Figures Rise On Deauville Day Two
The Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale continued yesterday with the second of four sessions in Deauville. While the top prices took a notable dip, positive results were returned across most key indicators. The average rose 15.9% from this session last year to €27,848 and was down 1.9% overall to €60,387, while the median climbed 17.6% from this day 12 months ago to €20,000 and 20% overall to €30,000. The session aggregate was up 16.4% to €6,321,500 and the cumulative aggregate dropped 1.9% to €23,249,000. The clearance rate dropped marginally both for the session and overall–1.3% and 2.2%, respectively.
Back To The Well…
Gilles and Aliette Forien of Haras de la Reboursiere enjoyed a tremendous August yearling sale this year, ranking third on the vendors’ standings notably courtesy of the €1 million sale of a Galileo (Ire) filly to Anthony Stroud as agent for Markus Jooste. This time around, they were looking for young mares to reinvest some of the proceeds and their selection included the Aga Khan Studs’ Shamiyra (Fr) (Medicean {GB}) (lot 262), who was offered in foal to Kendargent (Fr), at €190,000. The 5-year-old may never have made it to the racecourse, yet her page was sufficient to make her one of the day’s major attractions, as she is a half-sister to the G3 Prix Allez France scorer Shemiyla (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and a granddaughter of the G1 Prix de Diane heroine Shemaka (Ire) (Nishapour {Fr}). The latter has proved just as efficient in the breeding shed, producing three black-type winners, and her daughters have already taken up the torch, their descendants including the stakes scorers Shimraan (Fr) and Shediak (Fr).
“This is a wonderful and extremely current family,” said Aliette Forien. “The page will continue to gain appeal in the coming years so we thought she was a good investment. She is also carrying to a very good sire.”
She added about the state of the market, “You always find them expensive when you are on the buyer’s side, but I think this was a fair price–it’s what the market dictates for such a nice page.”
Corduff Keeps It In The Family…
A little more than a year ago, Blandford Bloodstock spent 215,000gns on behalf of James Egan’s Corduff Stud to secure a colt by Invincible Spirit (Ire) out of Brusca (Grindstone) at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale. That bold pinhook venture came good in October when John Warren shelled out 680,000gns for the colt at Tattersalls Book 1. Corduff made a move to get into the family again yesterday when parting with €165,000 for that colt’s 3-year-old half-sister Brynica (Fr) (Desert Style {Ire}) (lot 381) through Blandford’s Richard Brown from the Aga Khan draft.
“We pinhooked the brother this year–he was an absolutely gorgeous colt,” Brown said. “We all thought very, very highly of him and he sold very well. John Warren bought him in Book 1 and we thought he was a very special colt. So when the opportunity came up to buy the sister we were pretty keen. She’s a lovely filly in her own right. The family has been good to us so we were keen to get the sister.”
Brynica, who won twice in the Aga Khan’s silks for trainer Jean-Claude Rouget, is a half-sister to the Group 3 winner and G1 Prix du Jockey Club-placed Baraan (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}), and her dam–who was sold through this ring two years ago for €155,000 while carrying the Invincible Spirit colt–is a half to GI Diana S. victress Somali Lemonade (Lemon Drop Kid). Dual Grade I winner Verrazano (More Than Ready) falls under the third dam.
Brown said Corduff would breed from the mare and sell her foals on the yearling market.
Aga Khan Ever Popular…
The Aga Khan drafts are generally highly sought after at breeding stock sales, and yesterday was no exception. A pair of 3-year-old fillies sparked spirited bidding wars a short space apart, the first transaction occurring when Ghislain Bozo of Meridian International prevailed at €75,000 for lot 303, the Selkirk filly Vadirima (Fr).
“I am very fond of Selkirk as a broodmare sire and there is a lot happening in the family,” Bozo said. “The 2-year-old [half-sister], Vadisara, is in training with Mikel Delzangles, who is very happy with her, and Vedouma [under the second dam] was one of this year’s exciting juveniles. I have bought her for a commercial breeder.”
Vadirima’s dam, Vadiya (Fr) (Peintre Celebre), is a half-sister to this year’s G1 Prix Saint Alary scorer Vazira (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and Vadawina (Ire) (Unfuwain), who won the same race in 2005.
A short time later, agent Matt Coleman of Anthony Stroud Bloodstock went to €80,000 for Vayasa (Fr) (Zamindar) (lot 310), who is carrying her first foal by Sinndar (Ire). The grey is a half to the Group 3-winning Visionario (Ire) (Spinning World) and her dam, Visionnaire (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}) is a half to the G1 Prix de la Foret victor Varenar (Fr) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}). Coleman revealed he was acting on behalf of Peter Player’s Whatton Manor Stud in Nottinghamshire.
“We just loved the family and he’ll breed out of her commercially,” Coleman said. “Anthony bought Peter an Iron Mask filly off the Wertheimers two years ago and the first foal sold very well this year in Newmarket, so they came back to try to do it again. I don’t know who she’ll go to, but she’ll go home to Whatton Manor and be covered and they’ll just breed out of her commercially.”
