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Catalogue For Arqana’s October Yearling Sale Revealed

The catalogue for the five-day Arqana October Yearling Sale, featuring 781 lots, is now online. Past graduates of the sale, held from Oct. 17-21 this year, brought home a quartet of group/graded victories this last weekend, with Jadoomi (Fr) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and Iresine (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}) winning at the Group 2 level in Ireland and France, respectively. Stateside, Bran (Fr) (Muhaarar {GB}) claimed the GII Turf Sprint S. and Avenue De France (Fr) (Cityscape {GB}) landed the GII John C. Mabee S. Beginning at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 17, lots 1-225 will go under the hammer, while on Tuesday, Oct. 18, Part I will conclude with lots 226-333 starting at 2 p.m. Part II of the catalogue will also begin at 2 p.m. on Oct. 19 (lots 334-498) and Oct. 20 (lots 499-628), and the fifth, and final day of the sale, Part III, will start at 11 a.m. for lots 629-781.

Some of the highlights of the catalogue include the following siblings to Group/Grade 1 winners: lot 42 is a Mehmas (Ire) half-brother to Tiger Tanaka (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}) from Haras d'Etreham; Taiba (Gun Runner)'s Waldgeist (GB) half-brother is lot 51 from Haras de l'Hotellerie; and Classic winner Dream And Do (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr})'s full-brother (lot 157) is part of the Haras du Logis Saint Germain draft.

All the colts and fillies presented at the October Yearling Sale will be eligible for the Arqana Series at Deauville and ParisLongchamp in 2023.

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Son Of Rockfel Victrix Lucida Set For Sandown Bow

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features a son of Dubawi (Ire) and the G2 Rockfel S. heroine Lucida (Ire) (Shamardal).

14.45 Great Yarmouth, Mdn, £14,000, 2yo, 7f 3yT
John and Thady Gosden trainee OBELIX (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who will sport KHK Racing's G1 St Leger-winning colours, bumped into a good one when second on debut at Newmarket last month and faces a field of potential in a contest won in 2017 by subsequent G1 Coral-Eclipse third Regal Reality (GB) (Intello {Ger}) and in 2018 by subsequent G1 Criterium International hero Royal Meeting (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). The €300,000 Arqana Breeze-Up acquisition is out of a half-sister to six stakes performers, most notably the Group 1-winning trio Awelmarduk (Ire) (Almutawakel {GB}), Jakkalberry (Ire) (Storming Home {GB}) and Crackerjack King (Ire) (Shamardal). Rivals include Ballylinch Stud's homebred debutant Lord Of Biscay (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), a half-brother to dual G2 Huxley S. victor Forest Ranger (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), hailing from the St Leger-winning stable of Roger Varian. Sir Michael Stoute sends two up the A11, namely Nader King (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), who is a 340,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 full-brother to G3 Concorde S. winner Current Option (Ire), with Ryan Moore donning the G1 Derby-winning silks of Saeed Suhail; and Qatar Racing's fellow newcomer Survival (GB) (Roaring Lion), who is out of a multiple-winning half-sister to G1 Irish Derby and GI Secretariat S. hero Treasure Beach (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).

15.00 Sandown, Nov, £13,000, 2yo, 7fT
Godolphin's homebred STRIKING STAR (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the second foal out of G2 Rockfel S. victrix Lucida (Ire) (Shamardal), who hit the board four times at the highest level, and makes his debut for Charlie Appleby in a heat won in 2019 by subsequent five-time Group 1 hero Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}). He is met by 11, including Juddmonte's fellow newcomer Leadenhall (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who is a Ralph Beckett-trained son of G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine and G1 Prix de l'Opera second Promising Lead (GB) (Danehill).

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Arqana Offers Sneak Peek Into Arc Sale Catalogue

Officials at Arqana have released the first 32 horses that will go under the hammer at The Arc Sale, set to be held Sunday, Oct. 1, following the conclusion of racing at Saint-Cloud Racecourse.

Among the offerings at this stage is lot 16, the 108-rated Master Gatsby (Fr) (The Grey Gatsby {Ire}), who is offered by trainer Fabrice Chappet. The 3-year-old son of Moonee Valley (Fr) (Aqlaam {GB}) has won three of his nine trips to the race, including a 9-1 surprise in the G3 Prix Gerald de Geoffre at ParisLongchamp Sept. 1.

Following that one into the ring will be the Markus Klug-conditioned Schwarzer Peter (Ger) (Neatico {Ger}), who nearly upset this year's G1 Deutsches Derby when missing by a head at longshot odds at Hamburg July 3. He exits a third in the G3 Preis der Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe at Baden Baden.

Last year's G3 Prix Quincey hero Dilawar (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is catalogued as lot 38 for His Highness the Aga Khan Studs, while Lady Mia (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) (lot 8) is a three-time winner from six runs for Alessandro and Giuseppe Botti.

Additional wild card entries are to be taken over the coming weeks. Click here for the full catalogue.

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Gigginstown House Stud Renew Forces With Willie Mullins

Almost exactly six years after a high-profile split that sent shockwaves through National Hunt racing, Gigginstown House Stud have returned to the champion trainer Willie Mullins, with expensive bumper recruit Shanbally Kid (Ire) (Presenting {GB}) set to represent the once-dominant owners this season.

Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown ownership vehicle was operating at the peak of its powers when the falling out with Mullins over training fees happened in September 2016.

High-profile horses like Gold Cup third Don Poli (Ire), multiple Grade 1-winning hurdler Apple's Jade (Fr) and the then promising youngster Blow By Blow (Ire) were switched to Gordon Elliott while Valseur Lido (Fr) and others were sent to Henry de Bromhead.

It was in May 2019 that O'Leary announced that Gigginstown would be winding down their racing operation “over an extended four or five-year period” and that they would not be purchasing any more stores or young horses.

However, Eddie O'Leary, who manages Gigginstown on behalf of his brother Michael, revealed exclusively to TDN Europe on Monday that the purchasing of Shanbally Kid represents a new “select approach” by the owners.

“All I will say is that it is a long road that doesn't turn,” O'Leary said. “We've had some great days with Willie and we are looking forward to having a couple with him this season again. Shanbally Kid will be the first of them. We bought him after he won his bumper at Clonmel.”

Shanbally Kid was knocked down to Harold Kirk and Mullins for £190,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham April Sale shortly after bolting up at Clonmel for Richard O'Brien.

He is not the only classy bumper recruit that will sport the maroon and white of Gigginstown this season with O'Leary also sharing that Land Rover Bumper runner-up Miss Agusta (Ire) (Well Chosen {GB}) has been bought to join Gordon Elliott.

O'Leary said, “We bought a few bumper horses and got a couple at the store sales so it will be a small and select approach going forward. Miss Agusta is ours and she's for Gordon.”

Miss Agusta was sold for €235,000 to Gordon Elliott Racing at the Goffs Punchestown Sale after her debut second in the Land Rover for Mags Mullins.

Gigginstown may have spent just five years on the roster at Closutton but enjoyed a golden period, kick-started by Sir Des Champs (Fr) landing the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham in 2011. He followed up in the Jewson Novices' Chase in 2012 and would go on to run a gallant second to Bobs Worth in the 2013 Gold Cup. The powerful owner-trainer combination netted 17 Grade 1s all told.

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