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Arqana As It Happens

Updates on the Arqana August Yearling Sale as it happens in Deauville.

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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“Something For Everyone” At Arqana

The breeding stock sales caravan rolls on to France this weekend for the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale, and while the pandemic will inevitably lead to fewer making the pilgrimage to Deauville, a typically strong and diverse catalogue-buoyed by another good year on the world’s racecourses for the sale’s graduates-means that global enthusiasm is unlikely to be dampened at the four-day sale that runs Dec. 5 through 8.

“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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Siyouni Colt Sells For €525,000 at Arqana

Ecurie des Monceaux’s Siyouni (Fr) colt (lot 157) out of the beautifully bred young mare Prudente (Fr) (Dansili {GB}) became the highest-priced yearling sold during the first of five days of the Arqana October yearling sale on Monday when knocked down to Al Shaqab Racing for €525,000. The colt is the second foal out of the mare, who is a winning full-sister to Prudenzia (Ire), the dam of Group 1 winners Magic Wand (Ire) and Chicquita (Ire), as well as stakes producer Pacifique (Ire). Prudente’s first foal, a Galileo (Ire) colt, was bought by Japanese trainer Mitsu Nakauchida for €1.5-million at Arqana August last year.

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Siyouni Filly Leads Arqana Finale

By Emma Berry and Kelsey Riley

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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