By Wednesday, we will know if Henri Bozo and his team have eschewed their usual Arqana hospitality offering of foie gras and oysters in favour of marmalade sandwiches but, with or without the favourite delicacy of Paddington, his is the name that has been on most people's lips this season. 

“This is really where we try to put all our efforts, to try to breed those horses. It doesn't always work, but when it works, it's very enjoyable not just for the purchasers, but for all the team here,” says Bozo, who is overseeing the final preparations of his team of 40 yearlings which will no doubt play a dominant role as the Arqana August Sale gets underway on Friday. 

“It's very encouraging for all of us. And I mean, everybody has been trying hard to improve the standards and to try to make French racing and breeding more competitive. From the breeders, we're investing massively here in the broodmares, and the trainers are trying hard to get better horses and trying to get new owners to trust the French racing programme.”

In this regard, the 2023 season has been a gift. At home, in group races which for several years have often been plundered by British or Irish raiders, the French resistance is back. While Paddington is advertising the benefits of his French upbringing overseas, at Longchamp, Saint-Cloud and Deauville, the home team has been rampant, with all four of the French Classics having remained en place, along with the Group 1 contests the Prix Rothschild, Prix Ganay, Prix Maurice de Gheest, Grand Prix de Paris, and Prix Jean Prat.

Bred by Diane Wildenstein's Dayton Investments, Paddington was born and raised at Monceaux and later sold at Arqana at the October Yearling Sale, which he topped at €420,000.

“I'm always repeating it, but that's because it is a programme we are very attached to: we only sell yearlings that have been raised on the farm,” Bozo says. “We raised Paddington for Diane Wildenstein. October is getting stronger every year, and for us French breeders it's a good opportunity to have a second option when you have a yearling that cannot make it or the owner who was undecided, like here. So it's good, to have the opportunity of August and October to sell our crop.”

Feed The Flame, bred by one of a number of successful partnerships at the farm which includes the Harris family's Lordship Stud and Clear Light SAS, was an August graduate that same year. His dam Knyazhna (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) has also produced the dual Grade III winner Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Group 2-placed Khagan (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}), and he was bought by Gerard Larrieu for owner Jean-Louis Bouchard for €270,000.

“He's always been very highly thought of by Pascal Bary, who wanted him to make his debut in the nice Deauville two-year-old maiden,” says Bozo of the Grand Prix de Paris winner Feed The Flame. “But he had a growth spurt just before the race and it took him a while to settle. He was very impressive and he really caught people's imagination after his first two wins.

“He's a very talented horse and I see a lot of [his broodmare sire] Montjeu in his way of galloping, in his presence, there are a lot of similarities.  I think you need a bit of character to be an outstanding horse, and Montjeu himself was really so spectacular to watch and it's nice to see him passing on his class.”

Monceaux has also featured as a winning part-owner of two particularly exciting fillies in recent seasons. The 2022 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Mangoustine (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) was bred at the farm and retained after the yearling sales, while Ramatuelle (Justify), winner of the G2 Prix Robert Papin and G3 Prix du Bois from four starts this term, was bought last August by Arthur Hoyeau from her breeder Yeguada Centurion. With an entry in the G1 Sumbe Prix Morny on the weekend of the sale, the Christopher Head-trained filly, who races for a partnership which includes basketball star Tony Parker, looks rather special. 

Bozo says of the plan to recruit future broodmare prospects, “Two years ago we talked with Arthur, and I told him we should try to launch a syndicate, because I think the yearling fillies are a very good way for breeders to prepare for the future and try to find a broodmare that you have really chosen. When you buy a broodmare, you have much less choice because not so many people sell their mares. Many people sell their yearlings, including yearling fillies. So we decided to launch a racing syndicate with a view to keeping the fillies as future broodmares.”

He adds, “We went to see some yearlings and Ramatuelle was one of the ones we liked, and Arthur liked her a lot. On the day of the sale she had been cast in the box and was not completely right. Arthur convinced me to forget the small problem she had, and that was a good move, obviously.”

He adds, “It's nice for the French industry to have someone like Tony Parker really getting more and more interested in the business, the sport, and showcasing it to a wider audience. It's good news.

“Mangoustine is back with us. She's in foal to Frankel and she's in very good shape.”

For now though, the more pressing matter is the 40 yearlings from the farm arriving at the sales ground in Deauville. Where once the draft would have had a liberal sprinkling of sons and daughters of Galileo (Ire), now it has the monopoly on Dubawi (Ire), with five of the seven yearlings by the Darley powerhouse to have been catalogued for the sale appearing in the Monceaux consignment. 

The quintet, which will be sold within the first 39 lots, includes two colts from Monceaux's signature family of Platonic (GB) (Zafonic), and another for Diane Wildenstein, out of Pretty Spirit (GB), a winning three-parts-sister to the treble Group 1 winner Persian King (Ire), who has his first yearlings on offer in Deauville.

“We used Dubawi as much as we could, because he's an outstanding stallion and we know that his legacy will be very important for us, with future broodmares as well as foals,” Bozo says. “He's so exciting, because he's a horse that's easy to mate and he can add a bit of speed, and he adds the will and the temperament.”

The theme of breeding partnerships has long been at the core of the success of Monceaux, which has occupied the top spot at the Arqana August Sale since 2012. It is a model which is also emulated across the globe.

Bozo says, “I think not only with us, but with different operations, it's quite obvious that people enjoy gathering and sharing the risk and sharing also their particular knowledge and strengths. I find it very positive, because you are adding some input that can be interesting. I'm trying to make sure that everyone has the same long-term plan. That's very important so that no-one is disappointed. And on our side, we really try to focus on improving our broodmare band. We're not really sellers of our mares or our fillies in training, but we are sellers of our yearlings, obviously. So it's important to team up with people who share the same view, and also with whom you can easily share views and discuss the matings and things like that.”

