Classic Families For Sale at Arqana

On Dec. 5, the European sales action will move to the charming seaside town of Deauville, France for the continent's final major sale of the year, the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale, which runs through Dec. 8. Not only is Deauville the ideal locale for buyers and sellers alike to wind down after a busy sales season and enjoy some top-drawer shopping and dining; it also presents buyers the perfect opportunity to add some stock from top-class families to their portfolios while reaping the current benefits of shopping in the Euro.

Arqana President Eric Hoyeau was quick to point out that while the sale won't offer any Classic or Group 1 winners this year, the catalogue is choc-full of fillies and mares from some of the world's best families.

“It's a fact that we don't have any Classic or Group 1 winners in the catalogue–they are very difficult to get in Europe–but we have a few group and listed winners and plenty of strong families; daughters of and sisters to Classic and Group 1 winners,” he noted. “Deauville is the perfect place to find some strong European families with the attraction of buying in the Euro. It is a perfect venue to enter into big Classic families.”

Among the well-related offerings are G2 Balanchine S. winner and G2 Duke of Cambridge S.-second L'Amour De Ma Vie (Dansili {GB}) (lot 162), who is the only mare in Europe catalogued at a breeding stock sale this year in foal to Galileo (Ire). The 6-year-old mare will be consigned by Coulonces Consignment and is entered in the sale to dissolve a partnership. She is joined by the likes of Jessica Rocks (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) (lot 66), a half-sister to Group 1 winner Havana Gold (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) in foal to first-crop covering sire No Nay Never; Portland River (Fr) (Stormy River {Fr}) (lot 126), a half-sister to Australian Group 1 winner Pornichet (Fr) (Vespone {Ire}) in foal to Sepoy (Aus); Embellishment (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 177), a daughter of G1 Coronation S. winner Sophisticat (Storm Cat) in foal to Kingman (GB); and Luckbealadytonight (Ire) (Mr. Greeley) (lot 194), a half-sister to G1 Moyglare Stud S. winner Maybe (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), from the family of Classic winners Dancing Rain (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Dr Devious (Ire) (Ahonoora {GB}), in foal to Australia (GB). Two sisters to Group 1 winners this year are catalogued: Princesse Eva (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}) (lot 125), a half-sister to G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Covert Love (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}); and Triptyka (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) (lot 155), a half-sister to G1 Prix Jean Romanet scorer Odeliz (Ire) (Falco). Also catalogued are half-sisters to War Command (War Front) (lot 121), Illuminate (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) (lot 133) and Dream Peace (GB) (Dansili {GB}) (lot 203). Lady Sybil (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) (), the winner of this year's Listed Prix Amandine, is offered by trainer Henri-Alex Pantall. Beautiful Heroine (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) (lot 180), the winner of this year's G3 Prix Andre Baboin and third in the Nov. 8 Premio Roma GBI Racing, was added to the sale Monday as one of five wildcard entries.

The Arqana Breeding Stock sale has grown in stature in recent years and is now firmly established as one of the European market leaders alongside the likes of Tattersalls and Goffs. The average at the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale has improved every year since 2007 and the median each of the last four years. The increased profile of the sale can also be attributed in part to the leading French breeders who support it year on year. The Wertheimer brothers sell their culls exclusively at Arqana, and operations like The Aga Khan, Ecurie Des Monceaux, Haras du Quesnay, Darley, Haras du Bois Roussel, Haras du Mezeray, Shadwell, and Haras d'Etreham also bring strong drafts. The leading lights from those drafts include Mandheera (Bernardini) (lot 87), a winning daughter of triple Group 1 winner Mandesha (Fr) (Desert Style {Ire}); Edilisa (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) (lot 168), a winning daughter of a half-sister to four Group 1 winners including Ascot Gold Cup winner Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}); Ennaya (Fr) (Nayef) (lot 172), a half-sister to this year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G1 Coronation S. winner Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in foal to Le Havre (Ire); Pickaway (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) (lot 178), a half-sister to Grade II winner and sire Silent Name (Jpn) (Sunday Silence); and Voyelle (Broken Vow) (lot 34), a daughter of GI Beverly Hills H. winner Corrazona (El Gran Senor) and therefore a half-sister to stakes winners Olmodavor (A.P. Indy) and Slow Down (Seattle Slew).

The catalogue also contains drafts from leading German breeders like Gestut Faehrhof, Gestut Etzean and Gestut Wittekindshof.

“The big consignors are an important [foundation] for the sale to have,” Hoyeau noted. “The Arqana Breeding Stock sale has given buyers and vendors a lot of confidence the last few years and has improved a lot, especially because we have the confidence of the big consignors like the Wertheimer brothers and the big consignors from Germany.”

Another vote of confidence for the sale was given by Australia's Rosemont Stud, which choose Deauville exclusively as the spot to send three mares covered by Starspangledbanner (Aus) Northern Hemisphere-time. The fertility-troubled Starspangledbanner made a big impression with his first Northern Hemisphere 2-year-olds last year, his progeny including Group 1 winner The Wow Signal (Ire) and G2 Queen Mary S. winner Anthem Alexander (Ire). Plans to shuttle Starspangledbanner to Ireland once again in 2015 were thwarted; however, Rosemont covered a handful of mares Northern Hemisphere time and those are now available for sale. They are Scarlet (Chi) (Dushyantor) (lot 23), a full-sister to Chilean Horse of the year Belle Watling (Chi) and two other group winners; Doubleyou one (Aus) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) (lot 39), who is out of a full-sister to G2 Prix Royallieu winner Moon Queen (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), the dam of stakes winners Beauty Parlor (Elusive Quality) and The Brothers War (War Front); and Noisy Feet (Tapit) (lot 214), a stakes-winning full-sister to Grade III winner Touching Beauty.

The Arqana Breeding Stock catalogue also includes 296 foals by leading sires in both France and internationally. France has seen a resurgence in its sire power in recent years thanks to the likes of Le Havre (Ire), Siyouni (Fr) and Kendargent (Fr), who are growing increasingly recognizable on an international scale, and Hoyeau said their demand could help drive the success of the sale.

“For a few years we had no real leading sires in France, but now we do and we are on the way to proving that you can find value and a good sire in France, too,” he said.

Among the well-bred foals are a half-brother to Odeliz from the first crop of Dawn Approach (Ire) (lot 132); a Footstepsinthesand (GB) colt out of champion Elle Danzig (Ger) (Roi Danzig) (lot 41) and a brother to three stakes winners; a Sea The Stars (Ire) colt who is the first foal out of stakes winner Gotlandia (Fr) (Anabaa) (lot 53); an Oasis Dream (GB) filly out of the stakes-placed Hideaway Heroine (Ire) (Hernando {Fr}) (lot 119), and therefore a half-sister to three stakes winners; a Siyouni half-brother to Group 2 winner Ming Dynasty (Fr) (King's Best) (lot 91); and a Dark Angel (Ire) colt out of stakes winner Trip To The Moon (GB) (Fasliyev) (lot 201) and therefore a half-brother to Group 3 winner Trois Lunes (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}).

Travelers to France may no doubt be concerned by the recent attacks in Paris, but Hoyeau was quick to alleviate worries, pointing to Arqana's Autumn Sale that was hosted without a hitch in Deauville just days after the attacks last week.

“In the provinces and in the country nothing has happened,” said Hoyeau. “Deauville is a very quiet place, as we proved with last week's sale.”

The Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale runs Dec. 5 to 8. Visit www.arqana.com for the catalogue.