First Footing For The Arqana Freshmen

DEAUVILLE, France–In Saturday's TDN, we took an in-depth look at some of the first-crop yearlings by the Prix du Jockey Club winners Intello (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}) and Reliable Man (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) at Arqana's August Sale, which starts tonight at 5.30pm – half an hour later than the time stated in the catalogue after a rescheduling of the day's racing programme.

As regards numbers here in Deauville, with 19 yearlings apiece Intello shares top billing with Coolmore's Camelot (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), the colt who has come closer to winning Britain's Triple Crown than any other in the last 45 years.

In attempting – and only narrowly failing – to grasp that holy grail in the St Leger, Camelot lost nothing in defeat and, though these be very early days, his stud career appears to be picking up from where his brilliant racing career left off. A consistent collection of foals with elegance and substance impressed many at the sales last year and hopes will be high among the Coolmore camp that he can pick up the baton from his late sire to become a Classic sire as well as a Classic winner.

Haras des Capucines offers four yearlings by Camelot, including colts out of the G2 Prix Corrida winner Grace Lady (Fr) (Muthathir {Fr}) (lot 23) and the G3 Prix Vanteaux winner Just Little (Fr) (Grand Slam) (lot 233). Haras d'Etreham's Camelot filly is out of Clodovina, a half-sister to the Classic winner and popular sire Clodovil (Ire) (Danehill) (lot 186), while Eric L'Hermite's Haras de Grandcamp draft includes a half-sister to the top-class juvenile and the farm's resident sire Dabirsim (Fr) (Hat Trick) (lot 110).

Intello has now returned to France to stand at Haras du Quesnay but his former stable-mate at Cheveley Park Stud, the G1 Darley July Cup winner Lethal Force (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), has one yearling in the August Sale and another in Wednesday's v.2 catalogue. Lot 187 during the August Sale is a half-brother to Group 1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Robin Of Navan (Fr) (American Post {GB}), consigned by Elevage de Tourgeville.

The stud career of the subfertile Al Kazeem (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) has not been plain sailing but among his select offerings from his initial stint at the Royal Studs, Newsells Park Stud was fortunate that Keene Dancer (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), a daughter of Group 1 Prix de l'Opera winner Kinnaird (Ire) (Dr Devious) and a half-sister to the Group 2 winner Berkshire (GB) (Mount Nelson {GB}), produced a colt, who is consigned as lot 39, the only yearling by the four-time Group 1 winner in the catalogue. Reckless Abandon (GB) (Exchange Rate) also had fertility issues and is no longer at stud but is represented by two yearlings in the August book and another in v.2.

The aforementioned former top-class French two-year-old Dabirsim (Fr) started his stud career in Germany but is now in Normandy and has four first-crop yearlings in the August catalogue, plus six in v.2. Among them, Haras du Logis offers a half-brother to the stakes-winning Country Reel full-brothers, Make It Reel (Fr) and Tourny (Fr) (lot 56).

Darley freshman Dawn Approach (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) has eight yearlings selling in France this week with Haras de Mezeray's half-sister to the impressive G2 Prix Hocquart winner Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) certain to be of interest (lot 156).

The stallion barn at Al Shaqab's Haras de Bouquetot is filling quickly and two of its young residents will come under the spotlight in Deauville. The grey G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Style Vendome (Fr) (Anabaa) has four in the August Sale – including a half-sister to the G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Qatar Prix de l'Opera winner Covert Love (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) to be sold through Haras des Loges as lot 147 – and another four on offer in v.2. Meanwhile, the consistent Planteur (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) has six in total throughout the week, including Haras du Lieu des Champs' colt out of Parisian Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) (lot 272).

Maxios (GB), Gestut Fahrhof's dual Group 1-winning son of Monsun (Ger) and half-brother to the Arc winner Bago (Fr) (Nashwan) will have plenty of yearlings on offer in early September at Baden-Baden but the two to sell at Arqana will give a taster of his prowess and can be found in the drafts of Haras d'Oméel (lot 296) and Haras d'Ombreville (lot 328).

Tweenhills stallion Havana Gold (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) also has a brace of yearlings in the August catalogue and Peter Kavanagh has brought lot 40, a filly out of a half-sister to the durable multiple stakes winner Sandiva (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), from his Irish-based Kildaragh Stud.

La Motteraye consigns the sole yearling by Most Improved (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) in the August book – there is another in the v.2 catalogue – and she is a half-sister to two winners out of the winning Anabaa mare Miryale (Fr) (lot 258).

Of the 12 yearlings by the speedy juvenile Penny's Picnic (Fr) (Kheleyf) at Arqana this week, three have made it to the August catalogue, while Bated Breath (GB)'s half-brother Cityscape (GB) (Selkirk) is represented by lot 194, Haras des Granges' half-brother to this year's G3 Italian 1000 Guineas winner Conselice (GB) (Showcasing {GB}).

Completing the freshman roll of honour is Haras de la Hetraie's George Vancouver (Henrythenavigator), whose four yearlings on offer in the next few days include Haras de l'Aumonerie's half-brother to French Listed winner Victorinna (Fr) (Gentlewave {Ger}) (lot 251).