Etreham

Is it just me or should France be known as the bloodstock land of opportunity? This is the country that saw Wootton Bassett (GB) and Walk In The Park (Ire) pull themselves up by the bootstraps after entering the stud book at relatively modest sums. There are few serious racing nations that provide as much of a chance for a stallion to flourish than France does. Take Kauto Star (Fr), the greatest staying chaser of the modern era, as an example. He hailed from the largely unheralded Village Star (Fr)...

In John Berry's comprehensive and most interesting tribute to Alec Head he made a small but important error. The fact that I found it attests to retirement providing too much time on my hands. But I make this correction in an amusing story about my own connection to Alec. Of course, it must involve his inseparable friendship and business partnership with another monumental name in international breeding and racing circles, Comte Roland de Chambure. Deep in the third page of John's article, he describes two outstanding colts, Riverman and Lyphard, stating "both...

The seven-figure barrier was breached for the first time at the 2021 Arqana August Yearling Sale on Sunday when Charlie-Gordon Watson went to €2.4-million for Haras d'Etreham's Dubawi (Ire) filly out of Typique (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), hip 108, also the dam of last out G2 Prix de Malleret scorer Babylone (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Lot 108 is from the deep Niarchos family of Denebola, Senga, Coup de Genie, Bago, Maxios, etc.

The calendar has turned at last, with likely many more than usual looking for a fresh start in a new year. Even outside the midst of a global pandemic, the excitement of a new sire crop typically provides plenty of reason for excitement and optimism, despite the fact the very few of the 30-something young pretenders preparing to stand their first seasons in the UK, Ireland and France will truly 'make it.' But isn't that the point? Those made of thick enough stuff to be involved in the breeding and...

The breeding stock sales caravan rolls on to France this weekend for the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale, and while the pandemic will inevitably lead to fewer making the pilgrimage to Deauville, a typically strong and diverse catalogue-buoyed by another good year on the world's racecourses for the sale's graduates-means that global enthusiasm is unlikely to be dampened at the four-day sale that runs Dec. 5 through 8. "Given the circumstances it's a relief to be able to organize the sale," said Ludovic Cornuel, head of bloodstock at Arqana. "This...