Deauville

Fresh off yet another productive Tattersalls December Mare Sale, where they have led consignors there for the past eight years, The Castlebridge Consignment embarked on somewhat of a less familiar journey to Deauville to hang up their well-known banner for Arqana's December Breeding Stock Sale. The Castlebridge Consignment, which has bases in Newmarket and at Castlebridge Stud in County Meath, Ireland, has been absent from the Arqana sales grounds since 2017, but this week they returned with a group of nine fillies in training, broodmare prospects and mares in foal...

DEAUVILLE, France--As we have seen over the the last few weeks in Ireland and England, there remains a voracious appetite for breeding stock, and globally the Thoroughbred breeding industry continues to hold German bloodlines in the highest regard. With this in mind, there will undoubtedly be plenty of visitors from all over the world turning up to peruse the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale draft of Ronald Rauscher, which contains a number of well-bred fillies and mares with proper racing form. German-born and now based in Ireland, Rauscher is a consignor,...

The Haras du Quesnay dispersal at the forthcoming Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale will be one of the most notable bloodstock events of recent years, Quesnay having been synonymous with excellence for longer than most people can remember. Its history is that of the Head family, a family which is revered the world over not only for its horsemanship and understanding of the bloodstock game, but also for its integrity. The Quesnay story is the Head story, and within it lie the stories of many of the greatest horses of...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Insights features a daughter of G1SW Romantica (GB). 15.35 Deauville, Debutantes, €27,000, 2yo, f, 7 1/2f (AWT) AMBOISE (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) takes the eye on debut, being a daughter of the track's G1 Prix Jean Romanet heroine Romantica (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) who was in turn a daughter of...

The four-day Arqana Autumn Sale ended on Thursday with a session devoted to National Hunt breeding stock comprised of foals, broodmares, and fillies. Three horses broke the six-figure mark, and Grade 3 heroine La Boetie (Fr) (Saint Des Saints {Fr}) (lot 820) hammered at a session-topping €190,000 to Guy Petit, who had been active earlier in the sale. Petit signed for 17 lots on Thursday alone, which grossed €584,000. His total by the end of trade was 32 lots for a gross spend of €983,000. Presented by David Cottin, the...

The second session of Arqana's Autumn Sale featured a session of juvenile stores, as well as National Hunt-bred yearlings. Bloodstock agent Guy Petit shelled out a combined €165,000 for the most expensive pair of juveniles on Tuesday--lot 442 and lot 442B, a gelding, and filly, respectively, by Karaktar (Ire) and Saint Des Saints (Fr). The former, already named Monticello (Fr), was consigned by Haras des Pierres Follets. He brought €85,000 and is from the family of Grade 3-winning jumper The Reader (Fr) (Lando {Ger}) and the listed jumper Vintage (Fr)...

Listed winner and dual Group 1-placed Times Square (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) (lot 180) has been added to Arqana's Vente d'Elevage from Dec. 3-6. Consigned by Christophe Ferland, the bay was second in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac at two and third in the G1 French 1000 Guineas this year. She is joined by three additional wildcards: lot 160, Deccan Queen (GB) (Rail Link {GB}) from the Coulonces consignment, who is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Bellamy Cay (GB) (Kris {GB}) and listed winner Cinnamon Bay (GB) (Zamindar), herself the...

Off the back of a star-studded season, No Nay Never will stand for €175,000 in 2023, which represents a €50,000 rise, while his dual Group 1-winning son Blackbeard (Ire) will join him on the Coolmore roster next year at a price of €25,000. No Nay Never has had an exceptional year. Older filly Alcohol Free (Ire) landed the G1 July Cup at Newmarket, but it has been his Coolmore-owned and Aidan O'Brien-trained juveniles that have set tongues wagging this term. Like his father, Blackbeard landed the G1 Prix Morny in...

Dual listed winner Burgarita (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), and group winners Oscula (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) and Waldbiene (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) have been added to Arqana's Vente d'Elevage from Dec. 3-6. The trio will sell during Part I of the catalogue, which is available in its entirety on Monday, Oct. 31. Besides taking the Listed Prix de la Seine and Listed Prix Casimir Delamarre, the Andre Fabre-trained Burgarita also placed in the G1 Prix de Diane, as well as three more group races from just 12 starts. She is...

New group winners Lastotchka (Fr) (Myboycharlie {Ire}--Muthla {Fr}, by Muhtathir {GB}) and Speirling Beag (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}--Starscape {Ire}, by Cape Cross {Ire}) have been added to the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale catalogue. They are set to sell during the opening session in Deauville on Dec. 3. Saturday's G3 Prix Belle de Nuit heroine Lastotchka races for Ecurie Noel Forgeard, P Bonnier et. al. and Jean-Marie Beguigne and was already a winner of the Listed Prix de Thiberville earlier this year. Bred by Ecurie Touchstone, she was second to 'TDN Rising...

The October Yearling Sale at Arqana came to a close on Friday with respectable Part Three trade highlighted by a €42,000 filly by De Treville (GB) (lot 757) who sold from Ombreville to Antoine de Watrigant. From the family of G3 Prix Noailles winner and G1 Grand Prix de Paris second Slalom (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) and his stakes-winning and group-placed full-brother Folamour (GB) (Intello {Ger}), the February foal also traces to G3 Prix Perth heroine and quadruple black-type producer Danzigaway (Danehill). The filly's Showcasing (GB) half-brother Empathic (Fr) had won...

Group 2 winner Amazing Grace (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger--Amabelle {Ger}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}), twice placed at the highest level in her native land, will be offered during Arqana's December Breeding Stock Sale, from Dec. 3-6. Slated to enter the ring on Dec. 3, the G2 T. von Zastrow Stutenpreis heroine also took last year's G2 Diana Trial for breeder Dr. Christoph Berglar and trainer Waldemar Hickst. Her final race was a solid third in the G1 Preis von Europa and her record stands at 15-4-4-5 with earnings of $229,353. Currently...