He adds, “It's also a good entrance for people who are interested in the sport, but who want to be helped to discover more about it. And often I found that they start by sharing a mare with us and then they're happy to go into the horses-in-training market and buy a yearling and share the real sport, which is horse racing. I think it's maybe easier to start with having a leg in a broodmare to understand the game and then skip to having horses in training and yearlings.”

One recent broodmare purchase by Monceaux and partners in 2019 was that of Birch Grove (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Her full-sister Magic (Ire) has recently given their shared page a terrific lift through the exploits of her dual Group 1-winning Shaquille (GB). Extra satisfaction is derived from this update by Bozo, as Shaquille's sire, the top-class miler Charm Spirit (Ire), was bred by Monceaux.

“Birch Grove has a Lope De Vega filly in the sale. Shaquille has so much personality and speed, and so had Charm Spirit really. I mean, the sire won five group races and three Group 1s. So they're tough, tough horses. And it's nice to see [Shaquille] doing the same, because he's got an impressive series of wins. It's always remarkable, I think, in a horse, not only to see the big win, but also a series of wins.”

Among the 14 first-season sires whose yearlings feature in the August catalogue is the Prix du Jockey Club and Arc winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who is another top campaigner bred at Monceaux and whose siblings have played a leading role in the sale in recent years. His full-brother, now named Shin Emperor (Fr), topped last year's sale when selling to Yoshito Yahagi for €2.1 million, and in 2020 their Dubawi half-sister was sold to Bahrain's Shaikh Nasser and Shaikh Khalifa for €2.5 million. There is no yearling from their dam Starlet's Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in this year's draft from Monceaux and, surprisingly, none of Sottsass's first yearlings, though 15 of them are consigned by other vendors.

Bozo continues, “We have a mix between some young stallions, like Pinatubo and Kameko, and some more proven like Dubawi, Wootton Bassett, Siyouni, Lope De Vega, Frankel, Sea The Stars and Kingman.

“It's the same with proven mares and the young mares, because we try to renew our broodmare band to bring in new blood and new mares. Then you've got some young ones like Enchanting Skies (Ire), whose first foal is [Listed Prix Roland de Chambure winner] Beauvatier (Fr). And we've got her second foal here, who is a cracking filly by Siyouni.

“All of these yearlings have been conceived with the help of Camilla Trotter, who all year round is helping us to share data, to share information, to share remarks, on the stallions and the families of our mares. She's a great help to our operation.”

Asked to give an opinion on which of the three-year-old colts might hold the upper hand by the end of the season, Bozo replies diplomatically, “I suppose the Arc would be an interesting World Cup Final.”

For this week, though, the field of play is the sale ring at Arqana, featuring a development squad, if you like, for future stars of the track.

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Beauvatier, now owned by Haras d'Etreham in partnership with Philippe Allaire, was steadied to track the leaders in third after a slick break in this black-type bow and was gathered together in readiness for his bid once turning for home. Angled outside for a clear run with 350 metres remaining, the 3-5 pick quickened in impressive fashion to seize control entering the final furlong and coasted to the line in the closing stages to easily withstand the late threat of Zabiari (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) for a career high.

“This horse has really a big engine and he didn't even have to extend himself to win,” claimed Barberot. “When Maxime [Guyon] switched him out, he settled the issue within two strides. My concern is that the horse lacks some strength and I would like to see him change physically, to grow and strengthen up. This is why I will give him a small break now and hope that it will do him some good. He will return in September for the [Sept. 3 G3] Prix La Rochette [at ParisLongchamp].”

Beauvatier, a €160,000 Arqana August purchase and half to a yearling filly by Siyouni {Fr}), is the first of two foals produced by Listed Prix de Thiberville runner-up Enchanting Skies (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), herself a sale-topping €500,000 Baden-Baden September yearling in 2016. The February-foaled dark bay's dam is one of four stakes performers out of Listed Kolner Fruhjahrs-Stuten-Preis third Estefania (Ger) (Acatenango {Ger}), headed by G1 Preis von Europa victor Empoli (Ger) (Halling). Estefania, in turn, is out of a half-sister to multiple Group 1-winning G2 German 1000 Guineas and G2 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) heroine Elle Danzig (Ger) (Roi Danzig). Beauvatier becomes Lope De Vega's 113th stakes winner.

Une véritable démonstration de (M. Guyon/Y. Barberot) Prix Roland de Chambure, Listed Race à #Deauville.

3⃣ sur 3⃣ pour le brillant élève de @Yannbarberot sous la selle de @maximeguyon_off ! pic.twitter.com/XbvWJhpzjc

— Equidia (@equidia) July 9, 2023

Sunday, Deauville, France
PRIX ROLAND DE CHAMBURE-Listed, €60,000, Deauville, 7-9, 2yo, 7fT, 1:30.95, sf.
1–BEAUVATIER (FR), 126, c, 2, by Lope De Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Enchanting Skies (Ire) (SP-Fr), by Sea The Stars (Ire)
2nd Dam: Estefania (Ger), by Acatenango (Ger)
3rd Dam: Eirehill (Ire), by Danehill
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (€160,000 Ylg '22 ARQAUG). O-Philippe Allaire & Haras d'Etreham; B-Ecurie des Monceaux, Qatar Bloodstock Ltd & Mme Barbara M Keller (FR); T-Yann Barberot; J-Maxime Guyon. €30,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, €72,000.
2–Zabiari (GB), 126, c, 2, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Zaridiya (Ire), by Duke Of Marmalade (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs (GB); T-Jean-Claude Rouget. €12,000.
3–Maymay (Fr), 122, f, 2, Cloth Of Stars (Ire)–Desert Image (GB), by Beat Hollow (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (€33,000 Ylg '22 ARQOCT). O-Nick Bradley Racing 12 & Partner; B-Haras des Evees, EARL Haras du Logis, Daniel Cherdo & Mme Claudie Cherdo (FR); T-Kevin Philippart de Foy. €9,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, 1 3/4. Odds: 0.60, 1.80, 13.00.
Also Ran: Grand Son Of Calyx (Ire). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Most recently, the Dubawi (Ire) filly Pure Dignity (GB) brought €2,500,000 from Oliver St. Lawrence in 2020, and Parliament (GB), a colt by Fastnet Rock (Aus), sold for €700,000 in 2019. Pure Dignity just won her first start for Roger Varian.

