Arqana October Comes To A Close

The curtain came down on the five-day Arqana October Yearling Sale on Friday with a low-key session of 99 yearlings that was headed by J.K. Thoroughbreds's filly by Zelzal (Ire) (lot 705), who was bought by Mandore Agency and John Hammond for €41,000. The top-priced colt of the day was a first-crop son of Cloth Of Stars (Ire) (lot 723), and the name on the ticket was once again John Hammond at €30,000.

Friday's trade saw 84.9% of the yearlings offered change hands to add €940,500 to the sale's aggregate. While the average (€11,196) and median (€10,000) were down for the session, they were well up for the sale as a whole. Over the week, 582 yearlings were sold for €26,740,500, a record for the sale and up 48% on 2020, when four fewer horses were sold. The cumulative average of €45,946 marked a 47% jump, while the median climbed 40% to €28,000. Figures were also up on the pre-pandemic 2019 sale, when 414 horses were sold for €16,957,000 at an average of €40,959 and a median of €25,000.

Monceaux was leading vendor at the sale with 26 yearlings sold for €3,464,000, including the sale-topping €440,000 Camelot colt, while Stroud Coleman Bloodstock topped the buyers' table with 15 purchased for €2,395,000.

Arqana President Eric Hoyeau and Executive Director Freddy Powell said in a statement, “After last year's sale that produced mixed results in an uncertain environment, we can only be satisfied with these figures. They have exceeded all our expectations. A total of 63 horses were sold for €100,000 or more and demand remained very strong from start to finish, as evidenced by the 83% of horses sold and with French and international purchases from England, Ireland, USA, Scandinavia, Australia, Germany, Spain, Japan, Eastern Europe etc. We would like to thank all of our buyers, who never stop increasing, for their confidence. We must also salute the work and endurance of our consignors. All this would not be possible without them. Since August more than 900 yearlings have already been sold. A final session devoted to the flat followed by the cream of

the National Hunt yearlings is still to come at the Autumn Sale next month.”