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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Friday's trade saw 84.9% of the yearlings offered change hands to add €940,500 to the sale's aggregate. While the average (€11,196) and median (€10,000) were down for the session, they were well up for the sale as a whole. Over the week, 582 yearlings were sold for €26,740,500, a record for the sale and up 48% on 2020, when four fewer horses were sold. The cumulative average of €45,946 marked a 47% jump, while the median climbed 40% to €28,000. Figures were also up on the pre-pandemic 2019 sale, when 414 horses were sold for €16,957,000 at an average of €40,959 and a median of €25,000.

Monceaux was leading vendor at the sale with 26 yearlings sold for €3,464,000, including the sale-topping €440,000 Camelot colt, while Stroud Coleman Bloodstock topped the buyers' table with 15 purchased for €2,395,000.

Arqana President Eric Hoyeau and Executive Director Freddy Powell said in a statement, “After last year's sale that produced mixed results in an uncertain environment, we can only be satisfied with these figures. They have exceeded all our expectations. A total of 63 horses were sold for €100,000 or more and demand remained very strong from start to finish, as evidenced by the 83% of horses sold and with French and international purchases from England, Ireland, USA, Scandinavia, Australia, Germany, Spain, Japan, Eastern Europe etc. We would like to thank all of our buyers, who never stop increasing, for their confidence. We must also salute the work and endurance of our consignors. All this would not be possible without them. Since August more than 900 yearlings have already been sold. A final session devoted to the flat followed by the cream of

the National Hunt yearlings is still to come at the Autumn Sale next month.”

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From the Juddmonte family of young sire Calyx (GB), the filly's dam Needleleaf (GB) (Observatory {GB}) was bought as an unraced 2-year-old from the Juddmonte draft at Tattersalls December Sale by Berghgracht six years ago for 60,000gns. The sister to Group 1-winning sprinter African Rose (GB) has already hit the big time with her second foal, Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who provided a welcome update to an already strong catalogue page last month by winning the G2 Superlative S. for Godolphin. It was that same outfit that came calling for the statuesque yearling, whose breeding so closely resembles that of G2 Coventry S. winner Calyx, who is by the same sire and is out of another full-sister to Needleleaf, the Group 3 winner Helleborine (GB).

Delmotte, who owns Haras d'Haspel in Normandy and offered just one yearling during the select part of the August Sale, said, “It's a great sale. I heard all the wonderful compliments people were paying her, that she was exceptional, fabulous.”

He added, “Marc-Antoine has always tried to push me in the right direction to try and improve the quality of our mares. And whoever you speak to in the world of bloodstock, they always tell you that the model breeding operation is Juddmonte. So whenever we are at a sale [in Newmarket] we always look to see what they have that corresponds to our needs that might be somewhere near our budget.”

Delmotte sold Native Trail as a foal at the Arqana December Sale for €50,000 and he eventually found his way into Charlie Appleby's stable after being offered as a breezer by Norman Williamson of Oak Tree Farm at the Craven Sale in April.

The breeder continued, “With her brother he was already very big, which is why we sold him as a foal because we were worried that later on he would be the size of a hunter. Of course he ended up eventually being bought by Godolphin and that has worked out very well. It's a wonderful story and it is a story of friendship with Marc-Antoine.”

The agent himself was at first too overcome to speak, but after hugging Delmotte, he added, “It's very emotional because in this profession you have to be able to take the rough with the smooth and Jose has known plenty of setbacks. But now he has this wonderful mare producing these excellent horses, and he also has the sister of St Mark's Basilica (Fr) on his farm as well.”

Berghgracht continued, “It's all about teamwork and he and the team at Haras d'Haspel really deserve this. You never know with horses. He had a filly by Siyouni who knocked herself in her box on Thursday and had to be withdrawn. It can happen at any time. Now he is in the fortunate position of having this wonderful mare who is from a great operation and who is still young. Who knows where she could lead?”

The pandemic-affected 2020 sales season meant that there was no Arqana August Sale last year, but comparing Saturday's figures to those recorded at the same session in 2019 saw a slight rise in the clearance rate to 72% for 57 sold from 79 offered. The average and median were both down, if such a comparison is a fair one, to €202,930 (-29%) and €170,000 (-23%).

Monceaux's Early Splash

An early echo of last year's €2.5 million sale-topper was provided when lot 17 was knocked down at €750,000 an hour into the Arqana August Yearling Sale.

Vendor, buyer and sire were all repeated when Oliver St Lawrence and Fawzi Nass plumped for a Dubawi (Ire) yearling sold by Ecurie des Monceaux. This one was a colt, however, and the dark bay is the second foal of the LNJ Foxwoods homebred G3 Prix Minerve winner Golden Valentine (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}), herself out of a half-sister to the Wertheimer brothers' celebrated Goldikova (Ire).

“This lovely Dubawi colt caught our eye at an early stage and the owner was keen to buy him,” said St Lawrence, who confirmed that he will race for the Saudi-based KHK Racing, which part-owns last year's sale-topper, a half-sister to Arc winner Sottsass (Fr) who has been named Pure Dignity (GB).

“He will be trained in the UK,” the agent added.

Bred in partnership by Monceaux and LNJ Foxwoods, the colt is a grandson of the G3 Prix Cleopatre winner Gold Round (Ire), who was bought from the Wertheimer draft carrying Golden Valentine in the same ring in 2012 for €520,000 by Alex Solis. Golden Valentine's first foal is a Galileo (Ire) colt named Shadowfax (GB) who sold for €450,000 at last year's Select Sale and is now in training with John and Thady Gosden in Newmarket under the ownership of Qatar Racing and LNJ Foxwoods.

St Lawrence had his bidding boots on early and also claimed the first Roaring Lion yearling to pass through the ring in Europe for €140,000. Lot 4 was offered by Haras d'Etreham and is out of the Pivotal (GB) mare Every Time (GB) from the immediate family of G1 Moyglare Stud S winner Cursory Glance (Distorted Humour) and Digital Age (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a Grade I winner on the American turf for Chad Brown.

Ecurie des Monceaux, which ended the session as leading vendor by aggregate with 15 sold for €3,357,000, was also responsible for the third-top lot of the session, a filly by the late champion sire Galileo (Ire) out of the listed-placed Johannesburg mare Militante (Ire).

“They've stopped making Galileos and he has been such a world-changing sire,” lamented David Redvers after signing for the chestnut half-sister to the G3 Prix de Lieurey winner Wind Chimes (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) at €600,000.

He added of lot 56, who was bought for Qatar Racing, “She is strong and correct–everything we want in a filly to add to our broodmare band–and I thought she was good value at that price. She has come off the best farm in France and she will remain in France to be trained.”

From Trotting To Galloping

Florent Fonteyne of Trotting Bloodstock had a productive five minutes when buying consecutive lots from the Haras de Colleville draft for €220,000 and €380,000. The fillies are both daughters of the young Colleville resident and leading sophomore sire Galiway (GB), with the latter, lot 31, being a full-sister to the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagaradere winner and this season's G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Sealiway (Fr).

“We were very keen to buy from France's leading breeder Guy Pariente and it is possible he may keep a share in the fillies,” said the young agent, who noted that he was acting on behalf of owners Thomas Lines and Ronan Kerdraon, who race as SARL Groupe KR and have 12 horses in training. The partnership began its involvement in Thoroughbred racing just two years ago, having had a previous involvement in trotting.

He added, “The clients have sent mares to Galiway and are fans of the stallion.”

Sealiway's sister has already been named Seagala (Fr) by her breeder and she is a daughter of the listed Prix Herod winner Kensea (Fr), who is by Galiway's stud-mate Kendargent (Fr).

She followed into the ring a filly bred on exactly the same Galiway-Kendargent cross who is also a sister to group winner and out of a group-winning mare. In the case of lot 30, she is a sibling to another smart juvenile in Kenway (Fr), winner of the G3 Prix La Rochette, and a daughter of the G3 Prix Eclipse winner Kendam (Fr), who was also third in the G1 Prix de la Foret. If a formula works, why not repeat it?

