Global Trade On Eve Of Arc

Chantilly, FRANCE–Arqana's Arc Sale on Saturday evening returned a number of high-profile buybacks, but the trade that took place boasted the international flair that is now trademark of Europe's horses in training sales. Twenty-five horses were sold from 44 offered at a clearance rate of 56.8%, and an aggregate of €5,987,500. The average of €239,140 was down 18% from last year, while the median climbed 33.3% to €180,000. Last year, 29 were sold from 44 offered for €8,474,000, and the clearance rate was 66%. The most expensive buyback of Saturday evening was the German Group 2-winning filly Ashiana (Ger) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who was led out unsold at €1.2-million.

The sale's eventual highest-priced horse, the German Classic winner Poetic Dream (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}) (lot 37), is headed to trainer David Hayes in Australia after being purchased by Louis Le Metayer of Astute Bloodstock on behalf a partnership that is still being finalized. His long-term target is next year's G1 Cox Plate, Australia's most historic weight-for-age race. Trained thus far by Andreas Wohler, who also prepared G1 Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), Poetic Dream carried the colours of Jabber Abdullah to victory in this year's G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas) and was most recently third in the G2 Oettingen-Rennen on Aug. 31.

“He's a magnificent horse, we vetted him three times and he passed all vetting,” said Le Metayer. “He's an exceptional athlete and he ran an exceptional time when he won the German Guineas. He ran it in 1:34, which is one to two seconds faster than any Guineas in Australia for the last six years. He's a horse that ticks all the boxes. We think he can stretch a bit longer because he's out of a Poliglote mare; we think he can go 2000 metres. He's lightly raced, he's fresh, he's healthy, and we feel he has a very bright future in Australia. The prizemoney in Australia for the big races is huge, so he was the horse of the sale and we really wanted him.”

Le Metayer and Hayes have a high strike rate of success as a team, the agent said.

“I used to work for David Hayes and we've bought four horses for him and three of them have performed at group level,” Le Metayer said. “We have Harlem, who is running in the Caulfield Cup; he's one of the favourites for the Caulfield Cup.”

Le Metayer late in the session signed for the German Guineas third Empire Of The Star (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) (lot 56) for €450,000. The 3-year-old is headed to Hong Kong-based trainer Richard Gibson.

More Euro Prospects For Schwartz…

Martin Schwartz has had plenty of success racing fillies in America that were sourced from Europe. His flagbearers have included Grade I winners Zagora (Fr) (Green Tune {Ire}), Alterite (Fr) (Literato {Fr}), Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) and Samitar (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), and just this summer he has enjoyed stakes success Stateside with the likes of Off Limits (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and Wekeela (Fr) (Hurricane Run {Ire}). He added another filly in the mould of those to his stable in the form of the 3-year-old listed-winning filly Miss Melbourne (Fr) (Kentucky Dynamite) (lot 20) for €370,000. Seated alongside advisor Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock, Schwartz said the filly would head straight to America to the stable of trainer Chad Brown.

“We were prepared to pay more so we feel very fortunate to get her at that level and hopefully we'll have good fortune,” he said. “I have the best turf trainer in the United States. He won his first two Grade Is with me, with Stacelita and Zagora, and I want him to keep remembering my name.”

“Since he won the Eclipse award last year as the top trainer in America, I have to keep sending him stock to run, otherwise he'll forget about us,” Schwartz quipped.

Trained until now by Antoine de Watrigant, Miss Melbourne has won her last three straight, culminating in Bordeaux's Listed Prix Occitanie on Sept. 9.

Schwartz had, four horses earlier, taken aturn from his typical practice of buying fillies when scooping up the 5-year-old entire Silverwave (Fr) (Silver Frost {Ire}) (lot 16) for €500,000. The winner of last year's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud for trainer Pascal Bary, Silverwave finished third in this year's G1 Prix Ganay before taking the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly on June 4. He ran to an equal-best rating when beaten three-quarters of a length by Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) in this year's renewal of the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud on July 2, and he runs in Sunday's main event, the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Schwartz said Silverwave also goes to Chad Brown after Sunday's race.

“I want to bring him to America and give him to Chad Brown and let him work his magic,” the new owner said. “We have a lot of mile and a quarter, mile and a half races where the talent isn't that deep and he's the best [trainer] there is on turf in the United States, so hopefully we'll have good fortune.”

Also headed to America is the stakes-placed 2-year-old filly So Hi Society (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) (lot 13), who was bought by Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International on behalf of an undisclosed client. American-based Pete Bradley of Bradley Thoroughbreds signed for 2-year-old filly Finess Bere (Fr) (Pedro The Great) (lot 17) for €90,000.

Qatari Presence Strong In Chantilly…

As has become customary at European horses in training sales, there was also a strong Qatari presence in Chantilly on Saturday night. Stroud Coleman Bloodstock, bidding through Arqana's Freddy Powell, secured the stakes-winning 3-year-old colt African Ride (GB) (Candy Ride {Arg}) (lot 26) on behalf of an existing Qatari client for €460,000. A homebred for the Wertheimer brothers, African Ride won the Listed Prix Montenica over Chantilly's all-weather in March, and has picked up a pair of Group 3 placings since when third in the Prix Djebel and second in the Prix de la Porte Maillot.

Two lots later, Gerard Larrieu of Chantilly Bloodstock spent €400,000 on 3-year-old colt Real Value (Fr) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) (lot 28). He was acting on behalf of prominent Qatari owner Khalifa Bin Sheail Al Kuwari. Larrieu later added Darbuzan (Fr) (Zamindar {Fr}) (lot 52) for the same client for €630,000. The 3-year-old colt offered by Aga Khan Studs is the highest rated 3-year-old stayer in France. He won the Listed Prix Michel Houyvet on Aug. 13 and the G3 Prix de Lutece on Sept. 8, and was third earlier on Saturday in the G2 Qatar Prix Chaudenay.