Strong Start To Arqana October

An increase in the number of yearlings offered during Part I of Arqana's October Sale ensured that the aggregate shot up by 45% to €12,055,000, but despite the increase in numbers, the average and median also improved significantly, the former jumping by 15% to €70,912 and the median rising from €45,000 to €50,000. The figures were bolstered by a very strong clearance rate of 83%, up from 76% in 2015.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) is tireless in its search for decent yearlings to take home from Europe and extended the tour to take in the October auction for the first time. Though its team's quest may be nearing an end this autumn, the HKJC played a leading role on Tuesday with representative Mark Richards being responsible for signing for the joint-top lot and joint-second top lot, with Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International matching strides at the top of the table.

Colts by Lawman (Fr) and Dansili (GB) ruled the roost, each selling for €260,000, with Richards opting for Coulonces Consignment's Lawman first foal of German Listed winner Sworn Sold (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) (lot 148), who was bred by Sven and Carina Hanson.

“To me, he was the best horse in the ring today and when we come to a sale like this, we try to buy the very best available,” Richards stated. “There is nothing to dislike about him. Perhaps the only worry is that there is not much speed on his page but he looks like he has some speed and I am prepared to take that risk.”

Nicolas de Watrigant played an active role during the opening session of the October Sale, signing for six yearlings for a total of €1,050,000. His most expensive selection, the joint-topper, was the Dansili half-brother to GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Zagora (Fr) (Green Tune) (lot 180).

A pair of yearlings from Haras de Saint Pair – an Iffraaj (GB) filly (lot 20) and a Shamardal colt (lot 59) – dominated the early trade when each selling for €250,000.

The Shamardal half-brother to G3 Athasi S. winner Gossamer Seed (Ire) (Choisir {Aus}) is another who will be heading east eventually after being bought by Mark Richards, who is a confirmed fan of the Darley sire. He bought another Shamardal yearling, the eye-catching debutant winner Pakistan Star (Ger) at Arqana's August Sale for €180,000 and said, “I'm always glad when we manage to pick up a horse by Shamardal as they are incredibly hard to buy these days. We're having huge success with the last Shamardal we bought here, Pakistan Star.”

He added, “With Gossamer Seed the mare has already proved that she's got speed in her if you put speed on top, and with Shamardal you get the quality as well. That really attracted us to the horse – the fact that you've already got a black-type horse on the page and she's a sprinter.”

The daughter of Iffraaj is a good first foal of Fairly Fair (Fr) (Sinndar {Ire}), a Listed winner for Haras de Saint Pair principal Andreas Putsch when trained by Alain de Royer Dupre.

Buying on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing – the beneficiaries of two recent Group 1-winning graduates of the October Sale – Nicolas de Watrigant commented, “She is a gorgeous filly who really stood out. We had to pay a significant sum for her, but we didn't want to miss out. We like to buy first foals out of black-type mares.”

The Al Shaqab team also went to €140,000 for lot 62, Haras du Mezeray's Invincible Spirit (Ire) half-brother to GI Woodford Reserve Manhattan H. winner Desert Blanc (GB) (Desert Style {Ire}), while de Watrigant picked up lot 150, an Invincible Spirit (Ire) filly bred on the same cross as Al Shaqab's new stallion for 2017, the dual Group 1 winner Shalaa (Ire) for €200,000. The daughter of the Listed-placed winner Tanguista (War Chant) is a half-sister to Listed winner Tribune (Fr) (Grand Slam) and was consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux, the leading vendor of the session with 24 sold for €1,917,000.

Prime Equestrian was also a major participant throughout the opening session, its seven purchases being headed by lot 169, a filly by Shamardal from the Dubai Destination mare Truth Beauty, a half-sister to the G3 Prix de Barberville winner Magna Graecia (Fr) (Warning) from the further family of Godolphin's G1 Prix Jean Prat hero Territories (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Bought for €240,000, the filly is an intended future addition to the operation's fledgling broodmare band Haras du Mont Dit Mont in Normandy.

As well as consigning the session's joint-topper, Coulonces also featured as vendor of a Teofilo (Ire) colt (lot 159) for €235,000, sold on behalf of Jan and Maja Sundstrom, the parents of the draft's principal Anna Sundstrom and breeders of one of France's foremost stallions, Le Havre (Ire).

Buyer Jeremy Brummitt did not disclose his client but said of the brother to the Listed-placed Vaunoise (Ff), “That was the best horse in the sale. I hope he'll be better than Le Havre. His trainer is yet to be decided but at some stage he will come back in France.”

Sun Bloodstock has a justifiable love affair with France having enjoyed a Group 1 winner on Arc day courtesy of National Defense (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and a Group 2 winner last weekend with Arc Sale purchase Sans Equivoque (Ger) (Stormy River {Fr}). The organisation's agent David O'Callaghan signed up another five yearlings, including lot 186, Haras de la Louviere's colt by Invincible Spirit (Ire) out of Listed winner Alpine Snow (Ire) (Vergals {Ire}) at €200,000.

“We liked the horse as an individual and he has a stallion's pedigree,” said O'Callaghan, who confirmed that the colt will join National Defense at the Chantilly stable of Criquette Head.

Riding high on the back of an outstanding season, France's champion trainer-elect Jean-Claude Rouget was active throughout the August Sale in Deauville and continued to add to his team for next year on Tuesday. Top of the list on the financial front was Coulonces Consignment's filly by a sire he knows better than anyone – Le Havre (Ire). Not only did he train the son of Noverre to win his own Classic but he has also masterminded the careers of his two dual Classic-winning daughters, Avenir Certain (Fr) and La Cressonniere (Fr).

Lot 26, out of the unraced Hurricane Run (Ire) mare Fresville (Fr), hails from a strong French family which includes G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Fragrant Mix (Ire) (Linamix {Fr}) and his sister, a fellow top-level winner, Alpine Rose (Fr), and was secured with a bid of €190,000. “She is a neat, well-bodied filly, the sort we like. I hope she confirms my judgement,” said the trainer.

The outstanding Treve (Fr) has ensured that a daughter of Motivator (GB) offered by Haras du Quesnay at the Arqana October Sale will never again be overlooked. Treve was famously bought in for €22,000 but the filly out of Savoie (Fr) (Anabaa) (lot 125) gained more recognition when selling to Alain Decrion for €155,000 on behalf of Jean-Claude Seroul.

“It has been extremely difficult to buy,” said the agent. “In such conditions, you know that you are going to exceed your budget, and we did. This is a lovely filly, I thought she was a nicer individual than Treve at the same age, but Treve had a stronger page.”

Early in the session a Falco (Ire) half-brother to the outstanding 3-year-old colt Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) (lot 4) sold to owner Jean-Louis Bouchard through Chantilly Bloodstock for €140,000. He is another who will join Jean-Claude Rouget's stable.

Bouchard, who has owned or co-owned four Prix du Jockey-Club winners, including Bue Canari (Fr) and Dream Well Fr), said, “It is a privilege to own the brother of a champion. For a year at least we can look at him and feel happy.”

A shortened session of just over 100 yearlings kicks off Part II of the October Sale today in Deauville from 2.30pm.