Figures Strong At Arqana On Sunday

DEAUVILLE, France–Culls from some of Europe's-and indeed, the world's-greatest breeders have played a sizable role in driving the market at this year's breeding stock sales. Over the past few weeks buyers have come out in force for the stock deemed excess to Juddmonte, Godolphin and Shadwell, but they had to wait until Arqana's December Breeding Stock Sale for the offerings from Wertheimer et Frere, with that nursery selling exclusively in Deauville each December. It was a mare from that consignment that supplied the joint-highest price during Monday's second session of the sale, with Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock going to €180,000 for Sisila (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 406) in foal to first-crop covering sire Shaman (Ire), who was raced by Wertheimer et Frere to victories in the G2 Prix d'Harcourt and G3 Prix La Force before retiring to Yeomanstown Stud.

The 6-year-old Sisila was unraced due to injury, but she boasts plenty of residual value being the first foal out of G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and G1 Prix Saint Alary winner Silasol (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}). Her second dam is Stormina, a multiple listed winner in France and the U.S., while she descends from the G3 Prix Cleopatre victress Brooklyn's Dance (Fr) (Shirley Heights {GB}), the dam of G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe scorer Solemia (Ire) (Poliglote {GB}) and group winners Prospect Wells (Fr) (Sadler's Wells) and Prospect Park (GB) (Sadler's Wells), and listed winners and producers Never Green (Ire) (Halling) and Gold Dodger (Slew O'Gold). Sisila has three foals on the ground, her first being the winning 2-year-old Sitello (Fr) (Intello {Ger}).

The top price was matched late in the session by a colt foal by New Bay (GB) (lot 495) from Haras du Hoguenet who was purchased by Nick Bell of Haras de Meautry on behalf of Baron Edouard de Rothschild. The half-brother to G2 Oppenheim-Union-Rennen winner Boscaccio (Fr) (Mount Nelson {GB}) from the extended family of the dual G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe victress Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) will eventually join trainer Andre Fabre.

Saturday's opening session of the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale had returned monumental gains against the previous two editions of the sale, and though the level of trade dropped significantly on Sunday, the numbers continued to trend well ahead of 2020, when the sale was staged amid various lockdowns, border closures and strict pandemic restrictions. At the close of trade, 205 lots sold during the session for €6,655,500, well ahead of the €3,901,500 accrued from 135 sold 12 months ago. The averaged climbed 12.3% to €32,466, while the median was up 8.7% to €25,000. The clearance rate was 78.5%. During the corresponding session in 2019, 204 horses were sold for €7,020,500, at an average of €34,584 and a median of €26,000.

Al Shahania Stock In Demand

Al Shahania Stud has been conducting a partial dispersal of its stock across this season's sales, and a Showcasing colt foal from that nursery (lot 300) proved the star turn of the early portion of the sale when hammered down to Mick Flanagan for €135,000 just before lunchtime.

Flanagan confirmed the colt is a pinhook prospect.

“He's a good, strong colt, a good-moving colt by a stallion who is a Group 1 producer of both colts and fillies,” he said. “We'll take him back to Ireland and hopefully he winters well, springs well and summers well, and we'll bring him back as a yearling.”

Flanagan noted he was returning to a sire who has served him well; Flanagan purchased a filly by the sire for 220,000gns at Tattersalls December in 2017 and pinhooked her for €850,000 at Goffs Orby. Raced by China Horse Club, the filly named Lady Light (GB) broke her maiden and was listed-placed for trainer Michael Bell.

“She won first time out by four lengths and placed in a listed race and unfortunately got injured,” Flanagan said. “So she's a broodmare now but the stallion has been good to me and I continue to follow them in wherever I see them.”

Flanagan's latest Showcasing colt likewise has a strong pedigree to fall back on. His dam, the listed-placed Lightupthenight (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), was purchased by Al Shahania for €450,000 at the 2015 Arqana August Yearling Sale and is a half-sister to the G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Intellogent (Fr) (Intello {Ger}). The German Group 1 and Classic winners Nightflower, Nymphea and Nutan appear the second dam. Lightupthenight was herself sold to Gerard Larrieu for €190,000 in foal to Almanzor at Arqana on Saturday.

The Al Shahania dispersal was, in fact, responsible for the two top-priced lots earlier in the day through Haras des Cruchettes. About 20 minutes before its Showcasing colt appeared in the ring, Cruchettes sold the 8-year-old Desert Haze (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) (lot 247) to Blandford Bloodstock for €80,000. Desert Haze was a 420,000gns yearling purchase by Al Shahania and was listed-placed in Ireland and England for trainer Ralph Beckett. She was sold on Sunday in foal to Kendargent (Fr) and carrying her fourth foal. Her lone foal of racing age is the 2-year-old Lope De Vega (Ire) filly Caligine (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who is placed. Desert Haze is a half-sister to Occupandiste (Ire) (Kaldoun {Fr}) and Only Green (Ire) (Green Desert); the former is the dam of four stakes winners and the second dam of Intello, while the latter has produced the multiple group winner and young Yeomanstown stallion Shaman (Ire) (Shamardal).