Trio For Godolphin

Anthony Stroud and David Loder, in Deauville on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed and in the company of trainer Charlie Appleby, were the leading buyers in the name of Godolphin with three yearlings bought for €1,500,000. The majority of that tally was accounted for by the day's top lot, but they also signed for lot 68, a Lope De Vega colt bred and consigned by Ballylinch Stud.

The chestnut, bought for €350,000, is the first foal of Normandel (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), who won a listed race in the colours of her breeder Gerard Augustin-Normand when trained by Pia Brandt and later won the G3 Park Express S. for Ballylinch and Jim Bolger.

Normandel is a full-sister to La Pyle (Fr), whose son Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {GB}) won this season's G1 Coronation Cup, and a half-sibling to Augustin-Normand's G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Mont Ormel (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Ire}).

The colt was one of two by Lope De Vega bought by Godolphin on Saturday, along with lot 10, another first foal, this one out of dual winner Front Contender (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and bought for €200,000 from La Motteraye Consignment.

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Update Propels Roaring Lion Colt

Welwal (GB) (Shalaa) was an eye-catching debut winner last weekend in Deauville for Al Shaqab Racing and trainer Jean-Claude Rouget, and his yearling half-brother by Roaring Lion (lot 153) was bought by David Redvers, who also bought the sire as a yearling, for €300,000. They are out of Cheriearch (Arch).

€1.5-Million For Son Of Siyouni

Siyouni Colt Leaves Them Reeling

It didn't take long for the seven-figure barrier to be breached again and that came a few moments after lot 152 entered the ring. Ecurie des Monceaux already has one Siyouni (Fr) colt from a Galileo (Ire) mare as a poster boy in last season's Arc winner Sottsass (Fr), and hopes will be high that the colt by the same sire out of Highland Reel's full-sister Cercle De La Vie (Ire) can rise to a similar level after being purchased for €1.5 million by Oliver St Lawrence.

Black-type updates are the stuff of dreams for consignors and Henri Bozo and his team was delivered a high-class boost when Cercle De La Vie's first foal Angel Bleu (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) won the G2 Vintage S at Glorious Goodwood, beating the G2 Coventry S winner Berkshire Shadow (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}).

“He was a standout colt with a great update,” said St Lawrence of the yearling. “The 2-year-old looks a proper horse and if he could be as good as the then we've done our jobs. I suspect he will be trained in England. He's been bought for Fawzi Nass.”

St Lawrence made his presence felt at last year's Select Sale and he has done the same again with the sale now reverted to its August slot. At the time of writing he was the leading buyer, with five yearlings bought for €3,335,000.

He also signed for the most expensive yearling by Coolmore freshman Saxon Warrior (JPN) at €370,000. Lot 135 was consigned by Haras de Bourgeauville and is a son of the dual listed winner Artistic Jewel (Ire) (Excellent Art {GB}).

Update Pushes Almanzor Filly To €450,000

Who Knows (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) won Sunday afternoon's G3 Prix Francois Boutin just in time to give her half-sister by Almanzor (Fr) (lot 121) an important boost before she went through the ring, and connections were duly rewarded when the daughter of Zain Al Boldan (GB) (Poliglote {Fr}), consigned by Haras des Capucines, sold to Amanda Skiffington for €450,000.

Kingman Colt, Dubawi Filly In The Spotlight

A colt by Kingman (GB) and a filly by Dubawi (Ire) flirted with the €1-million mark in Deauville and eventually settled at €850,000 and €900,000, respectively. The Kingman colt, lot 113, is out of Via Pisa (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and sold to Godolphin, while Juddmonte Farms purchased the Dubawi filly, lot 117. She is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Wonderment from the excellent family of G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe scorer Waldgeist (Ire).

Juddmonte makes only selective forays into the yearling market and one of the world's best breeding operations dipped in at Arqana for the daughter of Dubawi offered by Haras de l'Hotellerie on behalf of breeders Manfred Wurtenberger and Reinhard Stockli.

It took a bid of €900,000 from Simon Mockridge to secure the half-sister to G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Wonderment (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). Her dam Wiwilia (GB) (Konigstiger {Ger}) was a dual winner in Switzerland and is a half-sister to the GI Man O'War S. Winner Wake Forest (Ger) (Sir Percy {GB}).

“She's a beautiful filly, very easy moving,” said Mockridge, “There are Group 1 winners under the first three dams and she has a lovely outcross pedigree for our broodmare band in time.”

The filly's sale represented the highest price achieved by the Garcon family of Haras de l'Hotellerie in nine years of consigning at Arqana.

“We are very happy that she has been bought by such a good breeder,” said Guillaume Garcon. “It is the first time Juddmonte has bought from us and it is very exciting to know that she is going to such a good place. The last time we sold a yearling by Dubawi he was a Group 1 winner [Mubtaahij (Ire)] and we hope for the same for this filly.”

The Hotellerie team has also sold the two most expensive yearlings in Europe by Coolmore's first-crop sires U S Navy Flag and Mendelssohn over the last two days. The latter, lot 90, was bought for €235,000 by Daithi Harvey and Lindsay Laroche's Highland Yard and will be trained for Laroche by Nicolas Clement.

Dubawi On Top Again As Arqana Makes Lively Start

By Emma Berry

DEAUVILLE, France–The second and final session of the select part of the Arqana August Sale is underway in ebullient fashion and Charlie Gordon-Watson has already made a significant impact on the day's action. Acting for an unnamed client, the agent signed for the sale's top lot (108) so far, the Dubawi filly ex Typique (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), at €2.4 million shortly after bidding €525,000 for lot 99, a filly by Frankel (GB).

The sale leader was consigned by Haras d'Etreham for relatively new breeder Thierry Gillier of Haras Voltaire, who bought Typique, a daughter of Galileo and the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Denebola (Storm Cat), at the Goffs November Sale of 2016 for €450,000 through Laurent Benoit's Broadhurst Agency.

“It's just such a fantastic Niarchos family with Group 1-winning 2-year-olds as the second and third dams, and she's beautiful. She's the best-looking Dubawi filly I've ever seen and the mare's first two foals both look pretty good,” said Gordon-Watson. “André Fabre loved her and he will train her.”

The filly's page boasts plenty of depth, with Group 1 winners Senga (Blame), Coup De Genie (Mr Prospector), Machiavellian (Mr Prospector), Bago (Fr) (Nashwan) and Maxios (GB) (Monsun {Ger}) all prominent. Furthermore, Typique, who achieved little on the racecourse in her two starts, has made a promising start to her broodmare career. Her first foal Babylone (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who is also trained by Fabre, has won three of her five starts in her breeder's colours, most recently landing the G2 Prix de Malleret at Longchamp in July. Her year-younger full-sister Assyrian Queen (Fr) made a promising debut when second at Deauville on Aug. 5.

Nicolas de Chambure, who consigned the filly on Gillier's behalf through his Haras d'Etreham, said, “All the credit is for Haras Voltaire. They did the mating: it's a new owner with a new team on a new farm and it is great to see a result like this. They bought an expensive mare and they have been rewarded for their investment in French breeding. We just feel very grateful that they trusted us with this lovely filly. She is going to a great owner and it is nice to see fillies like this going to people with a long-term plan.”

The same owner/breeder will also take charge of Ecurie des Monceaux's Frankel half-sister to Group 3 winners Fas (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and Silva (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who had been signed for by Gordon-Watson just 20 minutes earlier.

He said, “We love Frankel and this is a wonderful family. She's a late foal and she will only improve. She will be trained by John Gosden.”

Born on April 29, the bay is a daughter of Sotka (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), a listed-placed sister to the crack sprinter Sole Power (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), and she was bred at Monceaux by Zalim Bifov.