But the 2022 offering might be the most exciting yet: a full-brother to the multiple Group 1-winning Sottsass (Fr), the record-breaking World Champion, French Derby and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner, now standing stud at Coolmore in Ireland. Sottsass himself sold here in 2017 to Michel Zerolo's Oceanic Bloodstock on behalf of Peter Brant for €340,000. And the people who know Sottass well, they will tell you his full-brother is almost a dead ringer.

Michel Zerolo bought both Sottsass and Sistercharlie | Sue Finley photo

“If you compare this yearling with Sottsass, you would find them quite similar,” said Henri Bozo, who will sell Lot 154 under his Ecurie des Monceaux banner on Sunday. Sottsass's regular pilot was by the farm to see the 2021 version, said Bozo. “Cristian Demuro, the jockey, was by to see him the other morning, and he was amazed by how much they looked alike. I think he's got the same head, the same forehand, and the same self-confidence. I think it's striking to people who know Sottsass well.”

One of those people, of course, is Michel Zerolo, both a buyer at Arqana and a seller under his Haras des Capucines banner, the farm and consignment he owns with partner Eric Puerari.

Zerolo bought Starlet's Sister's first-ever progeny, Sistercharlie (Ire), after her win in the G3 Prix Penelope in France, for Brant. Zerolo said she caught his eye when she won a Class 1 race at Saint-Cloud in her prior start, when he first recommended her. “She was mighty impressive that day,” he said. “She had a fantastic turn of foot.”

Zerolo would go on to be proven correct; Sistercharlie would go on to win 10 starts over four years, including the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, to be named the Eclipse Award-winning turf female.

So when Sottsass, her half-brother by Siyouni (Fr) came up for sale in 2017, Zerolo and Brant were back. “He was an obvious one, of course,” said Zerolo.

In looking at Starlet's Sister's 2021 yearling, Zerolo said he sees the similarities as well.

“He's a nice horse,” he said. “He's probably a bigger version of Sottsass, very athletic. They're similar; they're full-brothers, of course. He has more white, and is a slightly lighter chestnut, but other than that, there are a lot of similarities.”

Bozo said that potential French buyers had been visiting the colt along with others in the consignment over the summer, but now, of course, an international marketplace has descended upon Arqana for the sale. “We've seen all the right French people and now we are looking forward to seeing all the foreigners coming here. But they will be present. They will be inside. The market is good and this sale has been extremely successful and good value.”

The Jour de Galop recently called Starlet's Sister the `unicorn of Monceaux,' and Bozo took a moment to reflect upon his good fortune in buying her. “We are very lucky and we do mean it. There was no talent in chasing her, a mare with a good pedigree, by Galileo (Ire) from a family we didn't have. We are always investing in young mares, I'm a big believer in young mares, especially when they are by the right sire lines. She was not expensive, and Hubert Guy keeps reminding me about the time he called me about her, and I must say, it has been a life-changing thing. She has been amazing.”

In the beginning, he said, he was looking to breed her to a proven stallion at an affordable price. “That's why we sent her to Myboycharlie,” he said. “He brought some strength and speed. And that was Sistercharlie. And the story keeps going. It's amazing.”

But for Bozo, who looks every bit the part of a man who could top this sale yet again, humility, gratitude and hard work seem the order of the day.

“We have to be grateful for these mares who have put Monceaux on the map and we keep trying to invest in new bloodlines to improve our work, improve our facilities,” he said. “And it's a non-ending adventure.”

And will Sunday be another chapter?

Zerolo said he felt it would. “He's got a wide appeal, it's a great cross, Siyouni over Galileo, and it has already worked. I would imagine he would appeal to a number of people. Best of luck to Henri.”

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For 2022, the Arqana team has taken the select yearlings and has broken them up into three days: Saturday, Aug. 13 (160 yearlings starting at 2 p.m.), Sunday, Aug. 14 (80 yearlings starting at 5:30 p.m.) and Monday, Aug. 15 (80 yearlings starting at 5:30 p.m.)

Some of the former Part II yearlings will be combined with those who would have previously sold in the V2, and will be offered in a new September Yearling sale scheduled for Sept. 8-9. The traditional October yearling sale takes place from the 17^th to the 21^st.

While the sales company made the announcement in a press release in February, it was overlooked by some vendors and buyers. As the Arqana team conducts yearling inspections, Freddy Powell, the Executive Director of Arqana, took a moment to explain the motives behind the changes and what attendees could expect.

Powell said he expects the sales makeup to be a mix of precocious international and top French yearlings in August, and domestic yearlings aimed at domestic buyers in September.

Part of the impetus for the change starts with the French calendar; Assumption Day, a major public holiday in France, is Monday, Aug. 15, with most stores and businesses closed.

“It's a tradition in France to have very good racing on this bank holiday,” said Powell, reached in Ireland on a yearling inspection tour, “and therefore, we could not spend all afternoon selling our Part II yearlings.”

Another issue was stabling, which is limited to around 320 stalls on the sales grounds. “We are limited to the number of horses we can have on site,” said Powell. “In the end, it wasn't very fair to vendors selling on Monday to ship in on Sunday. We had lovely horses on Monday that buyers couldn't properly see. If we can't expose them properly, we are not doing our job.”

