Arqana Jump Starts The Season With €250,000 Hurdler

Arqana has an advantage over its counterparts in Britain and Ireland in so far as the company is able to stage a live sale in Deauville this week, with some encouraging returns posted from the first of two sessions of the February Sale on Monday.

Two six-figure lots were at the head of the action, and trade was fairly lively throughout, with the average being boosted by 22% to €13,669, while turnover was also up, by 23%, at €1,654,000 thanks to a much improved clearance rate of 77.5%. From a smaller offering of 156 for the day, 121 horses were sold at a median price of €6,500, up from €5,000 last year.

The colours of British National Hunt owner Robert Waley-Cohen have been carried with great success by some notable French-breds in recent years, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Long Run (Fr) (Cadoudal {Fr}) and Topham Chase victrix Liberthine (Fr) (Chamberlin {Fr}). The latest acquisition by the owner of Warwickshire's Upton Viva Stud was the leading light of day one, the AQPS gelding Hardi Du Mesnil (Fr) (Masterstroke). At €250,000, the 4-year-old half-brother to Gaillard Du Mesnil (Fr) (Saint Des Saints {Fr}), recent winner of a Grade 1 novices' hurdle during the Dublin Racing Festival, had several pursuers, but it was David Powell who lasted longest on Waley-Cohen's behalf. 

He said, “He is a horse who deserves a bit of a battle. We are going to let him have a break for a while to strengthen up.”

Hardi Du Mesnil (lot 60) has to date won once on the Flat and, most recently, over hurdles at Pau in January for trainer Matthieu Palussiere.

The 7-year-old race mare Lady Paname (Fr) (Soldier Of Fortune {Ire}) was the day's other six-figure lot, fetching a bid of €120,000 from Sebastien Desmontils of Chauvigny Global Equine standing alongside Pierric Rouxel of Haras de Maulepaire. 

Having started her racing career in France under the care of Elie Lellouche, for whom she won and was placed in the G2 Qatar Prix Chaudenay and G3 Prix de Royaumont, Lady Paname was sold to race in America, where she won Grade 3 contests at Belmont and Aqueduct. Sold as lot 160 by La Motteraye Consignment, she is out of the dual winner Business Class (GB) (Aussie Rules {GB}). Her future will now be as a National Hunt broodmare, with Haras de Montaigu's popular young stallion No Risk At All (Fr) slated to be her first partner.

“We bought her for a partnership between Ecurie Drost and Ecurie Tygaly,” explained Rouxel. “We're delighted; she's a mare we've been coveting for a while, and we love her very much. She's going to be a broodmare and we will definitely be sending her to No Risk At All.”

A relatively new name on the breeding front, Austrian-based Sage Stud, made a well-credentialed signing through Chris Richner. The agent went to €85,000 for listed winner Oh Beautiful (Ire), a daughter of Galileo (Ire) in foal to Shalaa (Ire).

The 12-year-old mare (lot 148) has produced two winners from her three foals to race and is out of a half-sister to the storied race mare and producer Cassandra Go (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), whose talented dynasty includes the Group 1 winners Halfway To Heaven (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) and Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

“The owners have been in the business for over 30 years and recently bought Sage Stud and completely renovated it,” said Richner. “This is the third year that they have come to Arqana Sales to find quality mares.”

The progressive young steeplechaser Laskalin (Fr) (Martaline {GB}) was only added to the sale as a wildcard last week as lot 70 and he too found favour with a British-based owner, having being bought through agent Guy Petit for €77,000.

“After a rest, he will head to England to join the stable of Venetia Williams,” explained the agent. “He is no longer a novice but he has the ideal profile to deal with big handicaps. We are very pleased to have bought him.”

The 6-year-old, a full-brother to fellow black-type-winning jumper Laskaline (Fr), recently won the listed Prix Bernard de Dufau over fences at Pau for trainer Mikaël Mescam.

The final session of Arqana's February Sale begins on Tuesday at 10am.

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Arqana February Begins On Monday

Following online trade at Tattersalls and Goffs during the past fortnight, winter mixed sale trade moves to Deauville on Monday and Tuesday, where horses in training, broodmares, fillies, 2-year-olds and short yearlings will be offered at a physical Arqana February sale with strict COVID safety protocols in place.

The catalogue includes offerings from the reduction of Haras du Mont-dit-Mont, and the dispersal of the late Fabrice Petit. Mont-dit-Mont brings 13 lots, including Akemi (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) (lot 232), an 11-year-old listed winner who is the dam of the winning Mastercraftsman (Ire) colt Hurricane Bill (Ire) and who is in foal to Bated Breath (GB); and Riptide Wave (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) (lot 328), a daughter of the stakes-winning Rock Me Baby (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) in foal to Belardo (Ire). The 18 horses that Marc Pimbonnet will offer for the Petit reduction, meanwhile, include a 2-year-old colt from the first crop of Al Wukair (Ire) out of the listed-winning Medolina (Aragorn {Ire}) (lot 55).

