Rougir Tops Incroyable Day At Arqana

By Kelsey Riley, Emma Berry and Sue Finley

DEAUVILLE, France–Rougir (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) was the lone 3-year-old filly to win a Group 1 this year to be offered at a European breeding stock sale this season, and the G1 Prix de l'Opera winner proved the dearest, too, when bringing €3-million to top the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale on Saturday, purchased by Michel Zerolo on behalf of Peter Brant and the Coolmore partners. The price was the highest paid for a horse at any of the European breeding stock sales this year.

Rougir was offered as lot 160 by Sumbe near the beginning of a frenzied few hours of bidding in Deauville, during which five fillies sold for seven figures. Peter Brant now has his hands on two of them: shortly after buying Rougir in partnership, he sent Zerolo out solo to secure Speak Of The Devil (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) (lot 172), also offered by Sumbe, for €1.95-million to send to Chad Brown for a 5-year-old campaign. Rougir will also stay in training this year, though her next destination is as-yet unknown.

Statistics at the 2020 edition of the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale experienced moderate dips in the midst of the pre-vaccine pandemic, but they came roaring back on Saturday. A total of 154 horses were sold during the session-one fewer than last year-for a total of €32,217,000, up 70% and almost €7-million clear of the cumulative aggregate of last year's sale. Though the clearance rate dipped 7.3% to 73%, the average and median soared to €209,201 (+71%) and €86,000 (+14.7%), respectively. During the corresponding session in 2019, 163 horses were sold for €22,997,000, at an average of €141,086 and a median of €75,000.

Rougir A 'True Champion' For Chehboubs

The Chehboub family of Haras de la Gousserie have enjoyed a year to savour with their Thoroughbreds, with the G1 Champion S. winner Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {Ire}) in addition to Rougir, who beat Saturday's €2.5-million mare Grand Glory (GB) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) by a nose in the Opera. Rougir was a €55,000 purchase by the Chehboubs from breeder Jan Krauze at Arqana's August yearling sale in 2019 and she soon proved above average for trainer Cedric Rossi, winning three times at three including the G3 Prix des Reservoirs and finishing third behind Tiger Tanaka (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}), who was bought by Gerard Larrieu for 450,000gns at Tattersalls last week, in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac. Rougir was narrowly beaten in the G3 Prix Chloe, G1 Prix Rothschild and G2 Prix de la Nonette this summer before at last getting her Group 1 on Arc day. Rougir is out of the listed-placed Summer Moon (Fr) (Elusive City), who traces back to the stakes-winning Kalkeen, dam of dual Derby winner Kahyasi.

Pauline Chehboub, who manages her family's breeding and racing operation, was wiping away tears after thanking Zerolo.

“It is very emotional because the filly has given us so much,” she said. “We have some big projects in progress, including investing in a yard in Chantilly, and that is why we decided to sell her. We bought her as a yearling and she has given us so much joy. She is a true champion and the fact that she has been sold for €3-million proves that she was a champion. It's the end of a story.”

Super Start For Sumbe

Nurlan Bizakov's Sumbe was making it's sales consignment debut at Arqana on Saturday, and it could hardly have gotten off to a better start. Some 30 minutes after Rougir commanded the ring, another Group 1 filly, Speak Of The Devil (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) (lot 172), stepped in to take her turn. After a sustained bidding battle it was again Michel Zerolo left holding the docket, this time on behalf of Peter Brant alone, for €1.95-million.

“She's going to America, she's going to Chad Brown for Peter Brant,” Zerolo confirmed. “The rest is on the page. She's a good filly–she's actually a fantastic filly, by a super sire, from a good pedigree. We bought the dam last year [for €150,000 in foal to Best Solution].

“I hope she'll be very lucky-we need her to be at that price. We need all the luck we can buy. But we know her race record. Last year she was fantastic, and carrying a penalty against colts [in her most recent win, the Listed Prix Tantieme, on Nov. 16]. She's a very good filly and should have won the French Guineas, too.”

Speak Of The Devil was a €45,000 foal purchase by Meridian International at this sale in 2017, and was flipped for €62,000 at Arqana's October Yearling Sale when bought by trainer Fabrice Chappet on behalf of Rashit Shaykhutdinov. Speak Of The Devil raced just once at two, winning a late-October maiden race at Deauville. She was pitched into the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in just her third start and as referenced by Zerolo made an excellent account of herself, coming from last and weaving through the field to be beaten a nose by Dream And Do (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}). Speak Of The Devil picked up a first black-type win four months later in the seven-furlong Listed Prix de Saint-Cyr, and has this year added three more listed wins over a mile after switching to trainer Frederic Rossi, and another Group 1-placing when missing by just a neck in the G1 Prix Rothschild.