Horses on the beach at Deauville | Patty Wolfe photo

Adding additional stalls is not an option, he said, due to their limited space. “The great upside to being in town is that people can walk in and out. They can be on the beach at 3, and at the sale at 3:15. But at the same time, it limits the space we have.” For the December sale, horses can stable across the street at the racetrack, which is not an option when racing is being conducted in the summer.

Last year, 355 yearlings were catalogued for the main sale, and another 150 in the V2.

This year, the August sale will be limited to 320-330, and another 250-280 will sell in September. Around 50-60 of those traditional August horses will divert to September or October.

“These (yearlings moving to September) were mature, precocious types, which typically sold in August, and so we decided to create a sale in September for these 200 yearlings,” said Powell. “We will probably be able to add another 50-80 to make it a two-day sale. The profile we are looking for in September are mature yearlings who do not have to wait for the October sale. They don't necessary need a precocious pedigree; it will be a mix of V2, August Part 2 and October yearlings who have the maturity to sell five to six weeks before the October sale.”

The August sale will occur, says Powell, “in the middle of a great weekend racing with the Prix Jacques Le Marois on the Sunday and many stakes races on both days.”

A customer-service oriented company, Arqana will help to facilitate travel arrangements for international buyers. Interested parties should contact Amy Lanigan at alanigan@arqana.com.

But change is sometimes hard for people to accept, and Powell was asked if he felt people would be open to the new format.

“It's a new thing, so there's always an unknown, but the numbers are growing every year in entries in the sales, and we wanted to try this. I think the buyers and the vendors understand it, but the unknown is always a concern. They understand why we're doing it, mostly for logistical reasons. But in tidying up the number for August, we just have to target the numbers per sale rightly, so every horse has his place.”

The leading consignor at the sale for the past several years with his Ecurie des Monceaux consignment has been Henri Bozo, who gave the new idea his stamp of approval.

“I think it's good that Arqana has got its two main yearling sales quite far from each other in terms of time,” said Bozo. “I like the fact that there is an August sale in the middle of the fantastic race meeting. I know it's early, but it has been a successful sale in producing top-class horses. I think it's going to be nice to have three days of yearlings at the same level, and maybe open up the selection a bit more, because in the past there were times where there wasn't a lot of difference between some of the Part II horses and the Part I horses. It's the summer, you have a sale with more precocious types, and it has gone from strength to strength in the last two years.”

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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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Almost a quarter of that sum was given for the Dubawi (Ire) filly out of one of Monceaux's crown jewels, Starlet's Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who sold for €2.5 million to lead the sale and is now in training with Roger Varian for HH Shaikh Nasser Al Khalifa and KHK Racing. This time around there may be no starlet, but hopefully plenty of stars, as Monceaux has shipped in 38 yearlings from its Normandy base less than an hour from Arqana's Deauville sales complex.

“Everybody has asked me about Starlet's Sister's yearling but, obviously, for reasons that everybody can understand, we've decided to keep her,” says Bozo, who, despite having arguably one of the most stressful jobs in French bloodstock as his biggest week of the year approaches, does an exceptionally convincing impression of someone without a worry in the world.

He adds, “She's a really nice Dubawi filly, but it would be a huge professional error to sell this filly without having a sister to make sure the family is still in our hands, because all the fillies have been sold so far. They are all in the hands of Peter Brant, except the 2-year-old. We are really happy to keep this one.”

Perhaps we will see Starlet's Sister's current foal, a full-brother to last year's Arc winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), at Arqana next August, but for now there are plenty of other youngsters worth perusing, including half-siblings to five Group/Grade 1 winners and the first yearling by Triple Crown winner Justify to be offered in Europe. In fact, as is to be expected at a select sale, the draft is replete with yearlings by some of the biggest stallion names in world breeding, including Galileo (Ire), Frankel (GB), Dubawi (Ire), Siyouni (Fr), Lope De Vega (Ire), Sea The Stars (Ire) and Medaglia d'Oro. That geographical spread also reflects the broad international client base of Ecurie des Monceaux, many of whom are in strategic partnerships which have flourished despite the fact that so many of us have been restricted to our own countries for much of the last 18 months.

Bozo says, “For the moment, it feels like we are back to normal, and I think that everybody is happy to get back to normal. Fortunately, our business has been pretty much the same. I mean, the only thing is that we have been travelling less so there has been less linking up with people. But from the technical point of view it has been exactly the same, and maybe even better because we have all been on the farm more and focusing on new projects or trying to improve things. But we meet fewer people, and I think everybody is quite impatient to travel a bit and meet people again.”

He continues, “I think it's a very positive aspect. It means that we are bringing more people in, and that can be people already in the business or people discovering the business. And I think, for everyone, it gives confidence to join with breeders and to be in partnership with others, to invest in a mare or to invest in yearlings, or to join the game. We now have a wide range of partners from America, China, Australia, England, Germany, Greece, and from France too. And I must say that it's very challenging. There is great input of ideas at the meetings, for the decisions, for everything, and I really enjoy it. It takes more time, of course, but it's interesting. And I think it's something that many French breeders share now.”

Sottsass and his half-sibling Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) hog the top of the leader board on the Monceaux hall of fame with 11 Group/Grade 1 wins between them, but they are just two of nine top-flight winners to have emanated from the farm over the last decade. Another of those is the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner National Defense (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Fr}), the young Irish National Stud stallion who notched his first stakes winner at Deauville over the weekend with Twilight Gleaming (Ire). National Defense's half-sister by Siyouni is set to sell on Sunday as lot 133, and the family has received an extra boost this season as the filly shares her second dam Anna Palariva (Ire) (Caerleon) with the Derby and King George winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).

