December Breeding Stock Sale

The curtain came down on this year's Arqana Breeding Stock Sale on Tuesday where the demand for fillies-in-training, broodmares and foals in particular brought strong trade to Deauville over the course of the four-day sale. Prix de Diane heroine Sparkling Plenty (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) led the way overall, having been sold on Saturday for €5 million to Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock alongside Coolmore's MV Magnier on behalf of "a new partnership". All told, five fillies or mares cleared seven figures at a sale where all of the key metrics...

DEAUVILLE, France-Six months after doing the Hokey Cokey at the Goffs London Sale, Prix de Diane winner Sparkling Plenty (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) found another new owner when Coolmore and Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock went to €5 million to secure the top-notcher on behalf of "a new partnership" on the opening day of the December Breeding Stock Sale at Arqana.  Few will forget the drama that unfolded with Sparkling Plenty earlier this summer. Scarcely has there ever been a greater form update, with the Patrice Cottier-trained filly winning the Diane...

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 670 entries for its December Digital Sale, which opened Thursday and will close in stages beginning on Tuesday, Dec. 10, the auction house said in a Thursday press release. On offer (hips 1-305) are horses of racing age, racing/broodmare prospects, solely broodmare prospects, weanlings, and yearlings, which cuts off on Tuesday, Dec. 10, beginning at Noon ET. A selection of broodmares, (hips 306-end) will conclude Wednesday, Dec. 11, beginning at Noon ET. "This is the largest digital catalogue ever compiled worldwide," said Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton director of...

By Brian Sheerin and Katie Petrunyak Danish buyer Morten Buskop was left thanking his lucky stars on Sunday that his unnamed but long-standing client was more stubborn than him as he came out on top for the €190,000 Zarak (Fr) foal who led the way at the second session of the Arqana breeding stock sale.  There's nothing quite like seeing the sales house back up when a highly regarded horse walks into the ring and it became evident pretty quickly that the Haras de Montaigu-drafted colt had plenty of suitors...

There were emotional scenes in the early parts of the Saturday session at Arqana when Without Words (Mendelssohn), who Mick Murphy and Sarah O'Connell of Longways Stables failed to sell at the breeze-up here in May, was knocked down to Justin Casse on behalf of Joseph O'Brien for €450,000.  Without Words carried O'Connell's colours to victory on her second start for trainer Francois Rohaut at Toulouse. There was a kaleidoscope of significance to the win and subsequent sale with Murphy revealing afterwards that his wife had recently been diagnosed with...

On a day where BBA Ireland tightened its grip on yet another sale by signing for the top lot for €175,000, Haras d'Etreham boss Nicolas de Chambure was breathing a sigh of relief as the progeny of two of the stud's newbies Persian King (Ire) and Hello Youmzain (Fr) took flight. Persian King enjoyed a particularly strong session. The G1 French 2000 Guineas winner, who stood for €30,000 in his debut season at stud, saw seven foals sell for €516,000, headed by a colt (lot 306) knocked down to Alex...

Juddmonte's Simon Mockridge went to €675,000 to acquire G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB})'s weanling half-sister by the late Le Havre (Ire) during Arqana's Vente d'Elevage in Deauville on Saturday. The bay foal was offered as part of the dispersal of Haras du Quesnay as lot 166. Also a half-sister to stakes winner and G2 Prix Greffulhe third Trois Rois (Fr) (Hernando {Fr}), the May foal counts the stakes-placed Trophee (Fr) (Mr. Sidney) as another half-sister. At stud, the latter has produced G2 Moonee Valley...

'Tis the season to be jolly and, on the eve of the December Breeding Stock Sale where a number of high-class racemares and broodmare prospects, including powerful drafts from Godolphin, the Aga Khan and the Wertheimer et Frere consignment, there was giddy excitement in the air at Arqana. Fresh from snapping up the 5.4 million gns sale-topper Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never) at Tattersalls last week, Yuesheng Zhang was kept busy viewing horses with BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe while representatives of Juddmonte, Moyglare Stud and a host of high-end...