Speak Of The Devil is the fifth foal out of the winning Moranda, whose first foal is the triple Group 3 winner Morando (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}). Moranda produced a colt by Best Solution this year before being bred to Sottsass (Fr).

Sumbe's Mathieu Alex said he was “delighted” after selling two seven-figure fillies.

“People trust you to do the job, to sell them, promote them, and so to the last minute, you have to look after these animals, and when it goes like this, it's very exciting,” he said. “We're really delighted to have done the job for them.”

Alex admitted the prices were beyond his expectations.

“Yes, very much so, but they're proper Group 1 fillies,” he said. “One of them was a Group 1 winner, the other one was beaten a nose in a Group 1 Classic. They're beautiful animals. A very big thank you to Michel Zerolo and his team for buying them. They have been very, very popular fillies and they did the job.”

Just Grand

There have been many feelgood stories this sales season of relatively inexpensively bought fillies going on to give their owners major paybacks in the ring following stakes success on the track. That theme continued at Arqana, particularly through the sale of Grand Glory (GB) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), who became the second-top lot of the sale at €2.5-million.

The 5-year-old mare, a half-sister to the listed winner Bois d'Argent (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}) and bred by Haras de Borgeauville, was originally sold at Arqana's October Yearling Sale for €18,000 to Italian agent Marco Bozzi and went on to race for a trio of American owners: Albert Frassetto, John d'Amato and Mike Pietrangelo. What a ride she gave them.

The winner of six of her 18 starts and placed in the G1 Prix de Diane, Grand Glory saved her best until this season when she beat dual Group 1 winner Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the G1 Prix Jean Romanet before finishing second by a nose to Rougir (Fr) in the G1 Prix de l'Opera on Arc weekend. She would finish second to her again at Arqana, with Rougir having topped the sale at €3-million.

It is not completely certain that Grand Glory's racing career is over. Anne-Sophie Yoh-Benet of YOHEA was the successful bidder for the mare on behalf of a new owner in the Thoroughbred industry who is an experienced horseman who already owns a sport horse stud.

“We are really pleased to be have been able to buy her for a new owner,” said Yoh-Benet, who was standing with Tim Richardson as she signed the docket. “She is a wonderful filly and she is for a new owner who has been involved in this business for a year but already has show jumpers and dressage horses. He is keen to invest in Thoroughbreds and she will go to Haras de Hus, but there are no firm plans at the moment. It is a possibility that she could go to Saudi in February but nothing has been decided.”

There were mixed emotions for the mare's former owners as they bade goodbye to their star, who was consigned for them by Haras de Castillon as lot 192. “It's very emotional,” said John d'Amato. “Believe it or not, that's exactly what I expected for her. I'm very happy she's staying in France, because we can continue to be close to her, at least emotionally.”

Marco Bozzi added, “It was very exciting because she was unbelievable, so calm, so proud of herself. She was unbelievable. These two days showing, she posed the whole time. She posed the whole time she was selling. It was so nice, and very emotional.

“It was fantastic for them [the partners]. It was one of their first horses in Europe and she was very good. It's a really nice story that has ended in a fantastic way.”

Waldlerche's Family In The Spotlight Again

On Tuesday it was the turn of Waldlied (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) to top the Tattersalls December Mares' Sale at 2.2-million gns, and four days later her three-parts-sister Wildfeder (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) brought the hammer down at €2.05-million at Arqana.

On each occasion, one partner bought out the other. Waldlied, consigned by Newsells Park Stud, has returned to the Hertfordshire stud for a new partnership involving Newsells Park's Graham Smith-Bernal and an unnamed associate after they outbid Dietrich von Boetticher. The latter consigned the 3-year-old Wildfeder (lot 188), a sister to the 2019 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Waldgeist (GB) through his Gestut Ammerland and ultimately bought out Newsells Park Stud.

“It was a story that had to continue,” said von Boetticher's agent Crispin de Moubray. “We bought the dam Waldlerche as a yearling for €100,000 and she has given us an Arc winner. Now Newsells have the dam and Waldlied, and Ammerland has Waldgeist's full-sister.”

The 12-year-old Waldlerche (GB) (Monsun {Ger}), a half-sister to the St Leger winner Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), was bred by Newsells Park Stud and raced in the colours of Ammerland's sister farm Gestut Bernreid to win the G3 Prix Penelope. Her first foal Waldgeist remains her greatest triumph to date, but he is backed up by Group 2 winner Waldlied and dual winner Waldstern (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). The mare's next foal, Waldkonig (GB) (Kingman {GB}), triumphed in the G3 Gordon Richards S., while Wildfeder won at Saint-Cloud in April for a partnership which included Michael Tabor.

