.”

Hello Youmzain began his career at stud on a €25,000 fee and his nine foals to go under the hammer at Arqana on Sunday realised €370,000 and averaged just over €40,000. His top lot, a colt consigned by Etreham (lot 337), fetched €90,000 to Mab Agency. He is set to stand for €22,500 next year while Persian King's fee has been set at €25,000.

On the stud's purchases on Sunday, de Chambure added, “We bought a Persian King filly from a nice German family to race for €110,000 and we bought two colts by Hello Youmzain to pinhook. It's been a nice start but we have put in a lot of work in these two stallions. It all began two years ago and, from getting breeders on board, selling shares, selling nominations and getting them up and running, it is a lot of work and today is the first big result we have enjoyed from that.”

The opening two days of the December Breeding Stock Sale have been strong. Saturday saw the aggregate shoot up a massive 42% to €47,129,000 and the average rise 16% to €245,281. Sunday's session was also up.

The aggregate on Sunday rose 15% to €7,734,000 while the average rose 12% to €36,654 and clearance rates also climbed 3% to 80%.

De Chambure commented on the trade, “We have been saying all year that we have been in our own bubble in the racing industry with everything that has been happening in the world but I guess it has almost been a benefit from Covid that people who have money have decided that they might as well just enjoy it and get involved in the game.

“The top of the market has been extremely strong and this being the last sale of the year, people still have some orders to fill and it has all fallen into place to make a really strong market today and yesterday.”

 

Quesnay Play Starring Role

The Haras du Quesnay dispersal provided a fascinating subplot to the sale and Ballylinch Stud pushed hard to land one of the star attractions from the draft, an Intello (Ger) filly foal out of dual winner and Group 3-placed Treasure (Fr) (Anabaa) (lot 409), for €100,000.

Treasure has produced three black-type horses already, including King Ottakar (Fr) (Motivator {GB}), Tresorier (GB) (Dunkerque {Fr}) and Tresorerie (Fr), who is a full-sister to Sunday's €100,000 purchase.

Ballylinch boss John O'Connor said, “Thierry [Storme] and I have been friends for many years and we've had a number of horses in partnership together. We'd both like to think we're pretty good judges and we liked this filly a lot. She's a compact filly with a good pedigree and good movement. We liked everything about her.

“She will probably come back here to be sold, but we'll retain the option to race her if necessary as she looks like an athlete to me. The mother is a proven stakes performer herself and she's bred three black-type horses. There's a lot of positives but we'll decide whether to race or sell next year.”

He added, “We've already had some success with a mare that was bred by Quesnay and we bought Trophee from them and she's bred a Group 2 winner in Australia.

“These pedigrees are deep. They've been developed for generations by Alec Head, who was one of the great horsemen of our time.

“This filly is out of a good stakes mare who's been a successful producer. She's one of the nicest foals here today and we felt that she has resale value but she also has residual value. She was hard to buy, but sometimes the ones you really like are and you accept that.”

Another Intello from the Haras du Quesnay dispersal captured the imagination as the first foal out of Perle D'Auge (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) (lot 329) was knocked down to Fernando Laffon-Parias for €90,000. Jill Lamb bought Perle D'Auge on Saturday for €350,000.

The filly hails from the close family of dual Group 3 scorer Eternal Pearl (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and is from the maternal line of the brilliant Pearly Shells (GB) (Effisio {GB}).

Laffon-Parias said, “She's been bought for a partnership of owners that wish to continue the story in France. She's a lovely filly who's dam sold well yesterday. It's too early to talk about her future trainer but we are very happy.”

Quesnay have amassed €1,908,000 for 17 lots over on Saturday and Sunday.

 

BBA Ireland Stay Strong

It was a case of a different day but the same old story as BBA Ireland signed for another top lot in the Aga Khan-drafted and Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Shahnameh (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) (lot 367) for €175,000.

A dual winner, Shahnameh is the fifth foal out of listed winner Shamanova (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who is a half-sister to classy performers Shamdala (Ire) (Grand Lodge) and Shamakiya (Ire) (Intikhab).

BBA Ireland went on to purchase the Frankel (GB) mare Shammah (Ire) (lot 474) in foal to G1 French 2000 Guineas winner Victor Ludorum (GB), meaning the powerful buyers spent €9,135,000 on 43 lots in the first two days of the December Breeding Stock Sale.

 

Balloon Up Up And Away To Australia

Australian buyer David Mee purchased Girl With Balloon (Fr) (lot 284), a winning daughter of Frankel, to continue her career down under for €140,000. Mee signed for the filly, offered by Ecurie des Monceaux, under the banner of Pinhook Bloodstock International.

Girl With Balloon was trained by Francis-Henri Graffard and carried the colours of LNJ Foxwoods during her time in France. She is a daughter of Landikusic (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), a full-sister to Zoffany (Ire). Classy performers Rostropovich (Ire) and Wilshire Boulevard (Ire) are also siblings to the dam.

Mee said, “She'll now go to Sydney in Australia to continue her career. We were really looking for a filly by Frankel, and these kinds of fillies are hard to find in Australia. She is a winner and is improving all the time. We're delighted.”

 

Six-Figure Lots Late In The Day

Two six-figure lots lit up the late evening. The Wertheimer-drafted Frivole (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}) (lot 548) was sold to Gary Chervenell for €155,000. She won once and placed four times and is a half-sister to black-type performer Fuse (Fr) (Teofilo {Ire}). The Fabrice Chappet-trained Healing Oasis (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 545) brought €135,000 from Australian buyers Belmont Bloodstock. Healing Oasis won twice and placed third in a listed race at ParisLongchamp in October.

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Juddmonte Snaps Up Le Havre Half-Sister To Treve For 675k At Arqana

Juddmonte's Simon Mockridge went to €675,000 to acquire G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB})'s weanling half-sister by the late Le Havre (Ire) during Arqana's Vente d'Elevage in Deauville on Saturday. The bay foal was offered as part of the dispersal of Haras du Quesnay as lot 166. Also a half-sister to stakes winner and G2 Prix Greffulhe third Trois Rois (Fr) (Hernando {Fr}), the May foal counts the stakes-placed Trophee (Fr) (Mr. Sidney) as another half-sister. At stud, the latter has produced G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup scorer Francesco Guardi (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Under the second dam is the GI Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile third Tsigane (Fr) (Anabaa), who won the Listed Wickerr H.

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