The aforementioned Justify filly, who appears during Saturday evening's opening session as lot 52, is the second foal of Media Mischief, an Into Mischief half-sister to Juddmonte's G1 Prix de Diane winner Nebraska Tornado (Storm Cat). In keeping with the heightened online information now provided by consignors in the wake of the pandemic, Monceaux has produced its own mini-catalogue which is available on its website and comes compete with handy annotated updates. In the case of this filly, potential buyers can instantly see that the mare's first foal is in training with Wesley Ward and her current foal is a colt by Siyouni.

Monceaux also consigns the sole yearling by another American-based sire at a more advanced stage of his career, Medaglia d'Oro. Lot 15 is the first foal of the listed-placed Golden Attitude (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), herself a daughter of G3 Prix Cleopatre winner Gold Round (Ire), a half-sister to champion miler Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa).

“We have a mix, most of them by very proven sires, like Lope de Vega, who is a horse I love for his statistics at group level,” says Bozo. “We've got two very nice yearlings by Dubawi, who is an amazing stallion. We are very lucky to be able to use him. I'm very enthusiastic about the Medaglia d'Oro colt from the great family of Goldikova, and Medaglia d'Oro is such a good, tough sire.”

Another family which regularly features prominently in the Monceaux draft is that of Platonic (GB) (Zafonic), the grandam of Group 1 winners Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), both of whom are daughters of Prudenzia (GB) (Dansili {GB}). Two of the latter's sisters, Prudente (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and Pacifique (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) have yearlings in the forthcoming sale, with Prudente being represented by her Lope De Vega colt (lot 79) and Pacifique by a Kodiac (GB) filly (lot 70). The latter has already produced the Group 3 winner Paix (GB).

“Paix is by Muhaarar (GB) who is also a sprinting type,” says Bozo, explaining his decision to send the mare to Kodiac. “We wanted to bring a bit more power and maybe a bit more speed into the family. Pacifique is a nice, rangy mare with a great stride and we wanted to try to bring a bit of compactness to her.”

The immediate family has received two more Classic updates this year with Philomene (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who topped the 2019 August Sale at €1,625,000 having finished runner-up in the G1 Prix de Diane and Chicquita's daughter Nicest (Ire) (American Pharaoh) taking third in the G1 Irish Oaks.

Promoting Youth

When Antoine Bellanger, Ecurie des Monceaux's yearling manager of 10 years, left to set up his own consigning business Arcadia Elevage, into his shoes last year stepped the youthful Jordan Tancrede.

“Jordan has been with us for nine years,” says Bozo. “He was a really young kid when he arrived and he looked like he was 10 years old. He arrived here one day with his parents and he told me, 'I love animals. I love horses, I love rabbits, I love any animal.' He had a really kind face and he learned to work here with our team. We soon found that he was not only a great horseman but also very good with people, very kind and gentle.”

Bozo arranged work for his protégé at studs in Australia, America and England to give him a better understanding of different regional practices within the industry. 

He adds, “Then, he came back, and when Antoine started his own venture we decided to give a chance to Jordan, who has grown up a lot and now looks like he's 12 and a half. And I was honestly amazed by the way he handled the pressure, because, you can say whatever you like, you've got pressure when you bring yearlings to the sales. There is a lot of expectation for the owners, for everyone. He handles that very well and he's a real gentleman and horse lover who works really hard. And, like a rugby captain, he leads the team by his example.”

Tancrede is actually now 24, which is still a very young age to hold such a position of responsibility on a major stud farm, but his approach to his job displays a maturity beyond his years.

Heading into his second August Sale at the helm of the yearling team after topping last year's auction, Tancrede says, “I'm not nervous. I can't explain that, but you need to stay focused on the programme. And if I stay focused, all the team is going to stay focused as well.”

He continues, “For me it starts with the animal. I love all animals, definitely the horses, and I love caring for them. Sometimes the job can be a bit difficult, like in the winter when we got a lot of bad weather, but that's also the time when we can make all the difference because every day we bring the horses inside. We don't leave them all out in the fields. And every day when we bring the horses in, we handle them, we checks their legs. All the details are very important.”

Those details are constantly logged and programmes adjusted to suit the individual, especially when the countdown to the sales begins through the formal prep.

“They change a lot during that time,” Tancrede explains. “Every week we have a meeting and we check the feed, the care, note if a horse has any problems. They are all different, so we need to keep data for every horse and change the programme slightly, horse by horse.”

The post No Starlet But Monceaux Still Aiming For The Stars appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Qatar Racing's Roaring Lion was euthanized in August 2019 in New Zealand after suffering several bouts of colic. The grey had not long before finished covering a debut book at Tweenhills Stud in Britain that resulted in 90 registered foals.

David Redvers, racing manager to Qatar Racing and owner/managing director of Tweenhills Stud, said, “We've seen quite a lot of the Roaring Lions that are around and we have a good number here, somewhere between 30 and 40. They're a very good, level group of miler, middle-distance type of horse very much in Roaring Lion's image at the same stage.”

Redvers would know. He and his team picked out Roaring Lion at the same point in his life, on the first day of Keeneland September in 2016, for $160,000-not quite a steal, but certainly under the radar of the $305,171 session average. Placed under the tutelage of John Gosden, Roaring Lion won his first three starts on the bounce, including the G2 Royal Lodge S., before finishing a neck second to Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) in the G1 Racing Post Trophy. Third behind eventual Derby winner Masar (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) in the G3 Craven S. and fifth behind Saxon Warrior in the Guineas, Roaring Lion bounced back to win the G2 Dante S. by 4 1/2 lengths before finishing third in the Derby. He then embarked on a remarkable four race Group 1 win streak taking in the Coral-Eclipse, Juddmonte International, Irish Champion S. and Queen Elizabeth II S., the Group 1 winners in his wake including Saxon Warrior, Laurens (GB), Addeybb (Ire), Study Of Man (Jpn), Rhododendron (Ire), Thunder Snow (Ire) and Hawkbill.