€525,000 for Frankel Filly

Frankel has the current top lot on day two, with Charlie-Gordon Watson going to €525,000 for Monceaux's filly out of Sotka (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) (lot 90), already the dam of stakes winners Fas (Fr) and Silva (Fr)

€235,000 for Mendelssohn Filly

Coolmore's American-based son of Scat Daddy, Mendelssohn, is now responsible for the top price for a first-season sire at the sale, with lot 90, a filly bred by Yeguada Centurion from Haras de l'Hotellerie, selling to Daithi Harvey/Highland Yard for €235,000. The filly's dam, Royal Story (Lemon Drop Kid), was bought carrying her for $125,000 at Keeneland November in 2019.

Kingman Filly The New Frontrunner

DEAUVILLE, France——There were tears of delight from breeder Jose Delmotte and his friend and agent Marc-Antoine Berghgracht following the sale of Delmotte's Kingman (GB) filly (lot 62) for a session-leadings €950,000 on Saturday evening at Arqana.

From the Juddmonte family of young sire Calyx (GB), the filly's dam Needleleaf (GB) (Observatory {GB}) was bought as an unraced 2-year-old from the Juddmonte draft at Tattersalls December Sale by Berghgracht six years ago for 60,000gns. The sister to Group 1-winning sprinter African Rose (GB) has already hit the big time with her second foal, Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who provided a welcome update to an already strong catalogue page last month by winning the G2 Superlative S. for Godolphin.

It was that same outfit that came calling for the statuesque yearling, whose breeding so closely resembles that of G2 Coventry S. winner Calyx, who is by the same sire and is out of another full-sister to Needleleaf, the Group 3 winner Helleborine (GB).

Delmotte, who owns Haras d'Haspel in Normandy and offered just one yearling during the select part of the August Sale, said, “It's a great sale. I heard all the wonderful compliments people were paying her, that she was exceptional, fabulous.”

He added, “Marc-Antoine has always tried to push me in the right direction to try and improve the quality of our mares. And whoever you speak to in the world of bloodstock, they always tell you that the model breeding operation is Juddmonte.  So whenever we are at a sale [in Newmarket] we always look to see what they have that corresponds to our needs that might be somewhere near our budget.”

Delmotte sold Native Trail as a foal at the Arqana December Sale for €50,000 and he eventually found his way into Charlie Appleby's stable after being offered as a breezer by Norman Williamson of Oak Trees Farm at the Craven Sale in April.

The breeder continued, “With her brother he was already very big, which is why we sold him as a foal because we were worried that later on he would be the size of a hunter. Of course he ended up eventually being bought by Godolphin and that has worked out very well. It's a wonderful story and it is a story of friendship with Marc-Antoine.”

The agent himself was at first too overcome to speak, but after hugging Delmotte, he added, “It's very emotional because in this profession you have to be able to take the rough with the smooth and Jose has known plenty of setbacks. But now he has this wonderful mare producing these excellent horses, and he also has the sister of St Mark's Basilica (Fr) on his farm as well.”

Berghgracht continued, “It's all about teamwork and he and the team at Haras d'Haspel really deserve this. You never know with horses. He had a filly by Siyouni who knocked herself in her box on Thursday and had to be withdrawn. It can happen at any time. Now he is in the fortunate position of having this wonderful mare who is from a great operation and who is still young. Who knows where she could lead?”

Justify Filly Sells For €150,000

The first yearling by Justify to sell in a European sales ring made €150,000. Lot 52 was offered by Monceaux and sold to Prime Equestrian.

Galileo Filly Makes €600,000

DEAUVILLE, France–“They've stopped making Galileos and he has been such a world-changing sire,” lamented David Redvers after signing for a chestnut Galileo (Ire) half-sister to the G3 Prix de Lieurey winner Wind Chimes (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) at €600,000.

He added of lot 56, sold by Monceaux, “She is strong and correct–everything we want in a filly to add to our broodmare band–and I thought she was good value at that price. She has come off the best farm in France and she will remain in France to be trained.”

The filly is the first of four yearlings by her sire to be offered in Deauville this week.

Fonteyne Splashes For Galiway Fillies

DEAUVILLE, France—-Florent Fonteyne of Trotting Bloodstock had a productive five minutes when buying consecutive lots from the Haras de Colleville draft for €220,000 and €380,000. The fillies are both daughters of the young Colleville resident and leading sophomore sire Galiway (GB), with the latter, lot 31, being a full-sister to the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner and this season's G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Sealiway (Fr).

“We were very keen to buy from France's leading breeder Guy Pariente and it is possible he may keep a share in the fillies,” said the young agent, who noted that he was acting on behalf of owners Thomas Lines and Ronan Kerdraon, who race as SARL Groupe KR and have 12 horses in training. The partnership began its involvement in Thoroughbred racing just two years ago, having had a previous involvement in trotting.

He added, “The clients have sent mares to Galiway and are fans of the stallion.”

Sealiway's sister has already been named Seagala (Fr) by her breeder and she is a daughter of the listed Prix Herod winner Kensea (Fr), who is by Galiway's stud-mate Kendargent (Fr).

She followed into the ring a filly bred on exactly the same Galiway-Kendargent cross who is also a sister to group winner and out of a group-winning mare. In the case of lot 30, she is a sibling to another smart juvenile in Kenway (Fr), winner of the G3 Prix La Rochette, and a daughter of the G3 Prix Eclipse winner Kendam (Fr), who was also third in the G1 Prix de la Foret. If a formula works, why not repeat it?

Midway Statistics

At the half-way stage of the first session, the average sits at €181,379, the median €160,000 and the clearance rate 66%. Last year's average at the Deauville Select Sale staged in September was €121,364, and the median €70,000. The 2019 Arqana August Yearling Sale posted a record average of €187,671 and median of €125,000.

Monceaux And LNJ Foxwoods Off To Early Lead With Dubawi Colt

DEAUVILLE, France–An early echo of last year's €2.5 million sale-topper was provided when lot 17 was knocked down at €750,000 an hour into the Arqana August Yearling Sale.

Vendor, buyer and sire were all repeated when Oliver St Lawrence and Fawzi Nass plumped for a Dubawi (Ire) yearling sold by Ecurie des Monceaux. This one was a colt, however, and the dark bay is the second foal of the LNJ Foxwoods homebred G3 Prix Minerve winner Golden Valentine (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}), herself out of a half-sister to the Wertheimer brothers' celebrated Goldikova (Ire).

“This lovely Dubawi colt caught our eye at an early stage and the owner was keen to buy him,” said St Lawrence, who confirmed that he will race for the Saudi-based KHK Racing, which part-owns last year's sale-topper, a half-sister to Arc winner Sottsass (Fr) who has been named Pure Dignity (GB).

“He will be trained in the UK,” the agent added.

Bred in partnership by Monceaux and LNJ Foxwoods, the colt is a grandson of the G3 Prix Cleopatre winner Gold Round (Ire), who was bought from the Wertheimer draft in the same ring in 2012 for €520,000 by Alex Solis while carrying Golden Valentine. Golden Valentine's first foal is a Galileo (Ire) colt named Shadowfax (GB) who sold for €450,000 at last year's Select Sale and is now in training with John and Thady Gosden in Newmarket under the ownership of Qatar Racing and LNJ Foxwoods.

St Lawrence had his bidding boots on early and also claimed the first Roaring Lion yearling to pass through the ring in Europe for €140,000. Lot 4 was offered by Haras d'Etreham and is out of the Pivotal (GB) mare Every Time (GB) from the immediate family of G1 Moyglare Stud S winner Cursory Glance (Distorted Humour) and Digital Age (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a Grade I winner on the American turf for Chad Brown.

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“Given the circumstances it’s a relief to be able to organize the sale,” said Ludovic Cornuel, head of bloodstock at Arqana. “This has been a very challenging year for everyone in the industry.”

With France still ensconced in its second national lockdown due to COVID-19, Arqana was able to test its health protocols at its Autumn Sale last month.

