Oceanic Bloodstock

Jean-Claude Rouget trainee Havana Cigar (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}--Speculating {Ire}, by Xtension {Ire}) created a favourable impression when notching a two-length debut triumph going six furlongs at Saint-Cloud in May and delivered a performance of raw power to earn a 'TDN Rising Star' badge over the same trip in Saturday's Prix de la Croix des Veneurs at Chantilly. Havana Cigar failed to make best use of his stands' side draw and was steadied at the tail of the six-runner field after missing a beat at the kick. Powering by rivals...

DEAUVILLE, France--Culls from some of Europe's-and indeed, the world's-greatest breeders have played a sizable role in driving the market at this year's breeding stock sales. Over the past few weeks buyers have come out in force for the stock deemed excess to Juddmonte, Godolphin and Shadwell, but they had to wait until Arqana's December Breeding Stock Sale for the offerings from Wertheimer et Frere, with that nursery selling exclusively in Deauville each December. It was a mare from that consignment that supplied the joint-highest price during Monday's second session of...

Lot 1765, the 5-year-old Shades of Blue (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) became the new Tattersalls December topper when hammering for 850,000gns to Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock on behalf of Peter Brant's White Birch Farm. Part of The Castlebridge Consignment, the French listed winner, who placed twice at group level, is carrying to Frankel (GB) and will visit Brant's Arc hero Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). Under the second dam is dual Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed stallion Gutaifan (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Shades of Blue's most recent prior sale was...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 4th-MTH, $55K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1mT, post time: 1:40 p.m. ET    CUSTOMER LIST (FR) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), purchased by Michel Zerolo's Oceanic Bloodstock for €250,000 at last year's Arqana August Sale (walking video) on behalf of Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stable, is out of a winning daughter of MGSW & GISP Innuendo (Ire) (Caerleon), the dam of MGSW & GISP Criticism (GB) (Machiavellian) and granddam of SW & GSP Magical Touch (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Also responsible for SW Peacoat (GB) (Doyen {Ire}), Innuendo is out...

The trade winds, in the clipper age, blew west to east. But horsepower has reversed the flow; and for many years one of the most skilled navigators, for European horses to America, has been the debonair Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock. The cargos are more contested nowadays, he says, with a lot of sharp traders driving up prices. But the fact is that Zerolo recently scaled a new pinnacle, with the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe success of a Deauville yearling bought for an American patron. Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni...

Arqana staged its annual boutique Arc Sale of horses in training at Saint-Cloud Racecourse on Saturday evening following a day's racing at ParisLongchamp, and it was a current star of the German turf that proved the breakout horse, with Virginia Joy (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) (lot 24) selling to Michel Zerolo's Oceanic Bloodstock for €975,000. Having raced thus far as a homebred for Gestut Auenquelle, Virginia Joy won the July 12 G3 Mehl-Mulhens-Trophy by a head before finishing third, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the G1 Preis Der Diana...

Coolmore has agreed to purchase a 50% interest in last year's G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who stays in training this year with trainer Jean-Claude Rouget. The news was first reported by Paris-Turf. Bred by Ecurie des Monceaux out of Starlet's Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Sottsass was a €340,000 purchase at the 2017 Arqana August Yearling Sale by Peter Brant through Michel Zerolo's Oceanic Bloodstock. Racing in the green silks of Brant's White Birch Farm, Sottsass won at second asking at two. He took the...