The group heroine Air De Valse (Fr) (Mesnil Des Aigles {Fr}) took top honours during the first session of the Arqana February Mixed Sale on Tuesday.
The Bridge Consignment shelled out €240,000 for the 7-year-old G3 Prix du Petit Couvert heroine from the Corine Barande-Barbe draft. Placed in the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye in 2021, Air De Valse is a daughter of listed winner Air Bag (Fr) (Poliglote {GB}).
Jérôme Glandais, the Director of Haras du Logis Saint-Germain said, “She's been bought for Mr. Benaroussi, who continues to invest in breeding. For the moment we haven't decided what stallion she will go to or where she will be boarded.”
Shalaa (Ire) mare Majal (Fr) (lot 173) changed hands for €102,000 to Eamon Reilly of BBA Ireland. Offered by Haras de Bouquetot, the winner is a half-sister to G3 Prix La Force victor Pao Alto (Fr) (Intello {Ger}), while her dam, a winner at Group 3 level in Germany, is a half-sister to G1 French Oaks heroine Palmas (Ger) (Lord Of England {Ger}).
Reilly said, “She's a lovely filly, that moves nicely and has an exceptional pedigree page. She'll come back to Ireland and start her broodmare career.”
The winning jumper Santa Fix (Fr) (Saint Des Saints {Fr}) (lot 118) was signed for by Paul Basquin for €92,000 on behalf of a partnership between Haras du Saubouas and Haras d'Etreham. She is a half-sister to listed-winning jumper Fixe Le Kap (Fr) (Kapgarde {Fr}), as well as A Mi Manera (Fr) (Great Pretender {Ire}), a dual graded winner over jumps.
“She's a magnificent filly that moves really well,” said Paul Basquin. “She's from a lovely family and by Saint des Saints, an excellent broodmare sire. She's been bought for a partnership between Haras de Saubouas and Haras d'Etreham. She'll be covered by Paradiso (Fr), a stallion that we estimate and want to support by sending him mares of this quality.”
The fourth dearest lot of Tuesday's session was lot 70, a nomination to Group 1 sire Camelot (GB) to aid the Red Cross in Syria and Turkey. Offered by Coolmore, the nomination was snapped up by Rahinston Stud for €62,000.
“I've bought it for a client of the farm, an owner/breeder who wants to breed the nomination to race if all goes well, said Rahinston's Harry Fowler. “We're delighted to support such a worthy charity, especially one that is at the forefront of all our minds. When the opportunity arose for such a lovely stallion and such a good cause, we felt we should support this very generous offer from Coolmore. It's also great of Arqana to facilitate the sale. A stallion like Camelot is not easy to get into; he's a beautiful horse and has a phenomenal record. We've an idea which mare we will send to him but we're not 100% sure, let's see how they all foal. But the progeny will be kept to race.”
At the close of trade, 111 lots sold from 148 offered (75%) for a gross of €1,805,000. The average rose 38.2% to €16,261, while the median rose by 50% to €9,000 from last year's opening session.
The second and final session of the February Mixed Sale begins at 11 a.m. local time. For the complete sale results, please visit the Arqana website.
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