Almanzor Advertises Arqana Appeal

When Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) came home a commanding winner of the G1 Qipco Champion S. at Ascot Oct. 15, he capped a stellar season that also included wins in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Qipco Irish Champion S., and provided cause for major celebration not only for his own connections, but for French racing and breeding as a whole and in particular, Arqana. Almanzor was sold through Arqana's August Sale in 2014 for €100,000, but his story with the sale company actually began three years earlier, when Nicolas de Chambure picked up his dam, Darkova (Maria's Mon) as a filly off the track from the Aga Khan draft at the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale in 2011 for just €16,000. De Chambure bred Darkova to Haras d'Etreham first-season sire Wootton Bassett in her first season at stud and the rest, as they say, is history.

Almanzor is just one example of the value that can be uncovered at Arqana's December sale, which this year runs Dec. 3 to 6 in Deauville, France. Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) made the €120,000 paid for her dam at Arqana's December Sale in 2011 look inexpensive when running away with this year's G1 Coronation S. and G1 Prix Rothschild. On the higher end of the price scale, Vadamos (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) justified the €525,000 Andreas Putsch spent on his dam at Arqana December in 2008 when winning this year's G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, and he enters stud at Tally-Ho in Ireland next year.

The influence of the Arqana December sale doesn't stop in France, however; in fact, it reaches across Europe and even across the globe. The dam of Ballydoyle Classic hopeful Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was bought in Deauville also from the Aga Khan draft for €175,000 in 2010, and from that same draft came Mandawara, a €30,000 purchase who produced this year's Listed Breeders' Plate winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Khan (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}).

“This sale has always been one where you can find some real good European families, from great breeders like the Aga Khan, the Wertheimers and other French and European breeders,” said Arqana President Eric Hoyeau. “This year that was really evidenced by the fact the best 3-year-old in Europe, Almanzor's, dam was bought at the Arqana December sale. Vadamos was one of the best milers in Europe and his dam was also bought at the sale. Qemah is one of the best fillies in Europe and she is another example; her dam was bought out of training at this sale.”

“It's also international,” Hoyeau continued. “Capri, one of the best 3-year-olds in Ireland, his dam was bought out of training from this sale, as well as the dam of Golden Valentine. Her American owner/breeder bought her dam from a real strong Wertheimer family and Golden Valentine, the first foal out of the mare bred by Foxwoods, is a group winner. Another good story is Khan, who is out of an Aga Khan filly bought out of training. She is now the dam of a top-class 2-year-old in Australia.”

This year's Arqana December sale includes 933 total offerings, including broodmares, fillies and foals, and six stallions and two stallion shares. Part I of the sale comprises 199 select lots set to sell on the Saturday, with Part II taking place over the following three days. Highlights of the maiden fillies catalogued include Parvaneh (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) (lot 178), a 3-year-old filly who won two group races in Germany this year in addition to being group-placed as a juvenile; Camprock (Fr) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) (lot 158), winner of the G3 Prix Penelope and a narrow second in the G1 Prix Saint-Alary and a daughter of G3 Prix Corrida winner Camporese (Ire) (Sadler's Wells) from the family of the exceptional producer Hasili; and Steip Amach (Ire) (Vocalised) (lot 168), a dual Group 3 winner in Ireland for her breeder Jim Bolger before finishing third in the G1 Prix Rothschild and G1 Prix Jean Romanet.

Ludovic Cornuel of Arqana's bloodstock team was in charge of putting together this year's December catalogue, and he said, “We are quite pleased because there are quite a few younger black-type fillies off the track that we're selling, and those three are among the most appealing in the catalogue. Especially in a year in which there aren't that many fillies of that calibre on the market, it's quite exciting.”

Of the broodmares catalogued, Elayouna (Fr) (Dr Fong) (lot 111) certainly qualifies as a standout, being a half-sister to triple Group 1 and Classic winner Ervedya (Fr) and in foal to that one's sire, Siyouni (Fr). Also carrying their first foals by Siyouni are Sweet Dream (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 115), a listed-placed daughter of G1 Prix Vermeille winner Sweet Stream (Ity) (Shantou); and Upbeat Mood (Mizzen Mast) (lot 141), a listed-placed half-sister to G3 Prix d'Aumale winner Antonoe (First Defence). Annoville (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) (lot 151) is a full-sister to this year's unbeaten dual Classic winner La Cressonniere (Fr); Ana Luna (GB) (Dream Well) (lot 166) is the dam of Grade I winner Alterite (Fr) (Literato {Fr}) and is offered in foal to Invincible Spirit (Ire); and G3 Chartwell Fillies S. winner EmeraldStar (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}) (lot 173) is offered in foal to Le Havre. The catalogue also includes mares in foal to first-season covering sires like Ivawood (Ire), Kingston Hill (GB), Make Believe (GB), Muhaarar (GB), Night of Thunder (Ire) and The Wow Signal (Ire).

