Dubawi Colt Sets Arqana Record

By Kelsey Riley and Emma Berry

A new Arqana August Sale record was set Sunday evening when an Ecurie des Monceaux-consigned Dubawi (Ire) colt (lot 119) was knocked down to John Ferguson for €2.6 million.

With the catalogue being composed alphabetically by name of dam, it’s the luck of the draw which day yearlings end up selling. After a relatively subdued opening session Saturday, Sunday’s trade was stellar by comparison with the turnover of €20,515,000 representing a gain of 53% on last year’s corresponding session. Predictably, the average price also rose dramatically–by 39% to €290,214–and the median shot up to €200,000 from €160,000–an increase of 25%.

For Part 1 of the sale as a whole, the aggregate of €32,117,000 was up by 8% and the average improved by 6.5% to €246,148. The median was down 5.9% at €160,000 from last year’s figure of €170,000. The clearance rate for the two days was another figure to suffer a small decline, with 128 of the 166 lots offered (77%) finding a buyer.

One headline act that failed to make the stats was lot 176, a full-sister to dual G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) who was bought back by Haras du Quesnay for €1.2 million. Criquette Head-Maarek, trainer of Treve and daughter of Quesnay owner Alec Head, said, “she’s going to come back and be trained in our yard. We’ve had some offers to sell her privately, but unless they give me what I want, she won’t be sold.”

The Year Of Dubawi…

It may be too early in the season to talk about Dubawi being the European champion sire-elect, but with his array of talented runners Darley’s flagship sire currently heads Galileo with more than £4 million in progeny earnings. Few of his offspring come to the market and John Ferguson ensured that this colt–out of the 7-year-old Group 3-winning Montjeu (Ire) mare Pacifique (Ire) and a relation of G1 Irish Oaks winner Chicquita (Ire)–will be one to join the Godolphin stable.

He said: “It’s no mystery–I work for Sheikh Mohammed and this was one that he wanted. I just do my job. He’s a lovely horse and we’re delighted to have him.”

With only two Dubawi yearlings in the catalogue there was plenty of interest in the strong bay colt, with Roger Varian, Oliver St Lawrence and David Redvers among those who tried to take Ferguson on. He added, “he’s a remarkable athlete. We’ve watched his progress over the summer and over the last two months he has improved more than any other yearling. His sire is extraordinary and he’s out of a good young mare.”

It was a different story when the second Dubawi colt (lot 144)–also offered by Monceaux–went through the ring, with the son of listed winner Sabratah (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) failing to find a buyer at €650,000.

Fresh from an active buying spree at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga, Ferguson and his team were once again busy in Deauville, signing for 11 yearlings for a total of €6,910,000.

Four-Peat For Monceaux…

One of the predominant stories of the weekend was the performance of the outstanding draft presented by Lucien Urano’s Ecurie des Monceaux to top the vendors’ list for the fourth straight year. Ecurie des Monceaux sold 17 lots for €10.5 million during Part I of the sale over the weekend, including seven of the top 10 lots and three millionaires. Monceaux’s Henri Bozo noted that all of the draft was raised on the farm, and of the record-setting sale topper he said, “he’s been a great animal since the beginning. He’s been a horse with tremendous quality from the beginning and very easy to deal with. He has a great mind and a great temperament. He’s been an easy horse to get to the sale.”

Monceaux also sold the two top-priced Frankels–a €1.15-million filly and €750,000 colt–and Bozo added, “I think the Frankels have a good mind and strength behind and also great walks, so [the prices] are what we were hoping to get and I’m happy with the results and I really hope they’ll be good performers.”

A quick look at the Monceaux consignment would reveal that Urano and his partners, which include Lady O’Reilly of Skymarc Farm and Patricia Boutin, have built up an exceptional broodmare band–which now numbers 60–since their inception in 2003.

“We have really tried to focus on getting quality mares, and to do so we’ve been very fortunate to partner with Lady O’Reilly and Patricia Boutin,” said Bozo. “We’ve done a great team job together. We have the same way of thinking, working; we get on well. This sale has been really rewarding for us, and I really thank [Lady O’Reilly] for putting faith in us since the beginning.”

Despite the growing strength of Monceaux, Bozo said there has been no temptation to spread the consignment outside France.

“We want to stay in France because we have faith in our industry and the job Arqana is doing to get an international population of buyers,” he explained. “I believe in coming to one sale with a strong group, and having a clear image so people know we’re putting all our yearlings at the same place. I can understand people doing it differently, but that’s why we do it this way.”

Bozo added, “I’m very proud of what we’ve all achieved and I’m very grateful to the staff.”

