Three-year-old colt Dance Of Life (Fr) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) is set to continue his racing career in Australia after being snapped up by Horse France's Robert Nataf, with Australian agent Paul Moroney, for €400,000 on Friday to top the second and final session of Arqana's Summer Sale in Deauville.
The sale's healthy second session contributed to statistical gains both on the day and cumulatively. On Friday, 131 lots changed hands for €4,648,000, compared to 114 sold for €3,176,500 on this day a year ago. The buyback rate was down six points to 23.8%; the average climbed 27.3% to €35,481; and the median was up 26.3% to €12,000.
A total of 227 horses were sold over the two days for €7,128,000, while 213 were sold for €5,493,000 last year. The buyback rate dropped almost 9% to 27%, while the average and median were both up, at €31,401 (+21.7%) and €13,000 (+8.3%), respectively.
Dance Of Life (lot 300), the first foal of the five-times stakes-placed Above Limits (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) who cost €75,000 as a yearling in this ring at the August Sale two years ago, has enjoyed a productive season for trainer Carlos Lerner, hitting the board in three tries over 10 and 10 1/2 furlongs before breaking through at the latter distance last time June 16. Dance Of Life was added to this sale as a wildcard after his win.
“I was on the phone with Paul Moroney and the horse will be trained by his brother, Michael, at Ballymore Stables in Victoria,” said Nataf after signing the ticket. “He has the ideal profile to succeed in Australia as a progressive 3-year-old who combines speed and the ability to stay a mile-and-a-half.”
Nataf had a busy day on Friday, also signing for the session's third-highest priced offering. That was lot 224, the 4-year-old filly Wadyhatta (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) offered carrying her first foal by Authorized (Ire) and hammered down for €275,000. The two-time winner Wadyhatta, a former Shadwell colourbearer and a half-sister to two stakes performers, is out of a stakes-placed half-sister to dual Group 1 winners and sire Tamayuz (GB) (Nayef), with star racemare and producer Urban Sea (Miswaki) appearing under the fourth dam.
“You only need to look at her page to understand why I wanted her,” Nataf said. “She will foal down in France before shipping to America to be covered by one of Coolmore's stallions.”
This sale remains a popular hunting ground for those looking for horses with National Hunt potential, and that is the destiny of Mahari (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}) (lot 335) after being purchased for €280,000 out of the Andre Fabre stable by Tom Malone and Kerry Lee. Mahari was a winner over 12 furlongs at Maisons Laffitte in the Ballymore Thoroughbreds colours May 2, and was third in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix de l'Avre over the same trip at Saint-Cloud May 23. He is rated 94.
“He looks like a chaser,” said Malone. “We'll chuck him away, get him gelded then start him gently over jumps in the autumn. I have bought him for [Hertfortshire-based trainer] Kerry Lee.”
Hubert Barbe's Horse Racing Advisory also had a busy day, snapping up three €200,000-plus lots in the space of an hour. The most expensive of those was the 3-year-old colt Manamite (Fr) (Kentucky Dynamite) (lot 340) from the Nicolas Clement stable. The bay, who has won twice this year, was picked up for €215,000.
Earlier, Horse Racing Advisory had signed for two lots for €210,000: the 3-year-old filly Magie Du Ma (Fr) (Sageburg {Ire}) (lot 316), a winner over hurdles this year who was second in a Group 3 June 15; and the 4-year-old gelding King's Socks (Fr) (King's Best) (lot 320), second a in Grade 1 hurdle on June 12.
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