With results on the racetracks like this year's from the progeny of mares sold through it's draft, it is understandable why the Aga Khan's consignment is so popular year after year, and it returns with another strong lineup of 26 in 2016. Among them are the 3-year-old fillies Sarzameen (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) (lot 89), an unraced half-sister to stakes winner and Group 1-placed Sarkiyla (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}); Albaiyda (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) (lot 154), a three-times placed half-sister to G3 Prix Messidor S. winner and GI Beverly D.S. second Alnadana (Fr) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}); and Daldiyna (Fr) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 161), a twice-placed half-sister to G1 Dubai Sheema Classic winner Dolniya (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}) and out of a half-sister to Daylami (Ire) and Dalakhani (Ire).

The draft of Wertheimer & Frere is another that is always highly anticipated, and among the highlights of that consignment are the stakes-placed Reponds Moi (More Than Ready) (lot 153), a daughter of G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Pas De Reponse (Danzig) and sister to three stakes winners in foal to the Wertheimers' exciting first-season yearling sire Intello (Ger); and Colonialiste (Ire) (Lord Of England {Ger}) (lot 88), a half-sister to Group 1 winner Sortilege (Fr) (Tiger Hill {Ire}) whose second dam is the outstanding producer Sacarina (Old Vic). Colonialiste is also in foal to Intello. Other offerings from the Wertheimer draft include the winning 3-year-old filly Urban Hill (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), who has three sisters to produce stakes horses and hails from a family that has produced Group 1 winners in Europe and Australia, and Silimeri (Fr) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 112), an unraced 3-year-old half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Silasol (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}).

Godolphin bring an expanded consignment this year as part of what has been a global trimming of its bloodstock holdings. Godolphin send 25 to Deauville, including the placed Joyeria (Medaglia d'Oro) (lot 6), the first foal of dual Grade I winner Evening Jewel (Northern Afleet); White Witch (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (lot 19), a stakes-placed daughter of dual Argentinean Group 1 winner Ishitaki (Arg) (Interprete {Arg}); and Opera Dame (GB) (Medaglia d'Oro) (lot 48), a winning daughter of G1 Prix Vermeille winner Mezzo Soprano (Darshaan {GB}) who descends from the blue hen Glorious Song.

“We are quite excited about this year's catalogue as we have again very good drafts from the Wertheimers, the Aga Khan and Godolphin,” Cornuel said. “Those drafts are exciting, and we have also other operations that are selling good lots like Haras de Monceaux, who have a black-type sister to Antonoe in foal to Siyouni [Upbeat Mood], and also Haras Saint Pair has some nice prospects, including a black-type More Than Ready filly [Manasarova, lot 171].”

Also set to go under the hammer in Deauville are 286 foals, including the progeny of leading first-crop sire Frankel (GB), and the highly accomplished brothers Galileo (Ire) and Sea The Stars (Ire). Lot 147 is a Frankel (GB) filly out of the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud second Fauvelia (Fr) (Polish Precedent), while lot 159 is a full-sister to Galatee (Galileo {Ire}), a Group 3 winner and the dam of this year's G2 Hardwicke S. winner Dartmouth (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) as well as dual Group 2 winner Manatee (Monsun {Ger}), descending from the Wildenstein dynasty that includes G1 Prix de Diane winner Aquarelliste (Fr) (Danehill) and GI Breeders' Cup Classic upsetter Arcangues (Sagace {Fr}). Lot 143 is a Sea The Stars colt out of stakes winner Peinture Rose (Storm Cat), already the dam of two stakes horses. Also of interest among the foals is a daughter of Dansili (GB) from the family of GI Kentucky Oaks winner Flute (Seattle Slew) and Classic winners Workforce (GB) (King's Best) and Brian Boru (GB) (Sadler's Wells), consigned by the Kentucky-based Brookdale Farm (lot 80); and an Oasis Dream (GB) half-brother to GI Garden City S. winner Alterite (Fr) (Literato {Fr}) (lot 165).

For many in the bloodstock world, Arqana's December Sale marks the end of a busy sales season, and its setting in the seaside town of Deauville allows buyers to fill their orders while also enjoying unrivaled local food, drink and retail shopping.

“Deauville is pre-Christmas, the last sale of the season in a charming city,” Hoyeau said. “It is a perfect destination for Christmas shopping for the family, but also for the stud farm.”