Waldlerche also has a Dubawi (Ire) yearling filly and foaled a full-brother to Waldgeist on May 8.

Purple Patch Produces €2-Million Filly

Top-class bloodstock is an international currency, and that was proven out in the Arqana ring early on Saturday evening when the Group 1-placed 2-year-old filly Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) (lot 150) sparked a heated bidding battle. After the early triers fell away, it came down to Nicolas Bertran de Balanda and David Redvers trading blows, with the former at last prevailing when the hammer fell at €2-million. De Balanda was bidding on behalf of Roy and Gretchen Jackson's Lael Stable, and Purplepay will now join trainer Arnaud Delacour in America for a 3-year-old campaign.

“It was a hard battle, but she's a lovely filly,” de Balanda said. “She looked really nice here at the sales and has a great rating. The sire is doing great and she looks like she could be a top filly for next year. She ticks a lot of boxes and we had to pay for that, but we're happy to have her.

“There aren't that many really top-class fillies going on the market. Her vetting is great, she showed a lot of improvement at the end of the season and she'll do well with a bit more distance.”

Purplepay last graced the Arqana ring when trainer Jean-Claude Rouget signed the docket at €100,000 at the 2020 Deauville Select Yearling Sale. She eventually, however, joined trainer Cedric Rossi for owner John-Pierre-Joseph-Dubois. Purplepay took four tries to break her maiden but she has been on a sharp upward trajectory ever since. She won the Criterium Arqana on Arc day at ParisLongchamp and was a fine third in the G1 Criterium International on Oct. 23. She is a star among a strong first crop for Aga Khan sire Zarak.

Purplepay is the fourth foal and first black-type horse out of her dam Piedra (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}). Piedra is out of Albisola (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), the G3 Prix de Flore winner who is a half-sister to the Group 3-winning and Group 1-placed Johnny Barnes (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), and from the family of the Group 1-winning colts Most Improved (Ire) and Ectot (GB), as well as the G1 1000 Guineas third Daban (GB) (Acclamation {GB}).

Purplepay had been entered in an Auctav online sale four weeks ago, but connections kept the faith, retaining her at €1.35-million and entering her in this sale as a wildcard. Eric Puerari, who along with his business partner Michel Zerolo consigned Purplepay through their Haras des Capucines, admitted that Purplepay exceeded expectations on Saturday.

“I think she went beyond expectations, but quality is priceless,” he said. “This is a filly who had raced a few times, but the last time, she absolutely blew the screen. She was absolutely fantastic. She ought to have won the Group 1 race, and I think she's a really interesting filly for the future. Only top people [looked at her this week]. Two of them were very keen, but this is what happens when you offer great quality. I think she can race anywhere. She's a quality filly. She's a Group 1 filly.”

The Pennsylvania, U.S.-based Roy and Gretchen Jackson have been staunch supporters of both American and European racing for the better part of 40 years. In 2006, the Jacksons recorded a historic double when, on the same day, their homebred Barbaro won the GI Kentucky Derby and George Washington (Ire) (Danehill)–who they bred and sold to the Coolmore partners as a yearling-took the G1 2000 Guineas. More recently, they are known as the owner/breeders of One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), who endeared herself to racing enthusiasts when winning three straight renewals of the G1 Prix de la Foret from 2018 to 2020. Arnaud Delacour was born and raised in Normandy and was an assistant to Alain de Royer Dupre and later Christophe Clement before going out on his own.

Gorlsdorf Tickled By Sale Result

Heike Bischoff and Niko Lafrentz of Gestut Gorlsdorf are experiencing one of the better 'problems' a breeder can encounter: they have enjoyed so much success with their homebred sire Sea The Moon (Ger) that they now must cull some his daughters from their broodmare band. That was the fate of Gorlsdorf's homebred Listed Prix Madame Jean Coutrie winner Tickle Me Green (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) (lot 204), who was purchased by Haras du Cadran, Kuldeep Singh Rajput's Gandharvi Racing and Ecurie Melanie for €800,000.

“There was a little problem,” said Lafrentz. “She is by Sea The Moon, and we have so many black-type mares by Sea The Moon that we cannot find enough stallions-the first of October would be a very expensive day for us if we sent all the Sea The Moon mares to [outside] stallions. We had to sell some and we knew there was a lot of interest in her, and we have the whole family.”

