Arqana As It Happens

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

Classy Signings For Coolmore

Siyouni was also on the shopping list of the Coolmore team, which stands his Arc-winning son Sottsass (Fr) and went to €650,000 for another colt by the sire for the Ecurie Des Monceaux draft.

Lot 160 is the first foal of Correze (GB) (Shamardal), whose lone win may have come in the provinces but she is a daughter of the G3 Nell Gwyn S winner Cloud Castle (GB) (In The Wings {GB}) and is a half-sister to three stakes winners from a family which includes the high-class siblings Luso (GB) and Warrsan (Ire).

It was perhaps not a surprise to see MV Magnier come out on top of a bidding duel for Haras de Montaigu's Galileo half-sister to the Derby winner Wings Of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}). Having gone to €500,000 to buy the grey filly (lot 120) from her breeder, he said, “She comes from a great breeder with a great history and she was a lovely filly. Let's hope she can run.”

The family has received further updates this season through the exploits of G2 Prix Greffulhe winner Baby Rider (Fr) (Gleneagles {Ire}), who is out of the filly's half-sister Gyrella (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}).

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.