“When the horse has been and gone it's easy to forget what a brilliant racehorse he was, but there have been so many by him that are similar in their action and that have his quality,” Redvers said. “The ones that have just started their prep, we love their outlook, movement, everything. We're delighted with what we're seeing and we're massively invested. Qatar Racing is going to have 25 to 30 in training by him.”

Redvers said he and his team will also be on the lookout for the Roaring Lions at the sales, likening the scenario to another Horse of the Year that was lost too soon, Dubai Millennium, and Dubawi, the champion sire he left in his lone crop.

“We'll be trying to identify one or two of the best horses [at the sales] and the hope is that we will identify the Dubawi in the Dubai Millennium crop,” Redvers said. “And while we know what we like the look of, we don't have a crystal ball, so there will be plenty of opportunity for other people there as well.”

Roaring Lion finished second only to Saxon Warrior by average among first-crop sires at the foal sales last year, his eight sold averaging £61,027/€71,985, and his first yearling to step into a sales ring will be lot 4 at Arqana on Saturday, a colt out of the Pivotal (GB) mare Every Time (GB). He is a homebred for Haras d'Etreham, which purchased the mare for 300,000gns at Tattersalls December in 2015. Every Time is a placed half-sister to the dams of G3 Oh So Sharp S. winner Mot Juste (Distorted Humor) and G1 Moyglare Stud S. and G3 Albany S. winner Cursory Glance (Distorted Humor), whose half-sister Willow View (Lemon Drop Kid) is the dam of American Grade I winner Digital Age (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). The Roaring Lion colt is the fifth foal out of the mare, whose first foal is a winner. The mare's second foal, a filly by Invincible Spirit (Ire), was injured before she could go into training and her third, the Zoffany (Ire) filly Villa Wagram (Ire), has been placed this year at three. She also has a 2-year-old colt by Camelot (GB).

“He's a colt we've always liked; he has size, scope, a bit of quality about him, and a good walk,” said Etreham's Nicolas de Chambure. “He looks a Classic type of horse to me. He looks mature already, and as the Americans would say, he's a real two-turn type of horse. We're very happy with him. He has that bit of class that Roaring Lion had.”

Etreham also sends the final Roaring Lion of the sale through the ring. Lot 321 is out of the winning Amarysia (Fr) (Medicean {GB}), a two-time winner and half-sister to the stakes-winning and producing Skia (Fr) (Motivator {GB}). Lot 321 was a €65,000 Arqana December foal.

“He is being pinhooked by one of our clients,” de Chambure said. “He has a very good mind as well, and that's something those [Roaring Lion] colts have in common. He has a bit of scope, and he looks a bit earlier. He's a bit more compact and more close to the ground, but he has that good walk as well and some quality about him.”

Ecurie des Monceaux offers a homebred Roaring Lion colt (lot 96) out of Secrete (Fr) (Cape Cross {Ire}). The 12-year-old mare has repaid the €250,000 Monceaux invested when it purchased her out of the Wertheimer et Frere draft at the 2012 Arqana December Sale; her first foal, Normandy Eagle (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), was Group 3 placed and her third foal, Solage (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) was a listed winner in Ireland. Her fourth foal, Rumi (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) won this year's G3 Prix Vanteaux. Both Solage and Rumi were €700,000 yearlings at this sale.

“I was quite impressed with Roaring Lion and I wanted to send him a nice mare,” said Monceaux's Henri Bozo. “Secrete is the mare we sent him and she's a really nice one-she's produced three black-type horses including Solage who won a stakes in Ireland and Rumi who won a Group 3 in France this year. It's a very proven family in Europe. The Roaring Lion colt is quite similar to the stallion; he has a good walk and a good temperament so I'm happy with him. He's a nice horse and I think it's interesting to have the Kitten's Joy bloodline.”

The other Roaring Lions on offer are Haras de la Perelle's colt out of G1 Falmouth S. winner Giofra (GB) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 13); La Motteraye's filly who is the first foal out of the listed-winning Lbretha (Fr) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) (lot 38); Haras du Cadran's filly out of the dual listed-winning Avenue Gabriel (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) (lot 137); Haras des Capucines's colt out of the listed-winning Cheriearch (Arch) (lot 153); and Normandie Breeding's colt out of New Desire (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), a full-sister to champion Islington (lot 239).

Tweenhills launches another sire at this year's yearling sales, and although categorized as a first-crop sire on these shores he is in fact not at all, having already made waves in the Southern Hemisphere with his first four crops to race. Zoustar won the G2 BRC Sires' Produce S. at two before going on to take the G1 Golden Rose S., G2 Roman Consul S. and G1 Coolmore Stud S. at three, after which Qatar Racing and Widden Stud bought into him. The decision was taken to wait to shuttle the son of Northern Meteor (Aus) until he had proven successful Down Under, and thus when he covered his first Northern Hemisphere book of mares at a fee of £25,000 in 2019 he already had seven stakes winners Down Under led by the brilliant Sunlight (Aus), who had led home a 1-2-3 for her sire in the 2018 edition of the Coolmore Stud S. Zoustar's first Northern Hemisphere book resulted in 103 foals-which averaged £57,028/€67,268 at the foal sales last year–and his proficiency continued in such fashion in Australia that his fee actually rose to £30,000 for his second British book in 2020.

“His best crop is his second crop, which is an extraordinary thing,” Redvers said. “His nomination fee went up and he got a bigger book of mares and that was because his second crop was off the back of his extraordinary results with his first 3-year-olds in Australia,” Redvers said. “He had the first three in the Coolmore Stud S. and produced a couple champions. We've had the benefit of seeing what an extraordinary sire of sprinters and milers he is in Australia and that's as close you can get to an open goal as a breeder.”