A half-hour later an Aga Khan offering again lit up the bidding board when Paul Nataf shelled out €120,000 for Zardaka (Ire) (Zamindar) (lot 325) in foal to Tamayuz (GB). Zardaka hails from the extended family of dual Classic and G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe victress Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) and G1 Criterium International winner French Fifteen (Fr) (Turtle Bowl {Ire}).
“I have bought her on behalf of an Italian client who breeds in France,” Nataf explained. “This is a good opportunity to tap into a beautiful family.”
Peter Kelly of Emerald Bloodstock signed at €125,000 for Fraloga (Ire) (Grand Lodge) (lot 428), another highlight from the draft of the Aga Khan Studs. The mare was a talented runner in her own right, filling the runner-up spot in both the G2 Prix de Malleret and G2 Prix Chaudenay, and she is a half-sister to no fewer than five black-type winners, including the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud hero Fragrant Mix (Ire) and G1 Prix Jean Romanet scorer Alpine Rose (Fr). Her progeny is headed by the listed-placed Fariman (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), and she was offered in foal to first-season sire Intello (GB).
“She is for a leading Irish breeder,” Kelly said. “He is delighted to get her as she hails from such a top-class family.”
Still from the Aga Khan Studs, the 3-year-old Mintaka (Fr) (Zamindar) (lot 508) commanded €90,000 from Jurgen Albrecht acting on behalf of Rashit Shaykhutdinov, who keeps a quality broodmare band at Haras du Mezeray and also owns this year’s exciting juvenile De Treville (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). The grey was a winner for Alain de Royer Dupre this season and she is out of the G3 Prix de Royaumont winner Minatlya (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}), herself a full-sister to the triple Group 1 hero in Australia, Manighar (Fr).
“This is obviously a great family and I thought the price was very good,” the agent commented.
Jathiere Seals The Deal…
Near the end of what will likely go down as one of the latest-finishing sessions in the history of Thoroughbred sales, Alain Jathiere performed a theatrical bidding act to secure Landskia (Fr) (Lando {Ger}) (lot 544) from the draft of Coulonces Consignment. Auctioneer Jerome Charpentier took an opening big of €5,000 but Jathiere, who was seated in the restaurant with a group of friends, retorted by offering €50,000. Only three more bids and hardly thirty seconds were required to achieve the final price of €120,000. Under a round of applause from his table, the owner explained,
“I was determined to buy this mare for a certain price so I thought I’d move fast and kill the opposition. I happen to be an art dealer, so I know a thing or two about auction sales.”
Landskia was listed-placed and she hails from a solid Wertheimer family that includes the black-type winners Indianski (Ire), Trumbaka (Ire) and Russian Blue (Ire). Her first foal, La Gohanniere (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), was placed at listed level only three days ago and Landskia was offered carrying a full-sibling to that filly.
Sadler’s Wells Mare For Mickley…
Richard Kent’s Mickley Stud has been in the spotlight this season as the home of Phoenix Reach (Ire), the £2,000 sire who produced the G1 Racing Post Trophy and G2 Royal Lodge S. winner Elm Park (GB). The Shropshire farm also plays host to around 60 broodmares, and will soon gain a high profile arrival in Costa Brava (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells) (lot 402) after Kent spent €100,000 on the La Motteraye Consignment offering. The 9-year-old is a half- or full-sister to three black-type winners, headed by the G2 Prix de Royallieu scorer Fairy Queen (Ire) (Fairy King) and carries to Showcasing (GB), whose first juveniles include the G2 Mill Reef S. victor Toocoolforschool (Ire).
“I bought her for Paul and Claire Rooney, who board mares with us,” Kent explained. “She is a nice mare and carrying to a promising sire in Showcasing, who had another Group 2 winner in New Zealand today. We’ll take her home and see which stallion she visits next.”
Casse Strikes Early For Wertheimer Filly…
Justin Casse got the day off on a strong note when swooping for the first lot through the ring, the 3-year-old filly Palabre (Giant’s Causeway) (lot 240), at €90,000 shortly before departing for Deauville yesterday. Casse noted he had secured the chestnut on behalf an new American client.
“He’s a new client this year who I’ve bought three mares for [this sale season], and he owns shares in a number of stallions,” Casse said, adding a decision had not been made as to who Palabre would visit.
Consigned by Wertheimer et Frere, Palabre it out of Quiet Royal (Royal Academy), who won the G3 Prix Miesque in 2005 for trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias before transferring to Todd Pletcher and winning a pair of stakes stateside. Quiet Royal produced the stakes winner and Grade III-placed Quiet Force (Dynaformer) in 2010. She has a 2-year-old by Lemon Drop Kid that is in training in France and a yearling by Hat Trick (Jpn). Further down the page under the third dam are Grade I winners Dare And Go and Go Deputy.
