Osarus Kicks Off La Teste Sale Today

OSARUS KICKS OFF LA TESTE SALE TODAY 
By Kelsey Riley 
Fledgling French sale company Osarus hosts the seventh edition of its flagship yearling sale at La Teste Racecourse in Bordeaux today and tomorrow. With 269 yearlings set to go under the hammer from 285 catalogued, the sale is up 36% in numbers from last year. 
The highlights on paper of this year’s draft include lot 11, a Stormy River (Fr) half-sister to G2 San Clemente S. winner and G1 Del Mar Oaks runner-up Reine de Romance (Ire) (Vettori {Ire}); lot 22, a Zafeen (Fr) colt from the family of this year’s G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Karakontie (Jpn) (Bernstein); lot 34, a Turtle Bowl (Ire) colt out of G1 Prix de Diane heroine Sil Sila (Ire) (Marju {Ire}) and a half to U.S. stakes winner Sol Mi Fa (Ire) (Distant Music); lot 89, a colt by leading French freshman sire Siyouni (Fr), is a half to stakes winner Ard Na Greine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}); lot 104, a Myboycharlie (Ire) half-sister to Group 2 winner Ashalanda (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}); lot 170, a colt by leading French sire Kendargent (Fr) who is a half to two stakes winners and two stakes producers; lot 174, a Whippercolt out of a half-sister to Group 1 winners Fuisse (Fr) (Green Tune) and Full of Gold (Fr) (Gold Away {Ire}) and lot 232, a Champs Elysees (GB) filly from the immediate family of Frankel (GB). All yearlings catalogued are French-bred, meaning they qualify for the country’s lucrative owner premiums. 
The now two-day La Teste sale has enjoyed exponential gains since its inaugural edition in 2008, when 46 yearlings were sold for €464,700. Last year, 157 youngsters changed hands for €2,935,500. Despite the near 500% growth in horses catalogued over seven years, the median and average have improved each year at the La Teste sale since 2010, rounding out last year at €15,000 and €18,437, respectively, with a clearance rate of 85%. It is unlikely the growth will end there, as Osarus recently announced that Tattersalls had come in as majority shareholder. 
Osarus auctioneer and inspector Emmanuel Viaud explained that the idea for the company was born when it was determined that the country’s smaller breeders needed an alternative auction house. 
“The breeders were not so happy because at the time, there was only one sale company in France and it was becoming more and more difficult for medium and small breeders to sell their products–especially breeders from the southwest of France,” he explained. “So it all started there. We thought it was a good idea to set up a new company to help the small and medium breeders.” 
The La Teste sale gradually grew in numbers throughout the first few years. In 2010, a jumping sale was added to the company’s portfolio, followed by a flat breeze-up sale in 2011. This year, Osarus staged for the first time its mixed sale in January. Strong sales results mean little, however, without subsequent racetrack success, and graduates of the La Teste sale include French stakes winner and multiple group placed Kenzadargent (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), who won her first stateside start at Saratoga Aug. 20 for trainer Chad Brown; and Flamboyant (Fr) (Peer Gynt {Jpn}), who finished third in the GI Belmont Derby. 
All this growth caught the attention of Tattersalls back in 2011. 
“Three years ago Tattersalls called us to ask us if we would be partners. We spent two years as their fiance, getting to know each other, and now we are married,” Viaud said. “Tattersalls are the majority shareholders now. It’s great for us. We’re improving every year, and more and more people are coming to the sales every year. It’s very positive.” 
Viaud explained that one of the benefits of the partnership with Tattersalls is that it allows Osarus to pay its vendors on 35 day terms, which allows the sales to attract higher quality horses. 
“You can’t attract the good yearlings of you don’t have those kinds of things,” he said. “The warranty is very important, and all the things a big company like Tattersalls can bring to us. Five years ago we were a small company, known just in the southwest region of France, and now all the world knows the name Osarus beccause we are married to Tattersalls.” 
Tattersalls Marketing Director Jimmy George explained to the Thoroughbred Owner & Breeder in May what the partnership meant to Tattersalls. 
“We’re a British-based company with an international client base, whether it’s vendors or purchasers, so it’s very important that we keep a very close eye on the global bloodstock market,” George told the publication. 
“In relatively recent years we identified an opportunity in Australia and we own a fraction below 20% of William Inglis, which is a company very similar to us both in its corporate ethos and its position in the bloodstock industry in the Southern Hemisphere. Turning our attention to Osarus was very much a similar thought process, albeit on a smaller scale. Europe is our doorstep market and France is one of the three most influential countries in European racing and breeding. Osarus is very much a fledgling company but it seemed a company with a future and in a very short space of time, from literally nothing, it has carved itself a niche in this very important market through hard work and identifying a sector of the French market in which there was an opportunity.” 
Despite the growing number of yearlings catalogued for the La Teste sale, Viaud insisted that the focus would remain on quality over quantity. 
“Maybe one day we’ll add one more day to the sale, but at the moment we’d like to be select and maintain a good average price, and a good percentage of horses sold,” he said. “The goal is to improve the quality.” 
Viaud noted that the conditions were balmy in Bordeaux yesterday, with potential buyers out in full force. 
“It’s like Florida here–it’s 29 degrees [celsius, 84 fahrenheit],” he said. “All the people are here and smiling. Everything’s good for the moment, so we are quite confident the sale will go well.”