“They're a different type of horse to the Roaring Lions,” Redvers continued. “The Roaring Lions are all quality and screaming back-end 2-year-old and a mile to 10 furlong 3-year-old. The Zoustars that are bred on speed lines look like absolute rockets, but they don't look like small, precocious horses; they have big hips and a great action. So many of them have his undeniable, immediately recognizable characteristics: that big broad head and jaw, and you can just see him in them. I'm as excited about him as it is possible to be about a stallion, and hopefully we're going to see a new era in the production of speed horses in the UK and Europe.”

There are five Zoustars catalogued at Arqana, and Etreham offers a colt out of the winning Fortitude (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 181). Etreham purchased Fortitude as a 3-year-old for 90,000gns at Tattersalls December in 2017 and she has enjoyed some major family updates this year, with her 5-year-old half-brother Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) winning four stakes races including the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, and her 2-year-old half-brother Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) taking the Listed Chesham S. at Royal Ascot. Fortitude has a 2-year-old by another Australian-bred sire, the Etreham shuttler Scissor Kick (Aus), and the Zoustar colt is her second foal. De Chambure said that in sending Fortitude to Zoustar, he was attempting to replicate the speed-on-speed matings that have worked so well for Zoustar Down Under.

“I thought it would be interesting to breed that Green Desert line to Zoustar,” he explained. “He's done really well with those speedy Australian mares and I thought I'd try to replicate that by sending him a mare that has a bit of speed. Sometimes we probably make the mistake of using those Australian sires to speed up a pedigree and send them a Classic mare or 2400 metre type of mare, and sometimes that doesn't work because it's too extreme. So I thought I'd send him a mare with true speed. We're happy with the colt, he has that good length from Oasis Dream and he's very athletic and a good walker.”

Monceaux's Zoustar filly, lot 269, is the first foal for her dam, the winning Saccharose (GB), who is by Australian champion sire Exceed and Excel. Monceaux bought Saccharose for €170,000 at Arqana December carrying this filly in 2019.

“She's has the physical and she moves well, and she looks quite forward and precocious,” Bozo said. “She looks like she could run early. I have another Zoustar selling in October. I have three of them and they're all very athletic horses; they have a lot of strength.”

The other Zoustars catalogued for Arqana are a filly out of the Listed Lanwades Stud S. winner Arabda (GB) (Elnadim) (lot 134) offered by Arcadia Elevage; Haras de Saint Pair's half-sister to Grade III winner Guildsman (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) from the family of Almanzor (Fr) (lot 162); and Haras d'Haspel's colt out of Meandering (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a full-sister to multiple group winner Up (Ire) and a half to multiple Group 1 winner and sire Dutch Art (GB) (lot 224).

It is exciting times for the team at Tweenhills Stud. Although Roaring Lion is much missed, he and Zoustar's first yearlings look to usher in a new era for the stud, which also has some first-crop yearlings by the crack miler Lightning Spear (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). Its elder statesman Havana Gold has hit another gear this season, and G1 2000 Guineas winner Kameko covered his first book this spring.

“Roaring Lion was the first serious world champion we produced so it's incredibly exciting seeing his first crop of yearlings going through, obviously tinged with a huge amount of sadness that there aren't more crops to follow for him,” Redvers said. “But Zoustar is possibly the horse that excites me personally even more, because we know already that he is the sire of two Group 1 winners from his first crop in Australia and that he's going from strength to strength down there. So it's going to be the most fascinating 12 months. Hopefully this time next year we'll be seeing the fruits of it.”

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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.

The post Group 3 Winner Pollara, In Foal To War Front, Tops Second Day Of Keeneland November Sale At $975,000 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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As August came and went without an Arqana yearling sale, it was already very clear that this was a year unlike any other. The sale, rebranded as the Deauville Select Sale, will take place at the company’s seaside headquarters on Sept. 9 to 11 with a typically star-studded catalogue, but without the usual panache that comes along when racing and bloodstock afficionados descend upon Deauville each summer–the coronavirus pandemic, social distancing and travel bans have put paid to that.

But despite the fact that this year will include fewer celebratory handshakes, dinners at Le Drakkar, trips to Trouville or late night mojitos at Brok, and that most of those on the grounds will be coming from near rather than far, Monceaux’s Henri Bozo said he thinks buyers have greater reason than ever to shop this year’s catalogue. Even putting his own 40-horse draft aside, Bozo described the catalogue as “really strong.”

“There are some amazing pedigrees, some foundation pedigrees in there,” he said. “People may not be thinking of buying something this year or may not be thinking about Europe, but it’s definitely going to be a year with a lot of opportunities.”

“This year is of course a bit different and not as many people as usual will be able to be on site in Deauville or anywhere,” Bozo added. “We are all expecting a more difficult market and I think the reaction of the breeders is that the industry has to keep the machine going and keep things rolling. I think it’s going to be a year of opportunity for racehorse owners and also for breeders who could take this opportunity to invest in some proper pedigrees. I’m thinking of the American breeders who are getting back more into the turf pedigrees because of the rise of turf racing in America at the moment. I think it’s definitely an opportunity for breeders to invest in some proper turf pedigrees in Europe, and in Deauville in particular where we have some fillies that could become foundation mares in the future.”

If there is a breeder who knows a thing or two about such fillies it is Bozo. The Monceaux-bred Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) was scooped up for just €12,000 at Arqana’s October yearling sale in 2015 before later being sold privately to Peter Brant and going on to win seven Grade Is and an Eclipse Award in America.

“The French pedigrees have done really well in America for the past 20 years and the American trainers like buying from France, so I think there is no reason why they shouldn’t take the opportunity this year to invest in Europe and in France,” Bozo said.

Next week buyers will have the chance to tussle over a Dubawi half-sister to Sistercharlie, although they will have to pay much more than €12,000 for her. Sistercharlie is the first foal out of her dam Starlet’s Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the page has been greatly enhanced not only by the great mare herself but by G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Prix Ganay scorer Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and My Sister Nat (Fr), a Group 3 winner in both France and the U.S. Starlet’s Sister’s Fastnet Rock (Aus) colt fetched €700,000 in Deauville last summer and is now named Parliament (GB).