“The sale a fortnight ago went well,” Cornuel said. “There were strict protocols enforced. Everyone wanting to attend the sale needs to register on the Arqana website to be allowed in. Masks need to be worn all the time on the sales premises, and there are no restaurants, unfortunately, but our caterers will provide takeaway lunch boxes and sandwiches.”

In a most unprecedented year, auctions around the world have borne out the fact that top of the market bloodstock is nearly recession-proof, and the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale has plenty to go around at that end. Simultaneously, those operating in the lower tiers of the market can be buoyed by the fact that this year’s G1 Fillies’ Mile winner and champion 2-year-old filly Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}) was bought for €55,000 as a foal at this sale in 2018, the same year that her dam, Lady Gorgeous (GB) (Compton Place {GB}) was sold for €40,000. Listed-winning 3-year-old and G1 St Leger second Berkshire Rocco (Fr) (Sir Percy {GB}) was a €35,000 Arqana December foal, and that pricetag will look even greater value should he continue his ascent as a top-class stayer. Directa (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}), the last out G3 Prix Fille de l’Air scorer who goes through the ring on Saturday as lot 170, cost just €4,000 at this sale in 2017.

It has been a particularly fruitful season for 2-year-olds who were sold at the December sale or whose dams were sourced there. G3 Prix des Reservoirs winner and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac third Rougir (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) was a €14,000 foal, while G3 Prix Eclipse and G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte winner Plainchant (Fr) (Gregorian {Ire}) was let out unsold at €3,000.

The dams of a trio of Group 1-winning juveniles in 2020 were bought at the Arqana December Sale. The dams of Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) cost €17,000 and €12,000, respectively. GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire})’s dam Matauri Pearl (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}) sold for €400,000 here in 2015, the same year that G3 Prix du Bois scorer Livachope (Fr) (Goken {Fr})’s dam Laia Chope (Fr) (Soave {Ger}) cost Alain Chopard €6,000. Mishhar (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}), the dam of this year’s G2 Royal Lodge S. winner New Mandate (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), was twice available for purchase at Arqana, for €135,000 in 2016 and then for just €12,000 in 2019; New Mandate himself was a €45,000 RNA as a foal here.

Savvy shoppers, then, will be eagerly combing through the approximately 220 foals on offer. Who will unearth the next bargain Group 1 star remains to be seen.

“We have some of the best sires in Europe represented like Camelot, Frankel, Kodiac, Le Havre, Mehmas, Night Of Thunder, Sea The Stars, Showcasing, Siyouni and Wootton Bassett, and also some first-season sires that are quite popular and were very good racehorses, like Cloth of Stars, Cracksman, Expert Eye, Saxon Warrior and Roaring Lion,” Cornuel said.

The eye-catching foal pages in the catalogue include lot 11, a Kodiac (GB) filly whose third dam is the Arc and five-time Group 1 winner All Along; lot 15, a Sea The Stars (Ire) filly out of a half-sister to six-time Group 1 winner Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) from an excellent Juddmonte family; lot 23, a Frankel (GB) colt who is the first foal out of dual group winner Castellar (Fr) (American Post {GB}), a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Recoletos (Fr) (Whipper); lot 53, a Wootton Bassett (GB) half-sister to listed winner and Group 3-placed Expressiy (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}); lot 87, a Showcasing (GB) colt out of the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. second Magical Fire (Ire) (Dragon Pulse {Ire}), a half-sister to Group 2 winners Hawksmoor (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) and Royal Dornoch (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}); lot 140, a Kingman (GB) colt out of G3 Prix de Flore winner Lil’Wing (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}); and lot 209, a Siyouni (Fr) colt out of the listed-placed Valasyra (Ire) (Sinndar {Ire}) and a half-brother to two listed-placed winners.

Cornuel admitted a blue chip selection of fillies in training has become “a trademark” of the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale, and considering the success of Grade I-winning sale graduate A Raving Beauty (Ger) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) as well as fillies like Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) and Uni (GB) (More Than Ready) sourced from France, it is plain to see why international buyers scrutinize the catalogue year after year.

Arqana offers the only Group 1-winning filly in training to be sold at a European breeding stock sale in 2020 in the form of G1 Preis von Europa winner Donjah (Ger) (Teofilo {Ire}) (lot 102). The 4-year-old was also a Group 3 winner at two and a Group 2 winner at three for Darius Racing and trainer Henk Grewe. She is part of a typically powerful draft offered by Ecurie des Monceaux.

“Donjah could be one of the highlights,” Cornuel said. “She’s the only Group 1-winning filly in training to be sold in Europe this year, which is quite exciting. She is by Teofilo who is emerging as an important broodmare sire and she’s a very good-looking filly. She has all the options open for her; she can race on or be covered next year. She’s an exciting proposition.”

Donjah is part of a particularly strong cast of German-trained fillies making their way to Deauville, and that list also includes this year’s Group 3-winning sprinter K Club (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) (lot 122); dual Group 3-winning miler Axana (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) (lot 128); Group 3-winning miler No Limit Credit (Ger) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) (lot 192) and the multiple group winner Durance (Ger) (Champs Elysees {GB}) (lot 174) and G2 Grosser Hansa-Preis scorer Satomi (Ger) (Teofilo {Ire}) (lot 197) from Ronald Rauscher.

Other fillies in training sure to catch the eye include this year’s G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches third Mageva (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) (lot 93); Nicolas Clement’s last-out listed-winning 3-year-old Conte De Fee (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (lot 109); dual Group 3-winning sprinter Spinning Memories (Ire) (Arcano {Ire}) (lot 134); and this year’s G2 Oaks d’Italia winner Auyantepui (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) (lot 160).

Reflecting on the global appeal of French-trained fillies, Arqana’s Executive Director Freddy Powell said, “the French way of training is quite conservative and it helps horses age well. Some people say as well that the French tactics of going slow at the start and finishing fast helps develop their turn of foot and at the end of the day that’s what a lot of people are looking for, to race or for breeding purposes; a horse with a good turn of foot, and we have a lot of that in France. And French horses are very sound.”

The Arqana December Breeding Stock sale has drawn a diverse cast of in-foal mares, and among those is Melitot (Fr) (Elusive City) (lot 86), the dam of Mageva, in foal to Sioux Nation. Other exciting broodmares include dual stakes producer Cherriya (Fr) (Montjeu {Ire}) (lot 126) in foal to Siyouni; Ninfea (Ger) (Selkirk) (lot 146), a dual stakes producer and half-sister to four-time Group 1 winner Novellist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) in foal to Nathaniel (Ire); Golden Lilas (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 152), an unraced full-sister to dual Classic winner Golden Lilac (Ire) in foal to Lope De Vega; Anabasis (Ger) (High Chaparral {Ire}) (lot 164), the dam of A Raving Beauty carrying a full sibling to that dual Grade I winner; and Truth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 178), a full-sister to Group 1 winner Magic Wand (Ire) in foal to Siyouni.

“The sire power in France has improved a lot over the last five to 10 years and we’re lucky to now have mares in foal to those stallions that have really gained international recognition,” Cornuel said. “We have plenty of mares in foal to Siyouni and Wootton Bassett, and the good news as well is that there are some new stallions in France that are very promising and some new stallions coming to France next year with high profiles, so we hope it will carry on.”

Any rundown of an Arqana December sale is not complete without a look at the drafts from the leading owner-breeders like the Aga Khan, Wertheimer et Frere and Godolphin. These programs annually support the sale with quality drafts of fillies and mares from their elite families, and it is a common occurrence to see the progeny of these mares in winners circles in Europe and further afield for other connections.

Godolphin sold the dams of Lucky Vega and Alcohol Free at this sale, and its 10-horse draft includes Adept (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) (lot 133), a placed 3-year-old daughter of G1 Oaks winner Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and Family Way (Uncle Mo) (lot 195), a winning 3-year-old filly from the immediate family of Caravaggio.

