Europe

The catalogue for Arqana's December Sale Dec. 3 to 6 is online. This year's lineup of 933 broodmares, fillies in and out of training, foals, stallions and stallion shares includes group-winning or placed maiden fillies Parvaneh (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) (lot 178), Camprock (Fr) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) (lot 158) and Steip Amach (Ire) (Vocalised) (lot 168). The sale also includes drafts from leading breeders like the Aga Khan, Wertheimer et Frere, Haras de Saint-Pair and Godolphin. The Wertheimer et Frere draft includes Reponds Moi (lot 153), a daughter of More...

The two-day Goffs Open Yearling and Horses-in-Training sale came to a close on Thursday with the yearling session. The top three lots–a €38,000 Raven's Pass filly (lot 198), a €36,000 Pivotal (GB) filly (lot 242) and a €34,000 Iffraaj (GB) colt (lot 322)–were all consigned by Lumville Farm, and the top two were purchased by Friarstown Stables. A total of 145 yearlings were sold for €1,037,900, compared to 51 sold for €1,074,000 12 months ago. The buyback rate was down three points to 24%, while the average and median both...

Prince Of Lir (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}–Esuvia {Ire}, by Whipper), the winner of this year's G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot, has been retired from racing and will stand at Joe Foley's Ballyhane Stud next year for €5,000, according to Racing Post. The £170,000 joint topper at this year's Goffs UK Breeze-Up sale, Prince Of Lir bested eventual G1 Middle Park S. winner The Last Lion (Ire) (Choisir {Aus})–who also retires for 2017–on debut at Beverley May 28 and in the Norfolk. He finished fifth thereafter in the G2 Prix Robert...

Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}–Patineuse {Ire}, by Peintre Celebre), winner of the 2014 G1 Melbourne Cup and this year's G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin, will take up stud duties next year at Gestut Rottgen, according to Racing Post. The 6-year-old will stand for €6,500. Trained initially by Andreas Wohler in Germany and through his Melbourne Cup win, Protectionist was transferred to Australian trainer Kris Lees thereafter, but failed to thrive when based Down Under. Returned to Wohler this year, Protectionist won three straight races in his native country before finishing last...

 The breeding stock sales at the end of each year present an opportunity for buyers to restock and revitalise their broodmare bands for the upcoming breeding season, and this year's Goffs November Breeding Stock and Foals Sales Nov. 13 to 19 will offer some rare opportunities, with the Wildenstein Stables Ltd. dispersal headlining a catalogue that includes quality drafts from some of Europe's leading breeders, as well as foals by some of the best sires in the world. The Wildenstein dispersal, through The Castlebridge Consignment, will offer 49 foals, mares...

Nurlan Bizakov's Hesmonds Stud has purchased a share in Classic sire Le Havre (Ire) for €400,000 on Arqana Online. Le Havre, the sire of dual Classic winners Avenir Certain (Fr) and La Cressonniere (Fr) in his first three crops bred off a €5,000 stud fee, will stand for €60,000 at Haras de la Cauviniere next year. Le Havre is also the sire of group winners Auvray (Fr), Queen Bee (Fr), Suedois (Fr) and Zghorta Dance (Fr). Bizakov bought Hesmonds Stud in East Sussex in 2010, and has plans to develop...

The first entry stages for the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby and G1 Darley Irish Oaks closed Nov. 2. Entries for the Irish Derby include dual Group 1 winner Churchill (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whose Aidan O'Brien-trained stablemates entered include Capri (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}); Cliffs Of Moher (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), War Decree (War Front) and Yucatan (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Last weekend's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) is the sole French entry, while G1 Racing Post Trophy winner Rivet (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) heads the British legion...

Despite the continued and rapid expansion of young Newmarket neighbours such as Roger Varian and Hugo Palmer, it seems as though those commentators who have in recent years been writing off Sir Michael Stoute may have done so far too prematurely. The 10-times champion trainer of Britain arrived at Santa Anita Park on Wednesday hoping to seal one of the most prolific seasons of his career with a seventh success at the Breeders' Cup. He has sent out 109 domestic winners already, more than doubling the nadir of 53 in...

The horses-in-training session of the Goffs Open Yearling & Horses-In-Training sale was conducted on Wednesday in Co. Kildare, with offerings from the Aga Khan draft proving most popular when filling the top two positions on the price list. The sale was expanded to two days this year and so saw an increased number of horses-in-training offered. A total of 103-head sold fetched €1,704,400, good for an average of €16,548 (up 18.7%) and a median of €9,000 (down 27.8%). The buyback rate was a very healthy 10.4%. While a highlight was...

4th-KEM, £5,000, Mdn, 11-2, 2yo, f, 7f (AWT), 1:26.30, st/sl. +DABAN (IRE) (f, 2, Acclamation {GB}--Malaspina {Ire}, by Whipper), sent off the 9-2 second favourite, was squeezed exiting the gates and ended up worse than mid-division against the rail as a consequence. Forced to wait when travelling strongly in early straight, the bay was out in time to deliver a telling surge to hit the front inside the last half furlong and beat Thafeera (War Front) by a comfortable half-length margin. The winner is a half-sister to this year's G3...

Nathaniel (Ire), who was represented this year by his first-crop 2-year-olds, will stand at Newsells Park Stud in 2017 for £17,500, down from £20,000. He will stand alongside Equiano (Fr), whose fee is up slightly to £8,000. Newsells Park Stud's General Manager Julian Dollar said, "Equiano has had an unbelievable year, siring no less than seven group/stakes winners, led by The Tin Man, an emphatic winner of the G1 Champions Sprint on Champions Day at Ascot. In addition, Equiano had impressive 2-year-olds like Medicine Jack, the winner of the G2...

2nd-KEM, £4,500, Mdn, 11-2, 2yo, f, 8f (AWT), 1:40.67, st/sl. +PROSPER (GB) (f, 2, Exceed and Excel {Aus}--Ela Athena {GB} {GSW & MG1SP-Eng, MGISP-US, G1SP-HK & Ity, $1,125,252}, by Ezzoud {Ire}), ignored at 20-1, showed dash early to gain a prominent pitch behind the leading duo racing keenly. Stoked up in midstraight, the €240,000 ARQAUG yearling worked her way to the front with 50 yards remaining before asserting for a cosy half-length success from Music Lesson (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}). Cercle D'Or (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), the half-sister to Golden Horn...