Strong Trade On Day 1 of Arqana October Yearling Sale
by Alix Choppin
The first day of Arqana’s October Yearling Sale overcame a sluggish start to return some positive results, up from last year’s buoyant session. Of the 177 lots offered, 130 horses sold for an aggregate €8,559,000, a 12% increase from 2013, and the average price was €65,838, up 15.44% from a year ago. The median was also up, reaching €57,000 from €42,000, a 35.71% increase from 2013. The clearance rate was the only indicator going down, at 73% against 81%, yet interestingly the number of horses that changed hands was very similar: 130 against 134 a year ago. The session franked the October sale’s steady rise in quality, as evidenced by the 21 yearlings that commanded six-figure prices, when they were only 16 in 2013 and 10 the previous year.
Dubawi Colt in Demand…
The name of leading trainer Alain de Royer Dupré is not a regular occurrence on yearling buyers’ sheets, but he was on hand early in Deauville to get lot 2, a Dubawi (GB) colt from Haras de la Perelle, for a session-topping €350,000 (US $447,861). Royer Dupré knows the family better than anyone else, having masterminded the career of the colt’s dam Reggane (GB) (Red Ransom), who won the GI E.P. Taylor S. and ran second in the G1 Coronation S. He also has Reggane’s first foal in his care, a 2-year-old filly by Dansili (GB) who has been retained by her breeder. Surely her morning efforts have been pleasing enough, as the trainer seemed determined to extend his grip on the family.
“I have bought him for some Italian clients of mine,” stated Royer Dupré. “I was lucky to train the dam, and found this colt a very nice individual. I thought he would make around €300,000, but had to stretch my budget a little further.”
Kendargent Shines at Arqana…
Jeremy Brummitt bought four yearlings throughout the day, headed by lot 11, a colt by Kendargent (Fr) out of the G3 winner San Sicharia (Daggers Drawn), who cost €130,000. Kendargent has been one of the recent sensations among the French stallion ranks, since his small first crop–he had only 19 2-year-old runners in 2011–notched three Group wins. Things have gone onwards and upwards since.
“I have been a long time supporter of Kendargent,” commented Brummitt. “I have sent mares to him, but this is my first yearling purchase and he will go into training in the UK. I don’t think he’ll come back to France before the [G1] Prix Morny!”
Vendor Andreas Putsch of Haras de Saint-Pair was equally delighted and stated, “I think it is a very good price, especially when you remember that Kendargent’s fee was only €4,000 when this yearling conceived!”
Lope de Vega Popular at Arqana…
The second-highest price of the day, at €270,000, was achieved by a son of in-form sire Lope de Vega (Shamardal {Ire}), who celebrated a first-crop Group double on Friday courtesy of Belardo (GB) in the
G1 Dewhurst S. and Royal Razalma (Ire) in the G3 Cornwallis S. Lot 56 is the second foal out of a sister to the Group 2 winners Atlando (Ire) and Incanto Dream (GB), and he was bringing a first six-figure price to Richard Powell’s Haras du Lieu des Champs, an operation that was only setup in 2013. The handsome bay was the center of a protracted bidding battle that saw Anthony Stroud and David Redvers concede defeat at the hands of Bertrand Le Métayer.
The agent for Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Al Shahania Stud said, “This horse was very well presented, and he is a gorgeous individual with plenty of scope and a great walk. I liked the fact that he coped with the whole sale process in a very laid back manner, and I’m also fond of Hernando (Fr) (Niniski) as a broodmare sire.”
Richard Powell, the son of leading breeder and bloodstock agent David, was in a state of shock as the hammer came down stating “I’m very, very, very happy. It’s magical! Jamie Railton bought this horse for €24,000 as a foal, and to return to the sales ring ten months later and make €270,000 is a massive achievement for a young operation like mine.”
Everyone’s Must Havre…
Later in the afternoon, lot 73, a daughter of Le Havre (Ire) broke the six-figure barrier when going down to Umm Qarn Farm for €170,000. The Haras d’Elbe offering brought a hefty profit as she had been snapped up for €25,000 as a foal by Andryi Ostapchuk’s Imperial Bloodstock.
Alban de Mieulle commented, “Sheikh Abdullah and Sheikh Fahad have decided to join forces to buy this beautiful filly, by a sire who is really making his mark. It is the first time they are operating as a partnership.”
Asked about the growing activity of Umm Qarn Farm at Arqana’s October sale, de Mieulle explained, “Sheikh Abdullah really enjoys buying horses himself and he is finding it easier at this sale, which is less busy than the August session. It also works well from a political point of view as it avoids confrontations with the rest of the family. Obviously the fact that our triple G1 winner Charm Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was bought at this sale has franked this policy.”
China Horse Club Out in Force…
Michael Wallace was busy continuing the China Horse Club’s European spending spree Monday, signing for two yearlings for a total €220,000. Most expensive of the pair was lot 94, a daughter of red-hot sire Lope de Vega (Ire), at €120,000. Consigned by the young Haras d’Ombreville, the filly is a half-sister to four-time G3 winner Stotsfold (Barathea {Ire}).
“We think Lope de Vega is a phenomenal sire”, said Wallace. “We bought a horse by him called Burnt Sugar (Ire) at the Arc sale, and he ran 4th in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère the following day. I thought this filly would have been a little bit more expensive as everybody wants a Lope de Vega these days.”