Wertheimer et Frere, which culls exclusively at this sale, brings a strong draft of 24 this year, including 3-year-old filly Euclidia (Fr) (Maxios {GB}) (lot 172), a listed-winning half-sister to stakes winners Soustraction (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Matematica (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}); Allucination (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) (lot 176), a winning 3-year-old half-sister to Group 3 winners Saparella (GB) (Shamardal) and Kalahara (GB) (Frankel {GB}); Toddilea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 186), a 3-year-old unraced daughter of Argentine Group 1 winner Safari Queen (Arg) (Lode) and a half-sister to G1 Prix Saint-Alary scorer Queen’s Jewel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}); and Light Dream (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}) (lot 154), a three-quarter-sister to Group 1 winner Plumania (Anabaa), with G1 Prix Vermeille winner Left Hand among the many other stakes winners appearing under the first dam. Evidence of what can be found in the eWertheimer et Frere draft is embodied by Happy Bean (Medaglia d’Oro). Sold for just €8,000 at this sale last year, she received a major update when her half-brother Happy Saver (Super Saver) won this year’s GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, and the great granddaughter of Weekend Surprise is offered again on Saturday by Haras de Lonray as lot 67 in foal to Chemical Charge.

The Aga Khan Studs has sold fillies and mares that subsequently went on to produce horses like Almanzor (Fr) and 2020 stakes winners Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) and Darkness (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) at the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale, and the latter appears in the pedigree of Kerka (Fr) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 78), one of 34 fillies and mares that the Aga Khan offers this time around. The winning 4-year-old daughter of the listed-winning Kerasona (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) is offered in foal for the first time to Wootton Bassett. Zarza (Fr) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) (lot 156) is a half-sister to the Aga Khan’s legendary G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Zarkava (Fr) (Zamindar), while Dalmenya (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) (lot 38) is a half-sister to G1 Prix de l’Opera scorer Dalkala (Fr) (Giant’s Causeway) in foal to Golden Horn (GB). Suraiya (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (lot 185) is another that catches the eye, the winning 3-year-old filly being from the family of Siyouni, Siyouma (Fr) and Siyarafina (Fr).

“This sale has become more and more popular over the years, and I think the main reason for that is that it’s a very mixed bunch of horses,” said Powell. “There is something for everyone at every price. A lot of people come here not knowing what they’re looking for and they’ll always go home with something, from €10,000 to €200,000. There is really something for everyone and the more you get into the catalogue the more interesting it gets.”

“It’s a pretty easy catalogue to work on,” Powell added. “For the international clientele, the top offerings are mainly on the first day. It’s an easy catalogue to flip through for people who don’t know European racing. It’s a good exercise in getting familiar with French racing and pedigrees.”

For those unable to make their annual beloved trek to Deauville, Powell suggested they “sit down in their favourite chair, open their favourite wine, watch the sale and bid online. We will be welcoming their bids.”

Cornuel added, “Those interested can register and bid online. A lot of consignors have sent us footage of their horses and there will be video taken of every horse in the Saturday [session] that will be available online. That should help people to bid remotely and have plenty of information.”

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DEAUVILLE, France—Arqana’s Deauville Select Yearling Sale drew to a close on Friday with its Part II session, where trade settled to a more workmanlike pace following the frenzy of bluebloods that went through the ring earlier in the week. The third-day clearance rate of 79% outpointed Part I’s 70.5% clearance rate, with vendors appearing to set reasonable reserves. Part II returned an average of €52,433 and a median of €43,000 for 142 sold for an aggregate of €7,445,500; the comparable third day of Arqana’s August yearling sale last year saw 72% (116) of the 161 offered sold at an average of €87,362 and a median of €68,000, with turnover of €10,134,000.

Cumulatively, the Deauville Select Sale saw 416 yearlings go through the ring with 310 (74.5%) finding new homes. The aggregate was €37,697,500, the average €121,605 and the median €70,000. At last year’s Arqana August Sale, 228 yearlings (75%) were sold over the three days from 304 offered for a record aggregate of €42,789,000. The average and median of €187,671 and €125,000 12 months ago were both also records.

Ecurie des Monceaux made it nine consecutive years as leading vendor at Arqana’s flagship yearling sale, and they struck late on Friday to provide the session-topping filly in the form of lot 467, a daughter of Siyouni sold to Deauville-based trainer Yann Barberot for €290,000 on behalf of owner Olivier Thomas of Normandie Spirit. The filly is the fourth foal out of the unraced Special Gift (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), herself a half-sister to stakes winners Do The Honours (Fr) (Highest Honor {Fr}) and Seba (Fr) (Alzao) and from the extended family of the blue hen mare Cassandra Go (Ire). Siyouni had 19 yearlings sell over the three days for an average of €201,053.

“She’s a lovely filly that’s a real Siyouni,” said Barberot. “She walks well and is from a very current family. We saw her at the stud with Olivier Thomas, Gitte and Philippe Allaire and we liked her a lot. We didn’t think she would be so expensive but she was our favourite.”

Buyers Keen On Bassett

Wootton Bassett (GB) has recently left France to stand at Coolmore in Ireland but the legacy of the successful first half of his stud career was felt keenly at Arqana on Friday as two of his sons were among the three most expensive yearlings of the final session of the Select Sale.

With several French-bred crops to come, Wootton Bassett remains high on the list of purchasers following a season which has included the G1 Prix Jean Romanet victory of the James Fanshawe-trained Audarya (Fr). His current yearlings were bred from his 2018 fee of €20,000 and his yearlings sold at Arqana this week have sold at an average price more than five times that fee.

Lot 437 was for a few hours the session leader but eventually settled for the second spot on the leaderboard at €180,000. He goes by the name of Samos (Fr) and is out of an unraced War Front half-sister to G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner Cursory Glance (Distorted Humor). The family has been given further currency by another of the mare’s siblings, Willow View (Lemon Drop Kid), who features as the dam of the recent GI Old Forester Bourbon Classic  winner Digital Age (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International made a determined effort for the colt on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing and said, “He looks like he could be a really nice, sharp 2-year-old. I’ve had some luck with the stallion before, as we bought Wooded (Fr), who is running on Sunday in the G3 Qatar Prix de Petit Couvert for Francis Graffard, so we were happy to invest in his stock again. Jean-Claude Rouget is keen to train the colt but Sheikh Joaan will decide that later.”

The co-third-top lot (414) of the final day was a colt from the farm that made the stallion, Haras d’Etreham, and he was sold to Coolmore through Lauren Benoit of Broadhurst Agency for €140,000. He is out of the winning 2-year-old Mezzo Mezzo (Fr) (Mount Nelson {GB}).

“He will be trained by Andre Fabre, who goes right back with Wootton Bassett to his grandsire Zafonic but has not yet trained any of his offspring,” Benoit said. “We had a good look at all of them and this was our first choice in the sale. He’s a strong colt from a very good farm and he seems to have a very good mind, like the sire.”

Also among those in demand by the stallion on Friday was lot 300, a filly out of the listed-placed Raven’s Pass mare Alta Stima (Ire). Offered by the Channel Consignment, she was bought for €100,000 on behalf of Ecurie Melanie by Jean-Michel Lefebvre.

“We really fell in love with her,” said the trainer. “She looks precocious and could make a nice 2-year-old. We wanted a daughter of Wootton Bassett and now we have one.”

Breeze-up pinhooker Mick Murphy of Longways Stables will be taking a Wootton Bassett colt back to Ireland having struck early for lot 295 from the Fairway Consignment for €90,000. The half-brother to the dual juvenile winner Feroe d’Illiat (Fr) (Naaqoos {GB}) hails from a family which includes GI Kilroe Mile S. winner River Boyne (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}).

Murphy said, “We’re still planning to spend a similar amount on horses for the breeze-ups as we did last year but we will aim to improve the quality of the horses we buy, so we will likely have fewer horses for next year.”

