Deauville

The catalogue for Arqana's annual Breeze-up Sale, set to be held May 9-11 at Deauville, is now available online. This year 207 two-year-olds are on offer, including the progeny of leading European stallions such as Dubawi (Ire), Frankel (GB), Sea The Stars (Ire) and Siyouni (Fr), as well as top US-based sires such as Gun Runner and Justify. More than 80 stallions are represented altogether. The breezes will take place on the grass at Deauville-La Touques Racecourse on Thursday, May 9, followed by a day of inspections on Friday, May...

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...

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. Friday's Insights features Blush (Ire), a daughter of Grade I winner Lady of Shamrock.   15.45 Deauville, Mdn, £30,000, unraced 2yo, f, 7 1/2f (AWT) Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's BLUSH (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) is a daughter of GI American Oaks and GI Del Mar Oaks heroine Lady Of Shamrock...

The four-day Arqana Vente d'Elevage concluded on Tuesday, with four fillies and mares making €1 million or more, and 668 horses (77%) marked as sold for a gross of €47,135,000. Overall, the average was down 8% to €70,561, however, the median rose to €20,000, an increase of 16% off of 2022's mark. The sale was topped by Group 1 winner Place Du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) at €4.025 million from leading buyer Portofino Bloodstock. Taking just Tuesday's trade into account, 109 lots sold (79%) for a gross of...

Carenot (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), a half-sister to the G1 Phoenix S. winner Dick Whittington (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), topped the third day of the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale in Deauville at €72,000. The 10-year-old mare is a dual winner and her first three foals have all also won two races, including the Listed-placed Liberalist (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). Offered in foal to Earthlight (Ire) as lot 582 from Haras du Lieu des Champs, Carenot was bought by Whitehorn Bloodstock on behalf of Emir Alkas of Alkas Stud in Turkey. Alkas's...

A winner of the G1 Prix de Diane, CHANNEL (IRE) (Nathaniel {Ire}--Love Magic {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) (lot 215) was knocked down for €1.2 million on the bid of Katsumi Yoshida/Narvick International during the first day of Arqana's Vente d'Elevage. In foal to Wootton Bassett (GB), the granddaughter of G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Magical Romance (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}) was consigned by La Motteraye Consignment.   The seven figure mark has been broken again at the ❄️#VentedElevage as CHANNEL (lot 2️⃣1️⃣5️⃣), Prix de Diane (Gr.1) winner in foal to #WoottonBassett...

Frankel (GB)'s Sibila Spain (Ire) (lot 204) was another mare to reach seven figures at Arqana on Saturday, bringing €2 million from Newsells Park Stud while carrying her first foal by Dubawi (Ire). Consigned by Haras de l'Hotellerie, the bay won the G2 Prix du Muguet and is a full-sister to group winner and Group 1-placed Master Of Reality (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). The duo are out of L'Ancresse (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), a listed winner who ran second in the G1 Irish Oaks and the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare...

In 2012, bloodstock agent Alex Solis and Jason Litt traveled to the Arqana December Sale in Deauville on behalf of LNJ Foxwoods, who were just getting started in establishing an operation now known all over the world. Solis and Litt came in search of foundation mares for the fledgling operation, and found just that in Gold Round (Ire), a half-sister to Goldikova (Ire) whom they purchased from the draft of Wertheimer and Frere for €520,000. Twelve years later, they are back to offer one of her daughters, Golden Attitude, a...

Kildangan Stud's first-season sire sensation Blue Point (Ire) hit a remarkable new high on Tuesday when his daughter Word's Out (Ire) became his 50th individual winner at Deauville. Sixth on debut at Chantilly last month, the Andre Fabre-trained Godolphin homebred raced towards the rear early. Delivered with perfect timing by Mickael Barzalona to overhaul Tazara (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) in the final strides, the 7-1 shot had a neck to spare at the line for the landmark win. The dam Voice Of Truth (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was sold by Godolphin...

Mandore International Agency only purchased one yearling at the Arqana November Yearling Sale on Saturday, but they made it count, selecting the day's top lot, a colt by Group 1 sire Almanzor (Fr) for €85,000. Sold as lot 186 and already named Override (Fr) to Mandore International's Nicolas de Watrigant, the Haras des Capucines-consigned bay is out of Zarza (Fr) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), herself a half-sister to His Highness The Aga Khan's undefeated Arc heroine and top-level producer Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar). "He's a lovely colt," said the agent. "He walks...

Two flat performers and four National Hunt horses have been added as Wild Cards to the catalogue for Arqana's Autumn Sale, which is set take place from Monday, Nov. 20 to Thursday, Nov. 23 in Deauville. The latest additions will sell during the first session, in addition to the 260 horses-in-training that are also catalogued for the day and the 12 Wild Cards already published. Lot 408 is the 3-year-old winner Belafonte (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), who is out of a sister to G1 Irish Derby winner Trading Leather (Ire)...

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. Sunday's Observations features a full-sister to a Group 1 winner. 13.58 Deauville, €30,000, Mdn, unraced 2yo, f, 9 1/2f (AWT) Gitte Poulsen-Allaire's AQUA AUGUSTA (IRE) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is a Yann Barberot-conditioned daughter of Listed Prix Dahlia victrix Alzubra (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and thus kin to a trio...