Four days of selling in Deauville wrapped up on Tuesday with the single-session v2 Yearling Sale, back from a pandemic-necessitated hiatus in 2020. From 129 offered, 96 yearlings were sold at a clearance rate of 74.4%; it was 79% in 2019. With 14 fewer sold, the aggregate dipped 28.6% to €2,912,500. The average was down 18.2% to €30,339, while the median dropped 20.9% to €24,500.
Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International Agency signed for the joint top lots at €140,000, a filly by Toronado (Ire) and a colt by Mehmas (Ire). The former, lot 379, is out of the Desert Style (Ire) mare Ivory Style (GB), whose four foals of racing age include the Listed Prix de la Vallee d'Auge second Ivory Choice (Fr) (Choisir {Aus}) and the G3 Prix d'Arenberg third Over Reacted (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}). De Watrigant secured her on behalf of owner Pierre Pilarski and trainer Didier Guillemin.
“We really wanted her,” said de Watrigant. “She's a lovely filly, very Toronado. Pierre Pilarski and Didier Guillemin saw her this morning and liked her a lot. She was worth fighting for.”
De Watrigant later in the day went to the same price for a Mehmas colt who is the second foal out of the three-time winner Al Shahaniya (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) (lot 470). Champion 2-year-old filly and G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Tiggy Wiggy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) appears under the third dam of the colt, who was purchased in conjunction with trainer Stephane Wattel. De Watrigant and Wattel also combined for a Kodiac (GB) filly out of the winning Shoot (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) (lot 438) for €70,000.
The Mehmas colt and Toronado filly were the only six-figure lots of the v2 sale.
Mehmas, who continues to deliver the goods with his first 3-year-olds this season, was also responsible for the third-highest price of the session, a colt out of the five-times placed Jarada (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (lot 382) who was picked up by Paul Nataf for €77,000. The prolific champion Dylan Thomas (Ire) and his Group 1-winning sisters Queen's Logic (Ire) (Grand Lodge) and Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), as well as G1 Derby winner Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G1 Moyglare Stud S. victress Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), appear under the third dam. Nataf, who was the sale's leading buyer with nine purchased for €326,000, signed for another of the top prices, an Anodin half-brother to Listed Prix Zeddaan winner Abama (GB) (Alhebayeb {GB}) (lot 377), for €73,000.
The ever-reliable Holy Roman Emperor provided the sale's second-highest priced filly, a February-foaled daughter of the winning Little Sister (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) (lot 392) for €75,000. She was bought by Marco Bozzi Bloodstock.
Following the sale, Arqana President Eric Hoyeau and Executive Director Freddy Powell commented: “After a gap year, the v.2 made a cautious return today. All the indicators were down, partly due to a general lack of buyers in this category of horses, particularly the pinhookers who are usually present on this day. Nevertheless, the profiles that ticked all the boxes sold well and the top prices are in line with those of previous editions.”
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