La Metayer Swoops For A Spirit…

Strength at the top of the market was evident throughout Sunday’s session, and that pattern continued right through to the end when lot 185 from Monceaux, an Irish-bred Invincible Spirit colt from the Aga Khan family of G1 Prix Saint-Alary victress Vadawina (Ire) (Unfuwain), was hammered down to agent Bertrand Le Metayer three lots from the close of trade. The strapping bay is a grandson of that luminary, his dam being the unraced Vedela (Fr) (Selkirk), whose Sea the Stars (Ire) filly made €700,000 in this ring last year. The transaction came three lots after John Ferguson spent €950,000 on a Redoute’s Choice colt out of Vadawina.

Le Metayer had to see off a determined Tony Nerses to secure the February foal, and he said his newest purchase will remain in the country.

“This horse has an attitude we thought was exceptional and an amazing walk,” he said. “He carries a great family of The Aga Khan that we’ve been looking at all day, and he’s by the sire of the moment. He proved that everyone wanted him so we had to go the extra mile but he’s certainly a lovely horse.”

Frankel Fever Hits A Pitch…

The long-awaited Frankel fever materialized at last at Arqana last night when a pair from the first crop by the unbeaten champion ignited fireworks moments apart. The first through the ring was lot 125, a bay colt out of Piping (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), an unraced daughter of Italian champion and Group 2 winner Saganeca (Sagace {Fr}), who was picked up by Tony Nerses on behalf of Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar’s Blue Diamond Farm for €750,000. Piping–whose Rock of Gibraltar (Ire) filly, Phedre, made €260,000 in this ring last year and whose Fastnet Rock (Aus) 3-year-old, Wandering, was a 300,000gns Tattersalls December foal–is a half-sister to G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Sagamix (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}) and G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud victor Sagacity (Fr) (Highest Honor {Fr}). It is also the immediate family of G1 Prix d’Ispahan winner Sageburg (Ire) (Johannesburg) and Saturday’s disqualified GI Beverly D. S. winner Secret Gesture (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).

Nerses said, “He’s the nicest individual I’ve seen thus far by Frankel. As a whole, Frankel is producing all sorts, but this particular one was very, very special; very good- looking.”

Two lots later, lot 127 once again advertised the merits of her sire, as well as her female family, when bringing €1,150,000 from agent Charlie Gordon-Watson on behalf of an undisclosed client. The bay filly is out of Platonic (GB), who is the second dam of the sale-topping Dubawi colt, and therefore the Frankel filly is a half-sister to G3 Prix de Lutece winner Pacifique (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and the stakes-winning Prudenzia (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), the dam of G1 Irish Oaks winner and €6 million race filly Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). Platonic’s last yearling to see a sale’s ring was a Dansili (GB) filly in 2011, who fetched €500,000 at this sale. Platonic produced an Intello (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}) filly this year.

Gordon-Watson noted the merits of the family, saying, “After the colt [lot 119] made so much money earlier it’s no surprise that this filly was also expensive. She’s from one of the best families in the book–it’s all happening and it’s in good hands. She will be trained by Ed Dunlop.”

Bertrand Le Metayer was the underbidder and Michael Wallace of China Horse Club was also bidding but dropped out at €600,000.

The six Frankels offered were all sold, for an average of €566,667. The others sold yesterday were lot 159, a half-sister to multiple Grade/Group 1 winner Stacelita (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) from Haras des Capucines sold to Oceanic Bloodstock, on behalf of Andreas Putsch, for €450,000; lot 165, a colt from Haras du Mezeray picked up by South Africa’s Mayfair Speculators and agent Peter Doyle for €400,000; and lot 117, a son of Group 3 winner Noelani (Ire) (Indian Ridge {GB}) from Ecurie des Monceaux sold to Willie Browne for €350,000. The lone Frankel to sell Saturday was picked up by Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing for €300,000.

A Frankel To Breeze…

Racefans who can remember Frankel’s explosive burst down Newmarket’s Rowley Mile when winning the G1 2000 Guineas by six lengths will no doubt relish the possibility that one of the first opportunities they will have to see a Frankel 2-year-old in action could be at the same racecourse at next year’s breeze-up sales. Willie Browne is no stranger to achieving six-figure returns at the 2-year-old sales, and he made a bold bid when adding a Frankel colt (lot 117) to his portfolio at €350,000.

Yet another high-priced individual consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux, the colt is a son of Noelani (Ire) (Indian Ridge {GB}), a sister to the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye winner Namid (Ire).

“I’ve pinhooked him for next year–I didn’t have a Frankel but now I do,” said Browne. “There won’t be many of them at the breeze-ups. It’s a big price for a pinhook and he’s a bit backward but he’s a nice mover and his pedigree is all speed on the dam’s side.”

Redoute’s The Right Choice For France…

His tagline on the Arrowfield Stud website reads ‘The undisputed king of Australian sires,’ and with his trio of sires’ championships and 27 Group 1 winners it’s hard to dispute the extraordinary influence of Redoute’s Choice (Aus) in his native country.