Tickle Me Green broke her maiden and was Group 3-placed in Germany before joining trainer Francis Graffard, for whom she won her listed race and finished second in the G2 Prix de la Nonette last year. Tickle Me Green was sold carrying her first foal by Oasis Dream (GB).

Tickle Me Green is out of Tickle Me Pink (GB) (Groom Dancer), who Bischoff bought for 18,000gns from Tattersalls July in 2008. Her third foal was the listed-winning Tickle Me Blue (Ger) (Iffraaj {GB})-who is in the Gorlsdorf broodmare band and has produced two colts by Sea The Moon–and she foaled two more stakes-placed winners before throwing Tickle Me Green.

“It was a very hard decision to sell her,” Bischoff said. “She was our absolute favourite, but the stud has to earn some money, otherwise I would have kept her.

Of the decision to send Tickle Me Green to Oasis Dream for her first covering, Bischoff added, “she is very solid. She's a beautiful, big mare, and we thought we'd like to have a proven stallion for her. She came quite late out of training, only in February or so, and I wanted a smaller and pretty stallion for her, and a proven one. So we went for Oasis Dream and we were lucky, she got pregnant on the first cover.”

It has been an excellent sale season for Bischoff and Lafrentz, who topped the Goffs November Foal Sale with their Frankel (GB) half-sister to Sea the Moon who was bought by Juddmonte for €550,000.

“We are very pleased, very lucky and very happy,” Bischoff said.

Gandharvi's Director Of Operations Alexandra Saint Martin said, “I've bought her for a new partnership between Gandharvi, Haras du Cadran and Ecurie Melanie. Gandharvi is a recent entity developed by Kuldeep Singh Rajput that has horses in training worldwide and wishes to base their breeding in France.  We naturally approached Haras du Cadran and Pierre Talvard, one of the best breeders in France. What attracted us to this mare is her race record which speaks for itself, notably being placed in the Prix de la Nonette. This was the deciding factor.”

Frankel Keeps It In The Family

Mother and daughter Highphar (Fr) (Highest Honor) and Castellar (Fr) (American Post {GB}) were responsible for the two most expensive weanlings of the day, both fillies by Frankel (GB) consigned by Haras de Saint Isidro.

The major claim to fame of the 17-year-old Highphar is as the dam of the dual Group 1 winner and Haras du Quesnay stallion Recoletos (Fr). His half-sister Castellar won the G2 Prix de la Nonette, while current 3-year-old Ricla (GB) (Adlerflug {Ger}) landed the Listed Prix de Thiberville and has also been placed at Group 2 and Group 3 level.

It was Castellar's weanling (lot 226), her second foal, who landed the bigger price in the sale ring, with Juddmonte, bidding through Arqana's Mathieu Legars on the telephone, made a final offer of €590,000. Twenty lots earlier Highphar's Frankel foal (206) had been retained by breeder SARL Darpat France, who bought out their partner at €480,000 through Carlos Laffon Parias, who has trained much of the family.

A similar pattern was presented by La Motteraye Consignment's sale of a pair of expensive foals from the last French crop of Wootton Bassett (GB) and out of half-sisters from the good George Strawbridge family of In Clover (GB) (Inchinor {GB}). Nurlan Bizakov's Sumbe, which sold the top lot of the day, added another foal to its team of homebreds when going to €190,000 for lot 211, a colt out of the unraced Ayelet (GB) (Hat Trick), bred by Langlais Bloodstock and SCEA de Marancourt.

Earlier in the session Blandford Bloodstock had signed for a filly out of Ayelet's Dubawi (Ire) half-sister Turea (GB) at €170,000. A first foal, sold as lot 114, she was also bred by Langlais Bloodstock.

One foal who was given a major update only months after he was born was the Starspangledbanner (Aus) colt (lot 145), whose three-parts-sister Coeursamba (Fr) (The Wow Signal {Ire}) very helpfully won the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in May. That dream result on the track for small breeder Julie Mestrallet in turn brought a fantastic return in the sale ring for the February-born weanling, who was bought by Robert O'Callaghan of Yeomanstown Stud for €170,000.

“He was a great big strong foal; for a Starspangled he has great action and he was our pick of the foals today,” said O'Callaghan. “On paper he is a half to a Guineas winner so he has a proper pedigree and is by a proper stallion in Starspangledbanner and he has the physique to go with it. We knew he would cost plenty; that was probably our last bid but we're very glad to get him. He'll come back to a sale next autumn and hopefully, the way Starspangled is going-he's getting better and better each year-so fingers crossed.”