“We have a sister to Sottsass and Sistercharlie by Dubawi (lot 251) and she’s a superb individual with of course an amazing page,” Bozo said. “That’s a rare page to have and she’ll be considered by any breeding operation as a foundation mare in the future. She’s a great mover with a lot of quality.”

The Monceaux consignment-all of which, as per usual, are homebreds-includes 10 yearlings by Siyouni, seven of which are fillies including a half-sister to G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Polydream (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and G3 Prix Sigy winner Big Brothers Pride (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (lot 194) and a half-sister to G1 Prix Jean Prat scorer Intellogent (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) (lot 174).

Bozo said of lot 194: “she’s a beautiful filly; she looks exactly like we were hoping she would when we did the mating. She’s a really athletic and precocious type.” Of lot 174, he added, “it’s a beautiful page from one of the best German families and the filly is very nice; she’s a very good cross between Siyouni and this German family. She’s a very, very attractive filly.”

Among three Frankels in the draft is a half-sister to Group 3 winner and Group 1 and Classic-placed Wind Chimes (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). Monceaux also offers two fillies by Kodiac (GB), Europe’s leading sire of 2-year-olds in 2020: lot 99, a daughter of the listed-placed Game Zone (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}) from the family of Immortal Verse (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and lot 200, the first foal out of the listed-winning Qatar Power (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}).

“We have two Kodiac fillies and Kodiac is definitely a source of speed and precocity, and we have two nice fillies by him,” Bozo said.

Among the consignment’s top colts will be a son of one of Monceaux’s crown jewels in Prudenzia (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 199). He is a full-brother to Group 1 winner Magic Wand (Ire), a three-quarter brother to G1 Irish Oaks winner Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and a half-brother to last year’s sale-topping filly Philomene. Prudenzia has supplied a remarkable five seven-figure yearlings and two yearling sale toppers in addition to Chicquita, who topped the 2013 Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale at €6-million.

“He has a lot of class,” Bozo said of Prudenzia’s Galileo colt. “He’s very appealing, he has that little something and he moves very well.”

Sure to offer him plenty of competition in the ring is lot 103, another Galileo colt who is the first foal out of G3 Prix Minerve winner Golden Valentine (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}).

“She’s from the Wertheimer family of Goldikova and we have her in partnership with LNJ Foxwoods,” Bozo said of Golden Valentine. “This first foal is lovely, he’s a magnificent mover and very sound with a very good mind, and we’re sure he’ll attract many buyers.”

Monceaux offers three by Lope De Vega (Ire)-“Lope De Vega is an amazing stallion, he has some great statistics and we really like using him,” Bozo said-including a colt out of the listed-placed Sotka (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) (lot 248). He is a half to Group 3 winners Fas (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and Silva (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and the mare’s Kingman (GB) colt made €400,000 from SackvilleDonald in Deauville last year. Speaking of Kingman, there is one of those in the Monceaux consignment too: lot 149, a half-brother to stakes winners Marbre Rose (Ire) (Smart Strike), Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Aviatress (Ire) (Shamardal). Marbre Rose’s Dubawi (Ire) colt follows his relative through the ring (lot 150) and they will be the last two offerings on day one of the sale.

Bozo notes that Monceaux typically uses proven sires but has gambled on first-crop sires Almanzor (Fr), Caravaggio (Ire) and Churchill (Ire).

“We try to use proven stallions as much as we can, but this year we have two Almanzors,” he said. “They’re from his first crop and they’re two very nice yearlings, very good movers with very good minds.” Those colts are lot 87, a half-brother to Grade I winners Coil (Point Given) and Chiropractor (Kitten’s Joy) and lot 101, a half-brother to triple Grade I winner Miss Temple City (Temple City) and Grade III winner Pricedtoperfection (Temple City).

“We also have a lovely filly by Caravaggio out of a Galileo mare (lot 128),” Bozo added. “She’s a good advertisement for the stallion as she looks like a precocious type.”

“We also have some Churchill yearlings; he was a fast Galileo with a lot of power and a very interesting pedigree so we’ve backed him since the beginning and we have three nice individuals by Churchill,” Bozo said. Those include lot 162, a colt out of Debutante (Fr) (Gold Away {Ire}), a listed-placed half-sister to Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}).

“I think it’s one of the best drafts we’ve ever had go to the sale,” Bozo summarized. “I have a lot of faith in them and I’m sure they’ll do well on the racetrack. Hopefully things will go well at the sale and hopefully people will come and try their luck at the sale.”

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“Our dear father Antoine Bozo passed away last night,” Henri Bozo tweeted on Sunday morning. “He had a beautiful life. He loved his family. He loved horses and horseracing and made many friends during his beautiful career.”

Prior to working at Mezeray, Bozo was part of the team at Haras du Bois Roussel for Count Gerald Moulins de Rochefort. Eventually, Bozo moved again, this time to Haras de Mortree.

In 1975, at the behest of Paul de Moussac, Bozo began his stint at Haras du Mezeray. During Bozo’s tenure at the Normandy stud, 1987 G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Trempolino (Sharpen Up {GB}) was foaled. The future Mezeray sire was followed by Subotica (Fr) (Pampabird {GB}), who landed the 1992 Arc. Other notable horses originating from Mezeray during this time period were 1988 GI Arlington Million hero Mill Native (Exclusive Native) and in the 2000’s, sire and GI Breeders’ Cup Mile victor Artie Schiller (El Prado {Ire}).

Bozo is survived by his wife, Claire, and four children-Henri, Ghislain, Pierre-Antoine, and Anne-France.

Charles-Henri de Moussac told Jour de Galop, “It’s more than a collaborator that we lose, it’s a friend, a family member.”

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