In 2013 and 2014, European breeders were given access to the imposing son of Danehill when he spent two seasons at the Aga Khan’s Haras de Bonneval in Normandy. His 16 yearlings catalogued for Arqana’s August Sale have offered potential buyers a first public glimpse of his Northern Hemisphere-bred offspring and they have clearly not been disappointed, with nine selling through the two-session select section of the auction for an average of €386,667.

Topping the charts among his offerings was Haras d’Etreham’s colt (lot 182) out of the former Aga Khan-owned G1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Vadawina (Ire) (Unfuwain), who sold for €950,000 to John Ferguson.

Just nine days earlier the colt’s juvenile Dubawi half-brother Vedevani (Fr) made an impressive winning debut for Alain de Royer Dupre at Deauville, a factor that encouraged Fergsuon in his purchase. He said, “this pedigree has been so successful over the years and it’s still going places. There’s the good Dubawi 2-year-old on the page and this horse has a real stallion’s pedigree. It’s been great to have Redoute’s Choice in Europe.”

Ferguson has certainly made the most of the opportunity to buy his first European yearlings, as he also went to €660,000 for Haras des Capucines’s colt out of a Footstepsinthesand (GB) half-sister to the outstanding six-time Group/Grade 1 winner Stacelita (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) (lot 147), and he gave €450,000 for a colt from the Galileo (Ire) mare Copernica (Ire) from the family of High Chaparral (Ire) during Saturday’s opening session.

Georges Rimaud, who manages the Aga Khan’s French studs, said, “at the time we brought Redoute’s Choice over from Arrowfield Stud there was concern that there weren’t enough good stallions in France. He was probably way above the standard of what people expected but they supported him and the rewards are coming now.”

He continued, “it has given confidence to French breeders in general that it can be done and hopefully it will help to get better stallions in the country and to give confidence to mare owners to invest in better stock.”

Since Redoute’s Choice arrived in France the Aga Khan Studs has enjoyed success with a bright young stallion prospect of its own in last season’s leading freshman sire in France, Siyouni (Fr), whose rising profile comes at a time of increased buoyancy in the French stallion market through the likes of Kendargent (Fr) and Le Havre (Ire). Rimaud added, “Redoute’s Choice is a good broodmare sire and sire of sires so the risk is limited when buying yearlings by him, but it is rewarding as a stallion operation to see that his yearlings have been well received. It’s our job–it’s what we do–and it may lead to us doing it again with other stallions. I feel a lot more confident now to try to bring another stallion of his caliber here in the future.”

He concluded, “it gives us a certain dynamic to our stallion operation and we have to keep that going and have new horses coming in. We have an arrangement with Qatar Bloodstock and we have Charm Spirit coming to stand at Bonneval next season.”

Shadwell Makes A Splash…

Monceaux was once again in the spotlight when selling an Invincible Spirit (Ire) half-brother to Group 1 winners Ectot (GB) (Hurricane Run {Ire}) and Most Improved (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) (lot 175) for €700,000.

This time it was Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum who was on the hunt for stallion prospects, with his representative Angus Gold commenting after signing the ticket for the son of Tonnara (Ire) (Linamix {Fr}), “His page pretty much says it all. He’s by a very good stallion and out of a good broodmare who has bred two Group 1 winners. I thought there was plenty of Linamix about him. He’s an athletic horse who looked to have a good temperament. If he can run a bit he’ll make a lovely stallion. I imagine he’ll stay in training in France, but Sheikh Hamdan likes to look at the horses first and then make a decision.”

Vega Colt A Star For Ballylinch…

John Ferguson expressed his admiration of Darley sire Shamardal after signing for the session-topping colt on opening day Saturday, and he dug deep for a colt by Shamardal’s best young sire son, last year’s champion first-season sire Lope De Vega (Ire), Sunday, going to €520,000 for lot 132. Consigned by Ballylinch Stud, the athletic bay is the third foal from the stakes-winning Promesse de l’Aube (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}), whose first two foals are winners.

Ballylinch General Manager John O’Connor said, “He was born on our farm and raised there but then he went back to his owner, Dietrich von Boetticher, as a weanling, and then he came back to be prepared for the sales.”

O’Connor noted the January foal had been busy at the barn all week. “He’s just a very, very exceptional physical specimen,” he said. “He’s very powerful, has lots of muscle and great bone, and is a very loose mover. He’s a very simple horse to prepare for a sale because he’s easy-going, and I have to give credit to my former assistant Matthew Goesnard, who got him ready here in France for me just for this sale. He runs his own operation here in France and helped us out with this colt.”

Commenting on the mark at Arqana, O’Connor added, “the top horses have sold extremely well. The middle market [Saturday] was a little sticky but the general impression [Sunday] is it’s a more vibrant sale.”