Longways Stables enjoyed a good result at least year’s Arqana Breeze-up when selling a Kingman (GB) filly for €650,000 to Lady Bamford. Now named Queen Of Love (Ire), she is unbeaten in two starts, including Friday’s Listed Prix Coronation.

Kodiac Colt Back To Ireland

On the day that Kodiac (GB) was represented by another juvenile group-race winner in the G2 Flying Childers S. victor Ubettabelieveit (Ire), Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland picked up one of the early highlights of the day when going to €140,000 for the penultimate yearling by the Tally-Ho Stud stallion in the sale. The half-brother to King Power Racing’s useful Group 3-winning stayer Alounak (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) looks an earlier type, and he will head first to Ireland to be broken in before a trainer is decided upon.

“I’ve bought him for a Middle Eastern client who has horses in Britain, France and Ireland. He was a really good physical specimen by a stallion who has had a really good year and Danehill has worked really well with this family before,” said the agent of lot 312.

The influences to which he refers are the three-parts siblings to the colt’s dam Awe Struck (GB) (Rail Link {GB}). While she was unraced herself, she is a sister to three stakes winners by Dansili (GB): G1 Matron S. heroine Emulous (GB), G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron winner First Sitting (GB) and the listed-winning juvenile Daring Diva (GB). As the pedigree suggests, Awe Struck was bred by Juddmonte and was bought for €92,000 at Arqana in 2014 by East Bloodstock, who co-bred her colt with SCEA Des Prairies and consigned him through Haras de Castillon.

Kodiac’s final yearling through the ring at this sale also figured among the top lots of the day, Alain Decrion and Mandore International went to €130,000 for lot 443, the first foal out of the Rip Van Winkle (Ire) mare Purple Magic (GB), who won four times and two and three and was fourth in the Listed Beckford Fillies’ S. Purple Magic was a 12,000gns purchase from Tattersalls December in 2017.

Leagues Apart

Different League (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}), the filly that sparked a thousand parties, was picked up for just €8,000 by Con Marnane as a foal at Arqana. Thanks to her victory in the G3 Albany S. and two placed finishes at Group 1 level, Different League’s full-sister (lot 334) was always likely to be a much more expensive acquisition and Federico Barberini eventually got the upper hand in the chase for the March-born daughter of Danseuse Corse (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) at €120,000.

The co-breeder of the filly, Jean-Pierre Le Hegarat, bought Danseuse Corse at the same Arqana December Sale at which Different League was offered as a foal and, at €6,000, she fetched even less than her subsequent celebrated daughter. Le Hegarat bred the yearling in partnership with Eric L’Hermite of Haras de Grandcamp, which is also home to Dabirsim.

Different League was returned to the ring at the end of her juvenile season and was sold on to White Birch Farm and Coolmore for 1.5 million gns. Her first foal is a colt by Galileo (Ire).

The Al Shaqab team gathered around Nicolas de Watrigant as he bid on lot 359, the daughter of Siyouni with a strong family behind her, and looked delighted to have secured the deal at €100,000.

Consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux for British breeders Trevor and Libby Harris of Lordship Stud, the filly is the second foal of Fleeting Dream (Ire) (Dream Ahead), a half-sister to G1 Haycock Sprint Cup winner G Force (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) and the G3 Prix Miesque winner Louvain (Fr) (Sinndar {Ire}), herself the dam of GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Flotilla (Mizzen Mast). The family boasts plenty of top-class speed credentials as it also includes Lethal Force (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who shares his grandam Family At War (Explodent) with Fleeting Dream.

Rouget Buys Dover’s Sole Yearling

With 20 horses bought through the three days, Jean-Claude Rouget has been the busiest buyer on the sales ground and on Friday he gave €135,000 for a first-crop son of the Haras de la Have Neuve freshman sire Whitecliffsofdover.

The sole representative for the son of War Front in the catalogue, lot 417 was sold by the stud which stands the stallion and is a half-brother to the Listed Prix Californie winner Hurricane (Fr) (Hurricane Cat) and to fellow listed winner Francesco Bere (Fr) (Peer Gynt {Jpn}), both of whom also represent Have Neuve sires.

Named James Bere (Fr), the yearling colt is out of the Hector Protector mare Monitor (Fr), a half-sister to the now California-based stallion Sir Prancealot (Ire).

Another Pearl For Desmontils

Sebastien Desmontils was busy throughout the three-day sale adding yearlings to the burgeoning racing stable of Japanese-based owner Hisaaki Saito, and among Desmontil’s purchases on Friday was La Motteraye’s Golden Horn (GB) filly (lot 411) who he bought privately for €130,000. The filly’s winning dam is a half-sister to dual Grade III winner and multiple Group 1-placed Wekeela (Fr) (Hurricane Run {Ire}) as well as the stakes-placed Matauri Pearl (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}), whose 2-year-old filly Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) provided a timely update with a debut victory at Churchill Downs this month that earned her ‘TDN Rising Star’ status.

Almanzor Leading First-Crop Sire

Almanzor’s first-crop yearlings had found favour during Part I of the sale earlier in the week, and that trend continued on Friday when the Etreham sire had three sell for six figures. Leading the way was Etreham’s own lot 458, a half-brother to the G3 Prix Djebel winner Dice Roll (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) who now races in Hong Kong as Gold Win. He was bought by Broadhurst Agency for €110,000. Haras de la Louviere sold a granddaughter of G1 Irish 1000 Guineas winner Yesterday (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) (lot 431) to Oceanic Bloodstock for €105,000, while Prime Equestrian went to €100,000 for lot 386, a filly related to Friday’s G2 Doncaster Cup winner Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}). Almanzor was the sale’s leading first-crop sire by average with three or more sold, with 19 sold at an average of €126,789.

Another first-season sire to crack six figures on Friday was Coolmore’s Churchill (Ire), whose lot 370, a filly from Ecurie des Monceaux, sold to Yann Barberot for €100,000. The bay is the third foal from her dam, a half-sister to five-time Group 1 winner Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}). That price was matched by a first-crop daughter of G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Zarak (Fr) in the form of Haras des Capucines’s granddaughter of Group 3 winner Albisola (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) (lot 433) who was bought by Jean-Claude Rouget.

Breezers To The Fore

Plenty of breeze-up pinhookers from England and Ireland remained in Deauville for the final session, keeping a keen eye on events on the track as well as in the ring.

Along with the listed victory for the aforementioned Longways-consigned Queen Of Love in France, over in Doncaster the G2 Flying Childers S. went the way of Ubettabelieveit (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who, like G2 Norfolk S. winner The Lir Jet (Ire) (Prince Of Lir {Ire}), was a horse sold privately to a trainer as the sales season was hit by delay and uncertainty.

Bred by Ringfort Stud, whose glorious season has also included Group 2 victories at York for graduates Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) and Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Ubettabelieveit was pinhooked as a yearling for 50,000gns by Roger Marley and John Cullinan of Church Farm & Horse Park Stud.

“We bought him from Book 1 at Tattersalls so he was eligible for the Book 1 Bonus. We liked him a lot from day one and as soon as we started to quicken him up in his work he was just a natural,” said Marley in Deauville. “I took two horses to Malton for Nigel Tinkler to have a look at and he rode both of them and decided to buy this one. His owner Martin Webb was there that day with his wife and watched Nigel gallop him. I’m thrilled for them both, it’s a fantastic result.”

Marley and Cullinan were also the pinhookers of this season’s leading first-season sire, Mehmas (Ire), whom they bought as a yearling for 62,000gns and sold to Peter and Ross Doyle for Al Shaqab for 170,000gns at the Craven Breeze-up.

Mehmas, who has been represented by another three winners in the last three days and heads the table on 27 individual winners, now stands alongside Kodiac at Tally-Ho Stud.    Tally-Ho’s Roger O’Callaghan also had an eye on Doncaster on Friday, with particular interest in the G2 Doncaster Cup, which was won by one of his former breezers, Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}).