The €135,000 pricetag of the Showcasing colt was matched a couple of hours later by an Adlerflug (Ger) filly (lot 335) from the very same family, who was bought by Gestut Brummerhof through Ghislain Bozo. The filly offered by Haras de la Cour Blanche is the first foal out of the winning Nabatea (Ger) (Camelot {GB}), who is herself a daughter of the G3 Fahrhofer Stutenpreis second Neele (Ger) (Peintre Celebre), better known as the dam of the aforementioned G1 Preis von Berlin winner Nymphea and G1 Deutches Derby scorer Nutan as well as the Group 3-winning Navaro Girl (Ger) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and listed-winning Nazbanou (Ger) (High Chapparal {Ire}). The filly will be among the last foals by her sire Adlerflug, who did in the midst of the 2021 breeding season at the height of his stud career.

Though bred in France, the filly will return to Germany, the country of birth of both her parents.

“She is a beautiful filly and she has been bought for Gestut Brummerhof,” said Bozo. “They are Classic breeders and they loved this filly from the beginning. She has the Camelot factor as well, which helped. It's a long-term plan to have a filly like her, so we'll keep her and race her in Germany and breed from her.”

German genes were to the fore once again just a few lots later when a colt from the first crop of the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 340) made €100,000, once again to the bid of Bozo, this time on behalf of Ballylinch Stud, which stands Waldgeist. Waldgeist's family has been prominent in the headlines during this sales season, with his three-quarter sister Waldlied (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) topping Tattersalls December at 2.2-million, and his 3-year-old full-sister Wildfeder (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) bringing €2.05-million at Arqana on Saturday evening.

“This was an exceptional foal, very solid, and I was very impressed by all the Waldgeist foals that I have seen through the sales,” Bozo said. “This one is going to go to Ballylinch Stud, and he'll be for them to race or resell.”

Though by a sire of German descent, lot 340-who was consigned by Elevage de Tourgeville-was bred in Ireland and his female family has been prominent in Britain and the Middle East; his dam New Revenue (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is a half-sister to the G3 Summer S. and G3 Dick Poole S. winner New Providence (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) and the G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint second Ekhtiyaar (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}).

Update Propels Romanosa

The Fairway Partners purchased the Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) filly Romanosa (GB) for 18,000gns as a foal at Tattersalls December. Charles Briere's group attempted to flip her at Arqana's v2 yearling sale the following summer, but took her home after bidding stalled at €25,000. Sent to trainer Mathieu Brasme by owner Sebastien Defontaine-farm manager of Haras de Montaigu–Romanosa placed three times before breaking her maiden in her fourth start at Dieppe in July. The granddaughter of the G2 Ribblesdale S. winner Thakafaat (GB) (Unfuwain) was therefore entered for the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale (lot 468) as a one-time winner who was the first foal out of an unraced mare, but she changed the game when, just two weeks ago, she picked up a black-type placing in Fontainebleau's Listed Prix Ceres. The 3-year-old filly who is also a relation to the Group 1-winning siblings Power (GB), Curvy (GB), Footstepsinthesand (GB) and Pedro The Great therefore provided a late-session highlight when snatched up by Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International Agency for €140,000 on behalf of Madaket Stables. She will join trainer Christophe Clement in the U.S.

“I've bought her for Madaket Stables and some new partners,” de Watrigant said. “She's a lovely filly that is improving with every race. She was third in a listed last month, which leads us to think she has further improvement in her. We're very happy with our purchase.”

Romanosa was one of a trio of mares to hit the six-figure mark late in the session. She was joined by the 4-year-old Grey Mystere (GB) (Lethal Force {Ire}) (lot 518), who was second in the Listed Grand Criterium de Bourdeaux and was sold in foal for the first time to Too Darn Hot (GB) for €120,000 to Blandford Bloodstock. Her dam, Creamcake (Mr. Greeley), is a half-sister to G1 Prix Saint Alary winner Coquerelle (GB (Zamindar).

Just a few lots later, Dayita (Fr) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 522) from the Aga Khan Studs consignment fetched €105,000 from Emmaroo Bloodstock. The 12-year-old mare is out of the Aga Khan's great producer Daltawa (Ire) (Miswaki), and is therefore a half-sister to Daylami (Ire), Dalakhani (Ire) and the dam of Dalkala (Ire). Each of Dayita's four foals to reach the races are winners, and she was sold in foal to Almanzor.

Philip Lybeck of Haras de Bourgeauville surely felt a sense of pride at Arqana on Saturday evening when Grand Glory (GB) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), the filly he bred and sold for €18,000 as a yearling, sold for €2.5-million as the second-top lot of the sale. Lybeck was in action as a purchaser on Sunday when securing the 7-year-old mare Obedient (GB) (Motivator {GB}) (lot 337) from Haras de la Haie Neuve for €95,000. Obedient is a half-sister to two stakes-placed winners whose third dam is Juddmonte's great blue hen Bahamian-from whom the likes of New Bay (GB), Oasis Dream (GB) and Kingman (GB) all stem. Obedient, who produced a colt foal by Intello this year, was sold in foal to Hello Youmzain (Ire), the Group 1-winning son of Kodiac (GB) who stood his first season at Haras d'Etreham this year.