Another sire whose achievements have caught Wallace’s eye is Le Havre (Ire), who was responsible for three of his Arc sale purchases. The New Zealander came back to the same source when parting with €100,000 for lot 30, a filly from the draft of La Motteraye Consignment.
“We had a good crack at the Le Havre’s at the Arc sale, Wallace added, “and he is a sire we are very keen on. This filly will stay in France but we haven’t yet decided on a trainer. We’ll wait until the sales season is over and allocate all the yearlings we bought in Europe.”
Redvers Strikes for Cape Cross Colt…
David Redvers was pleased to have the last word for lot 96 at €130,000, having been underbidder on a number of occasions in the early part of the sale. This son of Cape Cross (Ire) is the first foal out of the black-type mare Faithful One (Dubawi {GB}) and was offered by Coulonces Consignment as agent for Robert Jeffcock’s fledgling Haras de Guergué.
Redvers commented, “This colt is bred on the same cross as Makfi (Dubawi {GB})–the reverse cross, as his sire is by Green Desert and his dam by Dubawi. Actually, he looks very much like Dubawi. He is for Sheikh Fahad and will ship to the UK to be broken before going into training in France.”
Metayer to the Fore…
Le Métayer secured lot 105, a colt by Dansili (GB) from Haras de la Pérelle, for €155,000. The May-born colt is out of the Group 3-winning mare Gracefully (Ire) (Orpen {Ire}), who has already produced three stakes winners including the G1 Falmouth S. heroine Giofra (GB), a full-sister to this horse, and the 2-year-old Gomati (Oasis Dream {GB}), who landed the Listed Criterium de Lyon after the catalogue was printed.
Having outbid Anthony Stroud and Paddy Twomey, Le Métayer stated, “This horse’s pedigree offers some solid guarantees, and he looks a more forward type than his sister. He is a late foal who will develop further and shows a lovely attitude.”
Equiano Popular During Day One…
Pascal Bary and Jean-Jacques Taïeb, racing manager for Jean-Michel Hegesippe who races in the name HSpirit, have also been lucky with the Arqana October Sale. It is there that, three years ago, they picked a Galileo (Ire) colt for €310,000–he went on to win a pair of Group events under the name Spiritjim (Fr). This year, MM. Bary and Taïeb forked out €135,000 for a colt from the second crop of Equiano (Fr), offered by Ecurie des Monceaux.
The Chantilly trainer said of lot 114, “We really liked his conformation–this is the October sale, not August, so you have to buy chiefly on conformation. And the fact that he comes from Ecurie des Monceaux is another reason to be confident.”
The Calvados nursery has indeed asserted as a consistent source of Group horses in record time. This year alone, horses bred and sold by Monceaux have included the aforementioned triple G1 winner Charm Spirit (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) as well as dual Group victors Free Port Lux (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Ectot (Hurricane Run {Ire}).
Al Shaqab Adds Another ‘Star’…
Benoît Jeffroy, acting on behalf of Sheikh Joaan Al Thani’s Al Shaqab racing, signed for four lots on the first day of sale, headed by a €180,000 son of Sea The Stars (Ire), the sole representative of the sire. Consigned by Haras du Quesnay for long-time client Viktor Timoshenko, lot 159 is the second foal out of a winning Kingmambo mare, from the family of Crystal Music (Nureyev).
Jeffroy said, “This horse is very athletic and obviously by a leading sire. We have been buying more and more at this sale as the quality has really gone up in recent years, as showed by the graduates’ impressive track record. He will stay in training in France.”
Lope de Vega Gains Momentum…
Five lots before the end of proceedings, Stephen Hillen, the man who picked out the Grey Gatsby (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) at this sale two years ago, went to €170,000 for a colt by Lope de Vega (Ire). From the draft of Coulonces Consignment, lot 178 is a half-brother to the G2 July S. scorer Classic Blade (Ire) (Daggers Drawn).
Hillen commentated, “He is by a proper stallion. We’ve been trying to get a Lope de Vega for a while and this one is a very loose mover. I bought him for Mrs. Fitry Hay and he will go into training in the UK.”
Sole Galileo a Star…
While the first hour of trading saw some patchy results and a couple of expensive buy-backs, the market clearly warmed up as the afternoon lingered on, and four of the top seven prices were achieved in the last hour. The penultimate horse in the ring (lot 182) was the sole progeny of champion sire Galileo (Ire) and duly caused some spirited bidding despite his late offering. Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Umm Qarn Farm emerged as the winning bidder.
Alban de Mieulle, trainer and manager of Sheikh Abdullah’s racing and breeding interests, stated, “He will stay in France and probably be trained by Freddy Head.”
The colt is the third foal out of the Group 3 winner Quetsche (Gone West), and was offered by leading vendor Ecurie des Monceaux, whose manager Henri Bozo was pleased with the day’s results, saying, “The sale was off to a somewhat slow start, but trade picked up afterwards and I found that the prices were in line with our expectations.”
‘Judge’ Weighs in on the Side of the ‘Law’…
The Galileo colt was preceded in the ring by a classy-looking daughter of Lawman (Ire) (lot 181) who commanded a final bid of €160,000 from Nicolas Clément and Tina Rau.
The Chantilly trainer said of the Haras d’Etreham offering, a half-sister to two stakes horses, “I have bought her for an existing foreign client. She is bred on the same cross as the [GI] E. P. Taylor S. winner [Just The Judge (Ire)] and she really caught my eye. I also generally like Rainbow Quest as a broodmare sire”.
The sale continues tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. local time.