“See, the breeze-up boys can sell slow horses too,” he said with a laugh as he headed back to the ring.

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DEAUVILLE, France—More diva than starlet, the Dubawi (Ire) filly put in a few feisty bucks in the Arqana sales ring, but when one is in as much demand as she was, a touch of high jinks can be forgiven. If Wednesday’s trade spluttered into action, Thursday’s was pretty explosive from the start, but it was the appearance of two blue-blooded yearlings from the sale’s perennial leading consignor Ecurie des Monceaux who really brought the ring to life.

It was a toss-up as to whether the full-brother to Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) or the half-sister to Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Sistercharlie (Ire) ( Myboycharlie {Ire}) would play the leading role, but inevitably they each played pretty major parts, sailing easily past last year’s top price on a day which will have had the team at Arqana and a number of vendors breathing a sigh of relief.

Dubawi (Ire) led the way last year and so he did again with his chestnut daughter of Starlet’s Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the mare who is now challenging more established names in the Monceaux broodmare band for top honours. The sales record of her offspring started in a moderate manner: just €12,000 was needed to buy her first foal at Arqana’s October Sale but, the filly subsequently named Sistercharlie has played her own important part in ensuring that the siblings who follow in her wake will never be overlooked at a yearling sale. Add to Sistercharlie’s seven Grade I victories the French Classic win of Sottsass and the price gets higher and higher: in this case it took €2.5 million to secure the Dubawi filly offered as lot 251.

With Anthony Stroud in his usual spot in the gangway to the right of the rostrum, the consistent bids that came from that direction led to the assumption that this was another Dubawi that would soon be heading Godolphin’s way, but Fawzi Nass and Oliver St. Lawrence had other ideas. They were late to the party but stayed the longest and made the most noise when placing the final bid that had the gavel hit the wood in their favour. The pair had been active throughout the session, signing up new recruits for KHK Racing, the operation of Bahrain’s Sheikh Khalid Al Khalifa. The Dubawi filly will race for him in  partnership with his brother Sheikh Nasser.

“She is a very beautiful filly with an exceptional pedigree,” Nass said. “She will be trained in England, we don’t know where she will go into training yet, but we’ll make up our minds soon. A filly with a profile like that arouses plenty of interest, and we are very glad to have bought her.”

Nass, who trains his own string of horses in Bahrain, also picked up the sole yearling by American Pharoah in the catalogue for €320,000 and said of lot 228, “He’ll be trained in England. He’s an exciting horse, a nice American Pharoah out of a Distorted Humor mare so he should be quite versatile on the turf.”

The colt’s dam Sea Of Snow (Distorted Humor) was third in the Listed Woodcote S and is a grand-daughter of Snow Bride (Blushing Groom), who is also the dam of Derby winner Lammtarra (Nijinsky).

Nass and St Lawrence’s five purchases through the first two days made them the leading buyers with just over €3.5 million spent. Their list also included a colt and a filly from the first crop of Almanzor (Fr), lots 158 and 185, at €260,000 and €250,000 respectively. The former, a colt consigned by Haras de Borgeauville, is a son of the Canadian Grade II winner Minakshi (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), while the filly was bred by Steve Burggraf of Ecurie de Montlahuc, who raced her dam, the listed-winning juvenile Penny Lane (Ger) (Lord Of England {Ger}).

Almanzor’s 12 yearlings sold so far in Deauville have returned a highly respectable average of €159,750.

Prudenzia Colt Enhances Extraordinary Record

And what of that other Monceaux blue hen? In time they will erect a plaque to Prudenzia (Ire) somewhere in the grounds of Arqana. The 15-year-old daughter of Dansili (GB) has, through her offspring, shone brightly through so many summers and her staggering sales statistic at Arqana stands at nine yearlings sold for €10,195,000.

In hindsight, her Irish Oaks-winning daughter Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), as flighty as she was brilliant, now looks inexpensive at her yearling price of €600,000. But don’t forget she made ten times that amount when setting a new record of price of €6 million at the Goffs November Sale during the dispersal of the stock of her owner Paul Makin.

From a raft of Galileo (Ire) fillies at their disposal, the Coolmore team must have a soft spot for the tough-as-teak Magic Wand (Ire), Prudenzia’s 5-year-old daughter who runs in Sunday’s G1 Prix Vermeille and who, through an extraordinary 2019 campaign, raced in Dubai, America, Britain, Ireland, Australia and Hong Kong. Her Group 1 victory was hard-won and, having given €1.4 million for her back in 2016, MV Magnier returned to Arqana to claim her full-brother (lot 199). At €2 million, the colt with a distinctive heart-shaped star on his forehead goes to the head of the list of Prudenzia’s most expensive yearlings, beating last year’s offering, the recent maiden winner Philomene (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who topped the 2019 sale at €1.625 million.

To beat that, in this strange year, is quite something but, in the rarefied air of the elite bloodstock market, rare equine jewels retain their value no matter what is unfolding in the outside world. Magnier had a tussle with David Redvers but it was evident that this was one colt he was determined to add to the Ballydoyle battalions for next year.

After being thanked by breeders Henri Bozo and  Lady O’Reilly of the Ecurie des Monceaux team, Magnier said of the colt, “He comes from an excellent family and is by Galileo, who is having another great year. As Lady O’Reilly just said, [Prudenzia] has been an incredible mare and has produced some special horses. We thought he was a lovely horse. He’s got a good hind leg and is a very good mover.”

He added, “Monceaux and Henri, they do an incredible job, they always produce very good horses. It’s great for them and they deserve it for all the work they put in.”

More Monceaux Magic

For the ninth year in a row, Ecurie des Monceaux is at the top of the vendors’ table for Arqana’s flagship sale, with 23 yearlings sold for just shy of €10 million. There was a brief halt in its run of success on Wednesday when Baroda Stud provided the top lot for the opening session, but normal service was resumed on Thursday, and in force, with five of the seven most expensive yearlings of the day hailing from its consignment.

It’s fair to say that Bozo was as relieved as he was pleased when he stated, “We knew coming to the sale that we had something a bit exceptional this year. We thought that we had the best draft ever, and I was a bit worried yesterday, but things have picked up well. The trade is better and there is more atmosphere. I suppose yesterday everybody was waiting to see what would happen but I knew today we had some exceptional horses.”

He added, “We’ve been very spoilt to have those mares like Prudenzia and Starlet’s Sister. They have made Monceaux and they made our team. I’m also delighted for Jordan Tancrede, who has been with us since he was 12 and has taken over as yearling manager from Antoine, who did an amazing job for us for 10 years and has started his own Arcadia Elevage consignment. There was a bit of pressure on Jordan taking over from such a good guy as Antoine so I am delighted for him and the team.”

Bozo also praised the sales company’s efforts in staging the sale in difficult circumstances. He said, “It is great reward for Arqana, too. I know it has been a very tough year for everyone with the dates changing all the time, but I think they have done a great job flying people in and trying to adapt as much as possible. It has paid off. We decided to be loyal to Arqana from the beginning. We started Monceaux when Arqana started and it’s a win-win situation.”

Number Crunching

While the clearance rate, which dropped a little from the first day to 68.5%, tells its own tale in regard to the selectivity of the market, there was no denying the more buoyant feel to proceedings on Thursday at Arqana. The 76 yearlings sold during the session brought €16,625,000 in turnover, at an average of €218,750 and median of €100,000. Last year’s record average for the three days of the August Sale was €187,671 and the cumulative average for the two days so far is now €180,790. That is likely to drop somewhat after Friday’s final session. Overall, the median is currently €105,000, while the two-day aggregate is €30,680,000.

Strong Sale For Capucines

Set against the two million-euro-plus yearlings last year, there were three this time around, with the third of that group almost overshadowed in proceedings for being in the ring immediately before the sale-topping filly. But lot 250, the Kingman (GB) colt out of an unraced Frankel (GB) half-sister to multiple Group/Grade 1 winner Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}), had plenty of admirers and he duly became the third purchase by Anthony Stroud on behalf of Godolphin at €1.1 million.

