Arqana's Autumn Sale attracted plenty of international interest on Monday with Australia's Best Bloodstock and American owner Mike Repole among the buyers of some of the day's more expensive horses in training. Heading down under is the day's leading light, the listed Prix Vulcain winner Newlook (Fr) (New Bay {GB}), who was sold for €480,000 from Carlos and Yann Lerner's stable to Jarred Magnabosco of Best Bloodstock.
“I wasn't the only one bidding, he's attracted the attention of several Australian trainers,” said Magnabosco of lot 443. “He's been very impressive in recent wins, he hasn't raced much and can still improve a lot. In my opinion, he has the profile to succeed in Australia and be a contender for the Caufield Cup next year.”
Included in the sale as a wildcard entry, the three-year-old gelding has won his last three starts for owner Ecurie des Charmes, all over a mile and a half, from just seven lifetime starts. He's a half-brother to three black-type performers including the G1 Prix de Diane runner-up La Parisienne (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), who was also trained by the Lerners.
Another of the wildcard entrants was the Andreas Wohler-trained Westminster Moon (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), who will have a shorter onward journey to make than Newlook as he is off to Ireland next to be trained by Tony Martin after being bought by Toby Jones of TJ Bloodstock for €260,000.
Sold as lot 427 through Anna Sundstrom's Coulonces, Westminster Moon is returning home, having been bred in Ireland by Kenilworth House Stud, who sold him as a foal for 45,000gns. He was a loss maker as a pinhook for Glenvale Stud when sold as a yearling for £15,000 but the four-year-old has lived up to that early promise with placings this year in the G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis and three other group contests in Germany.
“He will be trained by Tony Martin in Ireland with the aim of a mixed Flat and jumps career,” said Jones. “We liked a lot of things about him: he is very good looking, moves well and he has already shown great potential on the track.”
The dual winner and listed-placed Elbaz (Fr) piqued the interest of Mike Repole, who was bidding online from the States and had the final bid of €210,000 for lot 452. The three-year-old Siyouni (Fr) colt was sold from the Aga Khan Studs and has gained listed back type in both his seasons of racing when trained by Francis-Henri Graffard. The smartly-bred Elbaz is out of Elennga (Ire), an Exceed And Excel (Aus) half-sister to Classic winner Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who is in turn the dam of young Aga Khan Studs stallion and Group 2 winner Erevann (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}).
From a smaller session to the comparable day last year, 19 fewer horses were sold and the turnover dropped by 33% to €4,660,000. The clearance rate was only marginally down at 81% for 150 horses sold from the 186 offered at an average price of €31,067 (-24%). The median was €12,500, down from €18,000.
With Flat yearling and horses-in-training sessions now complete, the mixed sale continues over the next two days with the focus on two-year-old stores and National Hunt yearlings. A National Hunt breeding stock session brings the sale to a close on Thursday. Action begins each day in Deauville at 11am.
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