Maiden fillies are always a popular attraction at Arqana's breeding stock sales, and the February sale boasts some intriguing prospects. They include the 7-year-old Lady Paname (Fr) (Soldier Of Fortune {Ire}) (lot 160), who was a winner and multiple group placed in France for Elie Lellouche before being sold for €400,000 at Arqana December in 2017 and joining Chad Brown in the U.S., where she won the GIII Long Island S. the following autumn. Lady Paname was offered at Keeneland November last year but was bought back for $100,000.

The 5-year-old Jet Setteuse (Fr) (Makfi {GB}) (lot 315) was a dual winner at two and was three times stakes-placed in the subsequent two seasons, including a third behind subsequent Group 1 winner Watch Me (Fr) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) in the G3 Prix Imprudence. Jet Setteuse was last seen winning a seven furlongs conditions race at Dax last June.

The catalogue likewise features some attractive in-foal mares. Those include Quesnay's Oh Beautiful (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 148), a 12-year-old listed winner who has produced three winners and is in foal to Shalaa (Ire). Oh Beautiful is a granddaughter of Rahaam, whose legacy includes Halfway To Heaven (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and her Group 1-winning daughters Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), as well as multiple Grade I winner Photo Call (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and her Group 2-winning half-brother Land Force (Ire) (No Nay Never), a young sire, and G1 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).

The winning 11-year-old mare Ingot Of Gold (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) (lot 165) is offered in foal to Almanzor (Fr), while Leaf Blower (Hat Trick {Jpn}) (lot 238), a full-sister to multiple Grade III winner Tricky Escape, is carrying to another young stallion with his first runners this year, Caravaggio. The winning Pebbles Place (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 258), an 8-year-old full-sister to G2 Superlative S. third Maxi Boy (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) from the family of Group 1 winners Mandean (GB) (Manduro {Ger}), Wavering (GB) (Refuse To Bend {Ire}) and Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal), is offered in foal to Phoenix Of Spain (Ire). Princess Isla (GB) (Frankel {GB}) (lot 309) is also carrying to a sire with his first foals due in 2021, the multiple Group 1-winning sprinter Ten Sovereigns (Ire). Princess Isla is a winning 5-year-old daughter of the multiple group placed Peinture Abstraite (GB) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), a half-sister to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Grand Prix de Paris scorer and sire Peintre Celebre (Nureyev) and his three stakes-winning siblings.

Another popular fixture of Arqana sales is the wildcards section, and this time around that features five offerings. The 3-year-old filly Otambura (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) (lot 150) is offered from the yard of trainer Christophe Ferland. Owned by Haras du Saubouas and Haras de Montaigu, Otambura has finished third in a pair of starts at Pau, going 1400 metres on Dec. 20 and going a mile on Jan. 30. She is out of the stakes-winning and G3 Prix Miesque second Kambura (Fr) (Literato {Fr}).

The progressive chaser Laskalin (Fr) (Martaline {Fr}) (lot 70) should be among the popular National Hunt offerings, the 6-year-old having been added to the sale last week. Laskalin's 2021 form includes a win in the Listed Prix Bernard de Dufau over fences at Pau.

A share in Haras de la Tuilerie stallion Masked Marvel (GB) was also added to the sale last week as lot 170. Masked Marvel, the winner of the 2011 G1 St Leger, has made a favourable start to his stud career, his first crop including the Grade 2-placed hurdler Gars En Noir (Fr) and the black-type performer Pacha Senam (Fr).

The catalogue also includes nearly 100 horses in training on the flat and over jumps, as well as 69 yearlings and 28 2-year-olds by sires like Almanzor, Iffraaj (GB), Kendargent (Fr), Le Havre (Ire), Shalaa and Sioux Nation.

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Progressive Chaser Laskalin Added To Arqana February

A further two wild cards have been added to the first day of the Arqana February Sale which takes place on Monday, Feb. 15.

The 6-year-old gelding Laskalin (Fr) (Martaline {GB}), whose form since the new year includes victory in the listed Prix Bernard de Dufau ever fences at Pau, will be offered by trainer Mikael Mescam as lot 70. The sibling to black-type jumps winners Laskaline (Fr), who is also by Martaline, and Kinglaska (Fr) (Kingsalsa {Fr}) has won five of his 13 starts over the last two seasons.

Later in the session a share in the Haras de la Tuilerie stallion Masked Marvel (GB) will be auctioned as lot 170. The winner of the 2011 St Leger for Bjorn Neilsen retired to stud in France in 2015 and among the leading performers of his first crop of 5-year-olds are the Grade 2-placed hurdler Gars En Noir (Fr), who is now in training in Ireland with Willie Mullins, and the Franois Nicolle-trained black-type performer Pacha Senam (Fr).

These two additional lots follow the three wildcards for the sale which were announced last week. 

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