By Emma Berry
While the world's largest yearling sale continues in Lexington, one of the newest auctions in the yearling calendar, the Osarus September Sale, returns today for its ninth edition.
From just from 46 horses sold for a total of €464,700 back at the first sale in 2008, the sale has continued to progress and last year turnover reached €3,897,500 for 191 sold from 247 on offer (79%). The 2015 renewal also posted advances in both the average (€21,202) and the median (€18,000). Now held over two days, this year's sale has the largest catalogue to date, with 306 yearlings in the book all being eligible for the French premiums which have become so sought after by buyers from outside the country.
Osarus celebrated another stakes-winning graduate recently when Cavale Dorée (Fr) (Sunday Break {JPN}) won the G3 Prix du Calvados. The colt was sold for €34,000 at last year's sale to Christophe Ferland, who trains at Hippodrome du Bequet at La Teste du Buch – scene of both the Osarus yearling sale and the breeze-up sale in April.
Ferland also guided the career of the top-class juvenile Dabirsim (Fr) (Hat Trick), who has his first yearlings this season and has six slated to sell at Osarus, including lot 93, the second colt foal of juvenile winner Make Up (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}) whose Harbour Watch (Ire) colt at last year's sale was bought from the Haras du Buff draft for €62,000.
Other French-based sires making their first appearances at yearling sales this year include Sri Putra (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a grand old stager for Michael Jarvis then Roger Varian, who won seven races including a brace of Group 2s and finished runner-up in the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. Now resident in Haras du Saz, the 10-year-old has eight yearlings catalogued, and the sale also includes first-crop yearlings by the Haras de Bouquetot duo of Style Vendome (Fr) (Anabaa) and Planteur (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) as well as Masterstroke, a Group 2-winning son of Monsun (Ger) out of Galileo's half-sister Melikah (Ire) (Lammtarra).
G1 Criterium International winner French Fifteen (Fr), whose sire Turtle Bowl (Ire) was snapped up to stand in Japan after making an eye-catching first start with this runners conceived at Haras de Montaigu, is another freshman this year, along with two Group 1-winning sons of Henrythenavigator and former Ballydoyle stablemates, George Vancouver and Pedro The Great. The second lot through the ring in tomorrow's session (lot 154) is the sole offering in the sale by first-season sire Saonois (Fr) (Chichicastenango {Fr}); the filly is offered by Haras du Mesnil, where the G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner stands.
Among those catalogued by established sires is Haras du Montaigu's daughter of Intense Focus (lot 276), whose half-sister Rich Legacy (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) was still unraced when the catalogue hit the presses but is now a Group 2 winner for Qatar Bloodstock following her victory in last week's May Hill S. for trainer Ralph Beckett. The pair's dam Borghesa (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}) has also produced the five-time winner and listed-placed Burggraf (GB) (Medicean {GB}).
Wootton Bassett (GB), whose son Almanzor (Fr) was the impressive winner of Saturday's G1 Irish Champion S., is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about stallions in France and his six yearlings in the sale will almost certainly be closely be scrutinised by Jean-Claude Rouget, who is regularly the leading buyer at the sale.
The action is set to commence at midday local time.
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