By Emma Berry
DEAUVILLE, France-With the major Flat mares having taken their turn in the ring as the Arqana December Sale opened on Saturday, the curtain will be brought down in Deauville today with some classy National Hunt stock.
The traditional jumping theme to the final day of trade has been given an extra boost this year by the inclusion of a dispersal of 22 broodmares and horses in training owned by the successful partnership of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.
Among the major National Hunt owners in Europe, Munir was notable in his willingness to race fillies and mares long before the racing programme was enhanced in a bid to persuade others to do so. With his racing partner Souede, Munir has amassed an array of talented mares who have since become well-credentialed breeding prospects, but the duo has taken the decision to reduce significantly their breeding interests, which have boarded in Normandy at Richard Powell's Haras du Lieu des Champs since that side of their operation began.
“The numbers have got quite big and that's actually the reason this sale is happening,” said Anthony Bromley of Highflyer Bloodstock, who buys horses for the partners. “They are primarily racehorse owners and the breeding side of it has mushroomed so they've drawn a line and said that from next year there will be no more foals, though they will race all the progeny currently in the fields.”
He added, “Some of the fillies have been withdrawn as they are still racing prospects and have won in the last week, but they will be sold eventually.”
Among those remaining in the draft, which has been reduced to 22 from 28 catalogued, is the 8-year-old Gitane du Berlais (Fr) (Balko {Fr}) (lot 934), whose seven victories include the GI Scilly Isles Novices' Chase, and who is now carrying her third foal by Martaline (GB). She is joined by another Grade 1 winner, the comparatively diminutive, at least by jumping standards, but no less talented Utopie Des Bordes (Fr) (Antarctique {Ire}) (lot 942). The 10-year-old is carrying to Balko, while the Cheltenham Festival winner and AQPS-bred Une Artiste (Fr) (Alberto Giacometti {Ire}) is another in foal to Haras de Montaigu's Martaline and will be sold as lot 938.
One of the real head-turners of the draft is the statuesque grey Ma Filleule (Fr) (Turgeon {GB}) (lot 932), a top-class steeplechaser in her day who still very much has a spring to her step, though she unfortunately slipped the foal she was carrying this year.
“It's bittersweet in some ways,” admitted Bromley. “I bought all the horses and planned their careers, and Richard has had them at the stud. Isaac and Simon ended up breeding because they had so many good racemares. It seemed the logical next step, and in fact the breeding programme has been working. Raffles Sun (Fr) has won a Grade 3 at Auteuil and was Grade 1-placed recently, and this is just the first bunch of 4-year-olds.”
Despite the dispersal, it may well not be the end of the association of Bromley and his Highflyer partner David 'Minty' Minton with some of the stock.
He continued, “I feel proud to be associated with such a nice bunch of horses and fingers crossed they sell well for the boys. Minty and I do like a lot of these mares. They are all here for sale, it's a proper dispersal, but we have other clients and we will be bidding on some of the horses.”
Richard Powell, who is well known as a consignor of both Flat and National Hunt horses, and whose father David has had a long-running association with Bromley and Minton as the French advisor for Highflyer Bloodstock, added, “From a consignor's point of view, it is a privilege to offer such a high-class draft. These horses have been with us for some years now and they are not just horses they are friends, so it's a bit sad, but that's the way it is and we're looking forward to some new adventures in the future.
“This a lovely opportunity for National Hunt breeders to buy a treasure, a mare you would keep for a lifetime.”
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