Arc Sale Set For Saint-Cloud Saturday
Updated: October 2, 2015 at 12:50 pm
Arqana’s Arc Sale, which has made a habit of turning out high-class performers on a global scale, will be staged Saturday at Saint-Cloud after 6 p.m., upon the conclusion of racing at Longchamp.
Recent Arc Sale graduates include G2 Lonsdale Cup winner Max Dynamite (Fr) (Great Journey {Jpn}), who is headed to the G1 Melbourne Cup; Australian import Weary (Fr) (Astronomer Royal), a Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed Down Under; Frankyfourfingers (Fr) (Sunday Break {Jpn}), a multiple group winner in Dubai; European Group 3 winners Affaire Solitaire (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Dubday (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}); and U.S. stakes winner Kenzadargent (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}).
The Arc Sale has historically provided an excellent opportunity for owners to pick up a current high-performing horse that has either competed on the same day at Longchamp, or that holds an entry on the following’s day Arc card. For those with entries on Arc day, France-Galop will facilitate the purchase running its new owner’s colors. Horses to go through the Arc sale ring and compete on the same weekend include Glorious Sight (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}), who made €1.7 million before running in the following day’s G1 Prix de l’Opera; Auvray (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), who last year won the G2 Prix Chaudenay before hammering for €800,000; Crisolles (Fr) (Le Have {Ire}), who last year made €720,000 before running in the G1 Prix de l’Opera; and Silver Pond (Fr) (Act One {GB}), who in 2011 sold for €510,000 the day before running in the Arc.
This year’s catalogue numbers 50, including four wildcards unveiled last week, and features a number of black-type winners, including Group 1 winner Prince Gibraltar (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) (lot 43), who will be sold with an entry in the G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe; and group winners Ride Like The Wind (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) (lot 5) and Free Port Lux (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) (lot 48). Fillies with group form include G3 Prix Cleopatre victress Little Nightingale (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}) (lot 24) and Group 3 winner and Group 1-placed Wekeela (Fr) (Hurricane Run {Ire}) (lot 34). The juvenile selection includes G3 Prix de Cabourg winner and G1 Prix Morny third Tourny (Fr) (Country Reel).
The wildcards include Group 2 winner Spiritjim (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 50), who was second to Postponed (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G2 Prix Foy Sept. 13 with plans be supplemented to the Arc. Should Spiritjim be supplemented, the 5-year-old would sell with 50% of his Arc entry, meaning his current owners will retain 50% of any Arc earnings. The other wildcards are the stakes-winning and group-placed 3-year-old filly La Berma (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) (lot 40); stakes-placed 4-year-old colt Saint Gregoire (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) (lot 25); and the 4-year-old gelding Zipzip (Ire) (Whipper) (lot 20), who has won his last four starts including a listed race at Longchamp Sept. 3.