Saint des Saints

There are few more respected figures in French National Hunt racing than Nicolas de Lageneste.  It seems as though everything de Lageneste turns his hand to, be that breeding, training or simply owning racehorses, it is a success. Last year he completed the rare achievement of being crowned champion National Hunt owner and breeder in the same season. Nobody has ever done that before.  Fewer still would be capable of nurturing a horse like Il Est Francais (Fr) (Karaktar {Ire}). Not only did de Lageneste breed the superstar chaser, who...

A €170,000 Doctor Dino (Fr) colt set a new record price for a NH-bred yearling at this sale as the Arqana Autumn Sale proper concluded on Tuesday. Buyers' appetites remained keen overall, with eight yearlings bringing €77,000 or higher. Consigned by Haras des Sablonnets, lot 518 is out of the listed-placed jumper Lofte Place (Fr) (Poliglote {GB}), who has already provided the goods as a NH broodmare as the dam of three-time listed winner Thrilling (Fr) (Network {Ger}), who ran second in the G1 Prix Maurice Gillois and G1 Ferdinand...

Champion and MG1SW Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who will have his first 2-year-olds in 2021, leads the Haras d'Etreham roster at €30,000, the French stud announced on Sunday. Also a shuttle stallion to Cambridge Stud in the Southern Hemisphere, a 1/50th share in the Cartier champion 3-year-old colt of 2016 was bought for €310,000 at the Arqana Online Sale this past Wednesday and his yearlings have been well received, selling for up to €280,000. Joining him at €30,000 is  Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}-Pretty Please {Ire}, by Dylan Thomas...