A €170,000 Doctor Dino (Fr) colt set a new record price for a NH-bred yearling at this sale as the Arqana Autumn Sale proper concluded on Tuesday. Buyers' appetites remained keen overall, with eight yearlings bringing €77,000 or higher.
Consigned by Haras des Sablonnets, lot 518 is out of the listed-placed jumper Lofte Place (Fr) (Poliglote {GB}), who has already provided the goods as a NH broodmare as the dam of three-time listed winner Thrilling (Fr) (Network {Ger}), who ran second in the G1 Prix Maurice Gillois and G1 Ferdinand Dufaure over fences. Anthony Bromley and David Minton's Highflyer Bloodstock secured the March-born colt, one of 13 yearlings purchased by the duo-mostly for Welsh owner Dai Walters (Walters Plant Hire)–on Tuesday for a gross of €697,000 and an average of €53,615.
“For me he was the best yearling in the sale,” said Minton. “He's by a great stallion in Doctor Dino and his half-sister Thrilling is a very good filly.”
Also snapped up by Highflyer in the top eight lots was lot 565, who went for €85,000 from the draft of The Channel Consignment. Another colt by Doctor Dino, he is out of the four-time winner Shannon Verse (Fr) (Kapgarde {Fr}) from the family of Grade 1 winner Shannon Rock (Fr) (Turgeon).
Rounding out the Highflyer trio amidst the priciest yearlings was lot 496, a son of No Risk At All (Fr) and the winning jumper Hojacaracois (Fr) (Laveron {GB}). Haras de l'Hotellerie offered the €77,000 acquisition, who is from the family of listed-winning jumpers Horabora Has (Fr) (Turgeon) and Hotmale Has (Fr) (Saint des Saints {Fr}).
Second on the buyers' sheets was lot 633, a son of Muhtathir (GB) and the Saint des Saints mare Carmen du Berlais (Fr). Picked up by Horse Racing Advisory for €90,000, the Ecurie la Frenee draftee's pedigree features Grade 3-winning chaser Caid du Berlais (Fr) (Westerner {GB}), who ran second in the G1 Future Champions Finale Juvenile Hurdle.
Authorized (Ire)'s lot 643 caught the eyes of Ryan Mahon and JD Moore at €85,000. A member of the Haras de l'Aumonerie consignment, the gelding is out of the two-time juvenile winner Courseulles (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}), while GIII Long Island H. victress Arles (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) is the dam's full-sister.
“We really liked the horse,” said Ryan Mahon. “He had a very good attitude in the ring. I've bought him for an Irish client.”
By the same sire as lot 643, lot 632, from Haras des Pierres Follets, was purchased by JH Bloodstock/BLM Bloodstock for €77,000. The gelding's dam is a Poliglote half-sister to the Grade 3-placed hurdler Chef d'Oeuvre (Fr) (Martaline {GB}).
BLM Bloodstock had signed the ticket for lot 517 at €80,000 earlier in the sale. The son of Saint des Saints was produced by the Grade 1-placed Liberte d'Aimer (Fr) (Lord du Sud {Fr}) and consigned by Haras du Buff.
“Following the death of Jim Gordon, one of our clients bought the dam of this yearling, Liberté d'Aimer,” said Bertrand Le Metayer. “She has produced a lot of fillies, so we're delighted to have a boy! We've bought him for a partnership with the family of Jim Gordon.”
Listed bumper heroine Tante Sissi (Fr) (Lesotho)'s No Risk At All (Fr) AQPS colt (lot 585) went to Yorton/Tridynion for €82,000. Offered by Ecurie Cap Orne, the colt's dam is a full-sister to the top-class AQPS Grade 1 hurdler Epatante (Fr) (No Risk At All {Fr}).
“We loved this horse,” said Yorton's David Futter. “He has a great pedigree and his sire needs no introduction. We'll bring him back home and will decide his future in due course. We have lots of options. We're very happy with the purchase.”
The most expensive yearling filly on the day was lot 620, a Haras de Montaigu-consigned daughter of Beaumec de Houelle (Fr) who went to Midland Equine Ltd. for €72,000. From the family of listed winner Howard le Canard (Fr) (Hamas {Ire}), the bay was produced by the winning Best Exit (Fr) (King's Best).
At the end of the session, 134 yearlings had found new homes from 169 offered (79%) for an aggregate of €3,730,500. The average was €27,840 and the median was €20,000.
Overall, 291 horses sold over the two days from 367 offered (79%) for an aggregate of €9,218,500. The average was €31,679 and the median was €20,000.
Breeding stock will go under the hammer during the one-day Arqana Autumn – National Hunt Breeding Stock Sale on Wednesday from 11 a.m. local time.
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