Casse bought also bought a pair of horses during Saturday’s opening session–another 3-year-old filly from the Wertheimer draft named Perfidia (Fr) (Whipper) for €35,000 and an Elusive City weanling colt for €37,000–and was underbidder on four.
Sarabande Pour d’Ommeel…
The first yearlings by 2011 G1 Epsom Derby winner Pour Moi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) were well received at this year’s yearling sales, and the Coolmore resident sits second among freshmen by average with 44 sold at an average of $118,619. He therefore has a healthy share of supporters, and Crispin de Moubray admitted he is one after signing for the 16-year-old mare Sarabande (Woodman) (lot 277), in foal to Pour Moi, for €65,000 on behalf of Hubert Honore’s Haras d’Ommeel.
“I believe in Pour Moi, and the mare’s already produced a good horse, and she’s got good things coming along,” de Moubray said.
Indeed, Sarabande’s first foal was the G1 Grand Prix de Milano winner Sudan (Peintre Celebre), who added the GIII Golden Gate Fields Turf S. when transferred to Bobby Frankel. Sarabande has an Invincible Spirit (Ire) 2-year-old filly in training in France, and produced an Oasis Dream (GB) colt this year.
De Moubray noted Sarabande’s pedigree will give her new owner many options.
“She’s easy to cross because she’s an outcross,” he said. “I hoped to get her a little bit cheaper, but you’re taking a gamble. If the Pour Moi is nice and the mare produces well and the Pour Moi’s can run, we’ll be ok.”
Treve Cross Proves Popular…
Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani had been busy on day one, signing for three mares for a total €410,000, and he was back for more yesterday, notably securing a Motivator (GB) filly foal (lot 259) for €110,000. Offered by Jacques and Christine Rossi’s Haras de la Cour Blanche, she is out of the unraced Savoya (Fr) (Anabaa), who has already produced a black-type performer in Savoken (Fr) (Kentucky Dynamite). She is also a half-sister to two stakes winners, including Silver Pond (Fr) (Act One {GB}), who won the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly and G2 Prix Hocquart under the guidance of Freddy Head. The family traces back to one of Haras du Quesnay’s leading matrons, the Classic heroine Silvermine (Fr) (Bellypha {Ire}). The connection with the Head family will be maintained through this filly, as Alban de Mieulle, manager of Sheikh Abdullah’s racing and breeding activities, explained, “Sheikh Abdullah loved her pedigree as she is bred on the same cross as Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}). He also knows the family well as he already owns [close relative] Adwan (Fr) (Mr Sydney), who is with Freddy Head like many of his siblings. This filly will ultimately join him.”
Flanagan Stocks Up On Foals…
The first foals by Darley’s G1 Racing Post Trophy winner Casamento (Ire) were all the rage at Goffs, where his 36 colts and fillies fetched up to €210,000 and achieved an average price of €38,000, almost eight times the €5,000 fee off which they were conceived. Lot 292, the sire’s sole representative in the Arqana catalogue, continued this buoyant trend when fetching €100,000 from Mick Flanagan, who was bidding alongside David Myerscough. The colt is the fourth foal out of the German listed winner The Spring Flower (Ger) (Kornado), and she has already given birth to a black-type performer.
“We really wanted a Casamento,” the Irishman explained. “We saw a lot of them at Goffs and Tattersalls but couldn’t buy one. He is a Group 1- winning juvenile, by Shamardal, and looks like a very promising sire.”
Flanagan added of his purchase, “This colt is for a syndicate of pinhookers. We’ll keep him in France until next summer so he becomes eligible for the French premiums. We did that last year with a foal that we boarded at Haras du Lieu des Champs, where Richard Powell does a great job, and he ended up selling very well, so we’ll try to repeat that.”
Flanagan paid the same sum later in the day for a colt by another hot young sire, this time Siyouni (Fr), France’s leading first-season sire in 2014. Consigned by Haras de la Perelle as lot 333, the bay is out of Afya (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). The colt had more than a few admirers, with Matt Coleman opening the bidding at €50,000, but Flanagan had enough ammunition to prevail on behalf of Baroda and Colbinstown Studs.
“We’ve syndicated the horse and he’ll definitely be reoffered as a yearling,” he explained. “He’s a lovely colt and we couldn’t get into the stallion this year so we had to go and buy a foal by him. It was probably a bit more than we wanted to pay for him, but he was nice enough, so hopefully he’ll make a few quid next year.”
Brazil Deal Done…
Samba Brazil (Ger) (Teofilo {Ire}) was the most high-profile buyback of Saturday’s opening session when failing to find a new home for €1.5 million, but the 5-year-old, who is carrying her first foal by Dubawi (Ire), was sold in a private deal yesterday, according to Holger Faust of Gestut Karlshof, which raced the mare as a homebred and offered her through Haras Du Mezeray. Faust declined to identify the buyer and the price, but noted the Group 3 winner and half-sister to Group 1 winner Seismos (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) would go to a French stud.