By Emma Berry
Only two yearlings have ever sold for six-figure sums at the Osarus September Sale and both have been fillies by Le Havre (Fr), with this year's leading lady – who topped trade at €110,000 – being a daughter of the Listed-placed multiple winner Talwin (Ire) (Alhaarth {Ire}).
Sold by Mathieu Daguzan-Garros of Haras des Granges the filly (lot 203) will race for a new partnership after being bought by Sylvain Vidal with an unnamed client of Laurent Benoit, who also signed for the previous day's joint-top lot by the same stallion.
“She's very athletic and she reminded me a lot of La Cressonniere,” said Vidal, racing and bloodstock manager to Le Havre's owner Gerard Augustin-Normand. “She's a superb individual and this is a new association for us.”
A great grand-daughter of the G1 Prix de Diane winner Northern Trick (Blushing Groom), the neat dark-brown filly is a half-sister to the dual Qatar winner River Goddess (Ire) (Marju {Ire}) and was the stand-out of a good draft from Haras des Granges, which sold 10 yearlings across the two days for €254,000.
With a larger catalogue this year, the average and median figures both dropped – the former to €18,354 (from €24,377) and the median to €14,000. Taking into account a high number of horses who changed hands privately after leaving the ring unsold – 31 in total – the final number sold was 216, bringing an improved clearance rate of 74%.
“I knew that cataloguing around 300 horses would mean the average figure was likely to fall,” admitted Osarus Director Emmanuel Viaud. “Previously we had restricted the number to 270 and we may have to reassess for next year, but we looked at around 1000 yearlings for the sale this year.”
He added, “There were fewer buyers from England this time and the market was selective, but we did have several new faces from the UK and we will work hard to continue to promote the sale to overseas buyers.”
The power of a recent Group-race update update was clear in the battle to secure lot 276, the half-sister to G2 May Hill S. winner Rich Legacy (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who eventually sold for €87,000 to trainer Norbert Leenders.
The daughter of Intense Focus, who is also a half-sister to the Listed-placed Burggraf (GB) (Medicean {GB}), was bought in utero at Goffs' November Sale when her dam Borghesa (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}) sold to Paul Nataf for €18,000, and was presented by Haras de Montaigu.
“My client called me and asked if I would look at the filly,” explained Leenders. “She was a bit more than we wanted to pay but she has been bought by Hubert Cerruti of Ecurie Cerdeval.”
Haras du Quesnay's young stallion Fuisse (Fr), the sire of Listed-winning 2-year-old and G3 Prix des Chenes runner-up High Alpha (Fr), had just two yearlings in the sale and his strong chesnut son out of the Anabaa mare Sea Life (Fr) (lot 176) aroused the interest of first-time Osarus vistor Federico Barberini, who placed the winning bid at €62,000.
“He's just a gorgeous horse,” said the British-based Italian agent. “The stallion can clearly get a good horse and this is not too expensive when you convert the price to sterling. He will be going to the UK with plans to be finalised later.”
Lot 250, this time a colt by Le Havre, is another to be bought in partnership, with Sylvain Vidal going to €55,000 with Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International. The Haras de l'Hotellerie offering is out of the four-time winner Allmia (Fr) (Johann Quatz {FR}) and was bred by Jean-Pierre and Guillaume Garcon.
Wootton Bassett (GB) is another French stallion with a swiftly rising profile and pinhooker Paul Basquin of Haras de Sabouas was encouraged to spend €45,000 for lot 207, a grey daughter of the winning Keltos (Fr) Tenepia {Fr}) who was offered by Haras des Faunes.
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