“He’s a lovely strong colt and looks really athletic,” Stroud said of the relation to Frankel’s first Grade 1 winner, the Japanese Oaks heroine Soul Stirring (Jpn). Haras des Capucines consigned the son of Speralita (Fr) and, having been leading vendor on the first day, Eric Puerari and Michel Zerolo’s consignment is now second on the table, having sold 21 yearlings for €3,516,000.

Americans Team For Siyouni Filly

Ecurie Des Monceaux’s Siyouni (Fr) half-sister to G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Polydream (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 194) will head to the yard of trainer Jean-Claude Rouget and race for the partnership of American-based stables LNJ Foxwoods and Gainesway Farm after Rouget went to €700,000 to secure her on their behalf.

Alex Solis, in non-COVID times a regular visitor to Deauville along with his business partner Jason Litt, joined the team at Anthony Beck’s Gainesway in Lexington earlier this year as director of bloodstock and racing in addition to his ongoing duties with Solis Litt Bloodstock, including the management of the Roth Family’s LNJ Foxwoods’s equine interests. The very first horse Solis and Litt bought for the Roths in France was Goldikova (Ire)’s half-sister Gold Round (Ire) (Caerleon) for €520,000 at Arqana December in 2012. The  Dalakhani (Ire) filly she was carrying at the time turned out to be the G3 Prix Minerve winner Golden Valentine (Fr), whose first foal, a Galileo (Ire) colt, fetched €450,000 on the first day of the sale on Wednesday from David Redvers. The Roths in addition board some of their mares at Gainesway, including last year’s Eclipse champion Covfefe (Into Mischief).

Speaking from Keeneland where he was inspecting yearlings ahead of the September sale that begins on Sunday, Solis noted that in addition to Thursday’s filly, the LNJ/Gainesway partnership had bought another Siyouni filly from Monceaux (lot 75) for €200,000 through Rouget on Wednesday.

“Jason and I couldn’t get there, but Jean-Claude has a great eye for a horse and Henri [Bozo] had been talking with us about doing something with him,” Solis said. “He called with a couple different fillies he liked and we ended up buying two. The filly today has a huge pedigree and Jean-Claude loved her. Henri produces a great horse.”

That huge pedigree, in addition to the aforementioned Polydream, includes two other stakes-winning half-sisters: the G3 Prix Sigy scorer Big Brothers Pride (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Listed Prix Amandine winner Evaporation (Fr) (Red Ransom). Their dam, the French listed winner and Grade III-placed Polygreen (Fr) (Green Tune), was a private purchase by Monceaux from the Wertheimer et Frere draft for €200,000 at Arqana December in 2015 while carrying Big Brothers Pride.

Solis said that Gainesway owner Antony Beck, a South African-born Kentucky resident, will gradually build a stable in Europe and that Solis and Litt will continue to shop at European sales on his behalf.

“Gainesway hasn’t raced much at all in Europe yet,” Solis said. “When Anthony hired me we talked about doing some more international stuff and this is the start. We’re going to continue to look for horses over there through the rest of the year and hopefully next year also. Anthony is sending a really nice War Front filly over there to race for himself and the Roths have their own runners over there. We’re definitely going to keep on building the operations for both of them over there.”

Lot 194 was the highest-price Siyouni filly during Part I of the sale. Earlier in the second session Mags O’Toole and MV Magnier had teamed to secure Monceaux’s half-sister to the G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Intellogent (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) (lot 174) for €400,000. Book-ending the €700,000 filly was Etreham’s third foal out of the listed-placed Power Of The Moon (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) (lot 196), who was knocked down to Broadhurst Agency for €310,000.

Table Service

Lunch is a serious business. Thankfully, the positioning of the glass-fronted Arqana restaurant directly behind the auctioneer’s rostrum means that, in Deauville, one can eat lunch while also conducting serious business.

And so it passed, half an hour in to the start of the second session of the Select Sale, that Wednesday’s top price was surpassed by the Frankel daughter of Militante (Ire) (Johannesburg), who was eventually knocked down to Sebastian Desmontils of Chauvigny Global Equine at €630,000. The agent’s lunch grew cold as his rival Laurent Benoit, who had left the adjacent lunch table to bid from the ring, ensured there was a proper tussle for the Monceaux-consigned filly. But Desmontils held his nerve and added the half-sister to G3 Prix de Lieurey winner Wind Chimes (Fr) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) to the string of four horses already in training in France for Japanese owner  Hisaaki Saito.

“[Mr Saito] has two in training with Fabrice Chappet and two with Henri Devin so we will see where this princess will go. We’re not sure yet, but he will decide after they have been broken in,” said Desmontils. “He has already had a winner in Deauville with [the Chappet-trained 2-year-old] Early Light (Fr), and hopefully he will have many more coming.”

Chappet To Train Treve’s Sister

Sheail bin Khalifa Al Kuwari is best known as a champion owner of Purebred Arabians in Qatar, but he has begun to make his way into Thoroughbred ownership in France, his first runner being the Fabrice Chappet-trained 2-year-old Saqr (Fr) (Dutch Art {GB}), who is unbeaten in two tries including a 2 1/2-length conditions score at Deauville on July 12. That colt was a €48,000 selection from last year’s Arqana v2 yearling sale, and Kuwari was clearly encouraged enough to swing at a higher level on Thursday, going to €520,000 to secure Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB})’s full-sister (lot 269) through Gerard Larrieu of Chantilly Bloodstock. The bay filly from Haras du Quesnay will also go into training with Chappet.

“She’s a lovely filly, maybe better than her sister at the same age,” Larrieu said. “We will find out if she has the same engine, but we’re very lucky and happy to get her.”

The dual G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and six-time Group 1 winner Treve was the fourth foal out of the dam Trevise (Fr) (Anabaa) and was a €22,000 buyback at Arqana October in 2010. Her trainer Criquette Head shared Larrieu’s view in a pre-sale interview that Treve was more behind than her latest sister at that stage of her life. Another full-sister, Terre (Fr), was offered here in 2014 and brought home by Quesnay at €1.2-million. A winner at three, Terre was bought by Hillwood Bloodstock for 680,000gns in foal to Siyouni from Tattersalls December last year, and Quesnay sold her first foal, a colt by Intello (lot 261), to trainer Jean-Claude Rouget for €85,000 just eight lots prior to Treve’s sister on Thursday. Thursday’s Motivator filly was Trevise’s first live foal since Terre. Treve, meanwhile, has the winning 3-year-old colt Qous (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), the unraced 2-year-old filly Paris (Fr) (Shalaa {Ire}), a yearling daughter of Siyouni and a filly foal by Sea The Stars (Ire).

Wootton Bassett In Vogue

The recent announcement of Wootton Bassett (GB)’s sale to Coolmore was followed by a purple patch for the 12-year-old son of Iffraaj (GB) on the racecourse, with Audarya (Fr) becoming his second Group 1 winner in the Prix Jean Romanet and Midlife Crisis (Fr) and Akmaam (Fr) his first two ‘TDN Rising Stars’. There was as such some buzz around his yearlings on offer in Deauville this week, and the dearest of those proved to be Haras de la Louviere’s second foal of the winning Nayef mare Sounaya (Ger) (lot 249), who was signed for by Jamie McCalmont at €300,000. Like Thursday’s €1.1-million Kingman colt, he is from the family of the six-time Group/Grade 1 winner Stacelita and her Classic-winning daughter Soul Stirring (Jpn) (Frankel {GB}). Wootton Bassett’s other transactions on Thursday included colts to Yann Barberot for €240,000 and Chauvigny Global Equine for €200,000, and Wootton Bassett’s 14 sold during Part I of the sale averaged €126,929. His current yearlings are his second crop bred on a €20,000 stud fee.

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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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