DEAUVILLE, France—The prices may have dipped significantly at Arqana on the Thursday but the activity at the sales grounds did not. If anything there were more people in attendance than on previous days, with the boost in French 2-year-old premiums to 70% perhaps acting as an incentive for owners to take a chance on a prospect for next season.
Certainly buyers were out in force and the clearance rate climbed again for this third tier of the sale, though it has to be said that not many below the top 20 lots of the day would have made any kind of profit for their breeder once nominations, keep fees and sales expenses have been taken into account. That said, if you breed a horse in France, even if the sales price is not profitable there is always the chance that the horse keeps earning for you through breeders' premiums.
One of the joint top-lots of the day (635) from Haras de Grandcamp is off to race in Poland, where his half-sister Furia (Fr) (Campanologist) won the Oaks among her five 3-year-old victories. Daniela Nowara signed the ticket for the son of Mastercraftsman (Ire) out of the G2 Prix Corrida winner Fair Breeze (Ger) (Silvano {Ger}) on behalf of his new owner at €42,000.
The same price was bid by Victor Langlais of Langlais Bloodstock and Ludovic Gadbin for lot 640, Haras de la Haie Neuve's son of the first-season War Front stallion Whitecliffsofdover. His dam Flute Divine (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}) was herself a winner at two and has produced the four-time winner and former breezer Another Planet (Fr) (Cockney Rebel {GB}).
The shortest session of the week so far saw 87 of the 105 yearlings offered find a buyer, at a clearance rate of 83%. Turnover was €1,221,500, the average price was €14,040 and median €13,000.
With another short session still to come on Friday, the aggregate for the sale as a whole to date stands at €16,919,500, a sum which is closing in on last year's tally, albeit from a rather different sale format.
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