By Emma Berry
It's become customary to see the offspring of Le Havre (Fr) out in front on the racecourse and one of his daughters led the way during the first session of the Osarus September Yearling Sale until having to share the limelight late in the day when a filly from the first crop of George Vancouver matched her price of €80,000.
The latter (lot 145), sold by her breeder Hubert Honoré, is a half-sister to G1 Doomben Cup winner Pornichet (FR) (Vespone {Ire}), who started his career in his native France, when he was third in the G1 Poule d'Essais des Poulains, before joining Gai Waterhouse's stable after being offered in the inaugural Goffs London Sale.
British-based agent Liam Norris signed the ticket on behalf of owner Zorka Wentworth and said, “This is just a lovely filly – she's very well-related and I know her breeder very well. I'm really pleased to have been able to buy her for Zorka, who is likely to race her in France. I always love coming to this sale – there's good value to be found and of course the premiums are a huge advantage.”
Laurent Benoit of Broadhurst Agency was responsible for the purchase of the Le Havre filly (lot 38). Sold through the Fairway Consignment, the early January filly is out of the Spanish Oaks and Guineas winner Golding Star (Fr) (Gold Away {Ire}) who was also runner-up in France in the listed Prix Madame Jean Courturie.
This time last year the Fariway Consignment's Charles Briere, who is based just outside Lisieux in Normandy, brought two yearlings to La Teste as his fledgling draft at Osarus September and, now with 12 in the catalogue, he is the leading vendor after day one with five sold for €215,000.
He said, “It's just my second year of consigning so I'm very happy to have some nice horses to offer. This is a sale where you can do very well with good horses by popular sires.”
Laurent Benoit was unable to name the buyer of the filly but confirmed she will be trained in France and added, “It's not a precocious family but she looks a racehorse. Le Havre is a spectacular sire.”
The joint-session toppers helped to keep figures very much on a par with last year's results. The median of €17,000 remained static while the average was only fractionally down at €20,065. A total of 105 yearlings were sold for an aggregate of €1,923,500, again just shy of last year's first-day total of €1,994,000. The only significant decline was in the clearance rate, which dropped to 71% from 78.5% in 2015.
It was very much a case of petticoat rule on Wednesday with nine of the ten most expensive yearlings sold all fillies. Sharing the second slot in the monetary pecking order were daughters of the popular young stallions Siyouni (Fr) and Evasive (GB).
Lot 76, a Siyouni filly out of the 3-year-old winner Landora (Fr) (Lando {Ger}), a close relation of the G1 Preis Von Europa winner Scalo (GB) (Lando {Ger}), was another good result for vendor Hubert Honoré when selling to Paul Basquin for €77,000, the same price given for lot 100, the Evasive half-sister to listed-placed Tierra Del Fuego (Fr) (Champs Elysees {GB}).
Trainer Philippe Sogorb placed the final bid in company with Guy Pariente's Haras de Colleville stud manager Guillaume Vitse, who commented, “We were underbidders on Tierra Del Fuego and we were very keen to get into this family. She looks a very racy filly – Philippe will train her and eventually she will be a very nice mating with Kendargent.”
The neat chesnut is a grand-daughter of Rainbow Lake (GB) (Rainbow Quest) and thus boasts Group 1 winners Frankel (GB), Noble Mission (GB) and Powerscourt (GB) among her close relatives.
The Fairway Consignment was also back among the leading pack when offering a Rajsaman half-sister to the Group 3 runner-up and four-time winner To My Valentine (Fr) (Dyhim Diamond {Ire}) (lot 82), who sold for €58,000 throught agent Marc-Antoine Berghgracht on behalf of Tony Ford and his racing partners.
Another freshman sire at Osaris is Dabirsim (FR), whose daughter out of the Pivotal (GB) mare Nelly Dean (lot 127) was knocked down to Federico Barberini at €52,000.
The agent divulged that he had bought the Haras des Granges-consigned filly for Middleham Park Racing and said, “I liked everything about her. I've been a big fan of Dabirsim on paper but now I've seen some I've fallen in love with them completely. I've been underbidder on a few of them so was pleased to get her.”
Also changing hands at €52,000 was lot 97, Haras d'Haspel's filly by Siyouni out of the winning Linamix mare Mappa (Fr). Bought by Bahen Bloodstock, the grey is a half-sister to Clairefontaine winner Firfol (Fr) (Rail Link {GB}).
The Osarus September Sale concludes today with the final session beginning at 12 noon.
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