Arqana February Sale

Damkena (Fr), a daughter of Kendargent (Fr) in foal to Galiway (GB), took top honours with a bid of €62,000 as the Arqana February Sale drew to a close in Deauville on Wednesday. Offered by Haras de Grandcamp, the eight-year-old mare is a sister to the Group 3 winner Kendam (Fr) who has already produced a Group 3 winner herself on this same cross in Kenway (Fr). The latter is a new recruit to the stallion ranks in Ireland at Coolagown Stud. Sold at lot 266, the mare was bought...

Unraced three-year colt Le Kerry (Fr) (Gemix {Fr}) headed the first day of Arqana's February Sale when sold for €200,000 to Ecurie de Launay. Offered as lot 60 by Karwin Farm, the son of Snow Berry (Fr) (Dream Well {Ire}) was bred by Haras de Maulepaire and is from a family of prolific jumps winners. His dam is a half-sister to Le Berry (Fr), who is also by the Grade 1-winning hurdler Gemix and was himself the winner of 11 races over jumps, including the G1 Prix Maurice Gillois. The...

The catalogue for the Arqana February Mixed Sale on February 13-14 was released by the sale company on Friday. Featuring 363 horses comprised of horses-in-training on the Flat and over jumps, broodmares, maidens, 2-year-olds and yearlings, with eight wildcards still to be announced, sessions will begin at 11 a.m. daily. The Arqana February Sale, which last year sold the G2 Prix du Petite Couvert winner and G1 Prix de l'Abbaye-placed Air De Valse (Fr) (Mesnil des Aigles {Fr}) as a broodmare prospect, this year offers a trio of fillies-in-training who...

G2 Prix du Petite Couvert heroine and G1 Prix de l'Abbaye-placed Air De Valse (Fr) (Mesnil des Aigles {Fr}) (lot 51) is one of 356 lots in Arqana's February Sale catalogue which was released on Friday. Slated for 11 a.m. local time on Feb. 14-15, the sale features horses-in-training on the Flat and over jumps, maidens, broodmares, stores, 2-year-olds, and yearlings. There are also five wild card slots available, three for horses-in-training and two for the breeding stock portion. Joining Air De Valse, is winning debut hurdler Marvin Flight (Fr)...

There was a steady start to proceedings at Arqana's two-day February Sale, with figures pretty much on par with last year's trade and the National Hunt filly Be A Nice Girl (Fr) (Bathyrhon {Ger}) topping the first session at €120,000  A decent clearance rate of 78% from 141 horses sold brought turnover of €1,772,000, with the average and median both contracting slightly at €12,567 and €6,000 respectively.  The day's leading lady was the 4-year-old hurdler offered as lot 63 by her trainer Jean-Pierre Fertillet. Happily for him, Be A Nice...

Following positive starts to the sales year in Britain and Ireland, this week the midwinter auction action switches to France for the two-day Arqana February Sale, which starts on Tuesday in Deauville. Trade begins with a session of 85 horses in training, both Flat and Jumps, and then progresses to yearlings and 2-year-olds, followed by breeding stock.  A rare opportunity in this part of the world to buy a daughter of Deep Impact (Jpn)'s promising young son Kizuna (Jpn) is presented by lot 164, from the draft of Wertheimer et...

The winner Diva Victoria (Fr) (Recorder {GB}) (lot 70) has been added as a wildcard to the upcoming Arqana February Mixed Sale. Offered by trainer Jean-Claude Rouget, the great granddaughter of the G1 Oaks heroine Eswarah (GB) (Unfuwain) will go through the ring on Tuesday, Feb. 15 along with the other 95 horses-in-training. Her dam is a half-sister to G2 Prix de Pomone and G3 Prix de Psyche victress Raabihah (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who also ran second in the G1 Prix Vermeille. Diva Victoria, who is currently rated 85,...

Arqana has an advantage over its counterparts in Britain and Ireland in so far as the company is able to stage a live sale in Deauville this week, with some encouraging returns posted from the first of two sessions of the February Sale on Monday. Two six-figure lots were at the head of the action, and trade was fairly lively throughout, with the average being boosted by 22% to €13,669, while turnover was also up, by 23%, at €1,654,000 thanks to a much improved clearance rate of 77.5%. From a...

A further two wild cards have been added to the first day of the Arqana February Sale which takes place on Monday, Feb. 15. The 6-year-old gelding Laskalin (Fr) (Martaline {GB}), whose form since the new year includes victory in the listed Prix Bernard de Dufau ever fences at Pau, will be offered by trainer Mikael Mescam as lot 70. The sibling to black-type jumps winners Laskaline (Fr), who is also by Martaline, and Kinglaska (Fr) (Kingsalsa {Fr}) has won five of his 13 starts over the last two seasons....