Pour Moi Colt On Top in Deauville

POUR MOI COLT ON TOP IN DEAUVILLE 
By Alix Choppin 
Solid trade continued to be the order of the day as Arqana’s October Yearling Sale rolled into its third and penultimate session yesterday. The 149 horses offered–from 152 catalogued–grossed €2,975,000, a total almost identical to last year’s €3,004,000 (-0.97%). The average price was substantially up, at €25,427 against €22,758 in 2013 (+11%), while the median remained stable at €20,000. Like on the first two days, the only weakness was the clearance rate, down from 85% at last year’s session to 78% this time, the sign of a picky market. 

Andre Fabre’s G1 Epsom Derby hero Pour Moi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) has been heavily patronized by French breeders, who sent him 38 mares during his first season at Coolmore. Twelve of the resulting offspring found a berth in Arqana’s October Yearling sale catalogue, and the highest price was commanded by lot 362, the second foal out of the Dansili (GB) mare Freeing (GB), from the very current family of 2014 G3 Sweet Solera S. winner Muraaqaba (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Listed Sandringham H. scorer Muteela (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and G1 Prix Jean Romanet runner-up Princess Loulou (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}). The colt offered by Ecurie des Monceaux attracted interest from a host of bidders–including Rupert Pritchard-Gordon, Alain Decrion, Fabrice Chappet, Henri-Alex Pantall and Ghislain Bozo– but it was Sylvain Vidal who got the last word at €140,000, on behalf Gerard Augustin-Normand. “I was keen to get a Pour Moi and this horse was one of the nicest I have seen,” Vidal explained. “His dam is by Dansili so he represents the great Sadler’s Wells– Danehill cross.” 

Another Avenir? 
The following lot in the ring was a handsome, loose-walking daughter of Le Havre (Ire) (lot 363) from the draft of Coulonces Consignment. The half-sister to listed scorer So Will I (GB) (Inchinor {GB}) and G2 Flying Childers S. heroine Sand Vixen (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was offered on behalf of a partnership comprising Ecurie du Grand Chene, Mette Cambell Adenaes and Team Hogdala, and the latter bought out its partners at €110,000. Team Hogdala is the breeding denomination of Jan and Maja Sunstrom, breeders of Le Havre and parents of Anna Drion, the founder of Coulonces Consignment, which she now runs with her husband Etienne Drion. The couple explained, “We were determined to keep her as she is such a darling filly. She was born and raised on our farm and we always thought she was our best baby. She reminded us a lot of [dual Classic winner] Avenir Certain, so let’s hope she goes on to be just as good.” 

Lot 477 became the most profitable pinhook of the day when selling for €135,000 to Anthony Stroud Bloodstock. The son of Le Havre (Ire) out of the black-type mare Polysheba (Fr) (Poliglote {GB}) was bred by Gerard Augustin-Normand and offered at Arqana’s February Mixed Sale eight months ago, where he cost a mere €9,000. Since then, Le Havre’s first 3-year-olds have won no less than ten stakes races, including a Classic double for the filly Avenir Certain (Fr). The icing on the cake came yesterday when the 2-year-old full- brother to this horse, named Plumetot (Fr), opened his account for Gerard Augustin-Normand and trainer Jean-Claude Rouget. The team behind the success of Le Havre himself and many of his offspring were determined to have this yearling back, but they ultimately had to admit defeat at the hands of Matt Coleman. “I have bought him for a long-time client of Anthony [Stroud]’s who has horses with James Fanshawe,” he said. “Anthony and James have been lucky with this sale, where they bought [G1 Prix du Cadran scorer] High Jinx (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) three years ago, so they were keen to repeat the feat, although for a different owner. Like High Jinx, this horse will probably start his career in the UK, hoping that he can come back to France to run in the good races as he is eligible for French-bred premiums.” 

Antoine Lepeudry of Elevage de Tourgeville consigned the colt on behalf of Gaston Hebert and Catherine Pelier, who operate a riding center near Deauville. Still bewildered, the couple explained, “We have three broodmares, and last year they produced only one colt foal so at some stage, it became necessary to keep him apart, and he didn’t like being on his own. Therefore we went to the February sale with [trainer] Yann Barberot and he bought us a cheap yearling to keep ours company, with the plan to resell him when the other would go into training with Yann. Arqana went to see him over the summer and instantly told us we had a nice horse, that they wanted him for this sale. The rest, as they say, is history.” 

Coleman had earlier signed the docket at €52,000 for lot 442, a son of Lope de Vega (Ire) consigned by Haras d’Etreham. The colt is out of an unraced half-sister to the stakes winner High Maintenance (GB) (Danehill), from the great Wertheimer family of Pas De Reponse (Danzig) and Green Tune (Green Dancer). “I’ve bought him for an Irish pinhooker,” said Coleman. “The sire is obviously very popular and looks like he could be in demand at the breeze-up sales. I think the market is still strong today. It is very sire-based: everything by Lope De Vega, Le Havre, Siyouni or Kendargent makes a lot of money.” 

Clement Prevails for a Kendargent… 
Nicolas Clement had his mind set on lot 444, a colt by Kendargent from Haras des Sablonnets, and duly outbid Paul McCartan to secure him at €69,000. He is the first foal out of Melinda (Fr) (Numerous), a winning half-sister to the Listed Prix Rose de Mai scorer Fontcia (Fr) (Enrique {GB}), from the family of Ron Arculli’s globetrotter Red Dubawi (Ire). “I have bought him for a partnership headed by Jean-Michel Lebrun, former owner of Pornichet,” offered the conditioner. “He was my pick of the day–a racy type by the right sire and who comes from a good farm. I expected to pay around €60,000 for him, but the good horses are still making some money today.” The aforementioned Pornichet (Fr) (Vespone {Ire}) won three races this year in the colors of Lebrun and ran third in the G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains before selling for £425,000 to Gai Waterhouse at the Goffs London Sale. 

Moments later, Clement was relegated to underbidder status on lot 460, an American Post (Fr) filly out of the listed scorer Numerieus (Fr) (Numerous). The Haras des Capucines offering was knocked down to Steve Burggraf, chief executive officer and co-founder of the fast-growing hamburger chain Big Fernand, who signed the docket at €52,000 under the name of Laurent Benoit’s Broadhurst Agency. The 41-year-old explained with a broad smile, “She is my second purchase, after the daughter of Amonita [by High Chaparral] that I bought in August. As you can see, I am focusing on well-bred fillies, for my long-term plan is to develop a broodmare band. I already have the farm and hopefully, by the time these girls have finished racing, everything will be ready for them. This filly appealed to me, and Laurent and I noticed that the dam has produced winners by stallions that we consider inferior to American Post, so there is room for improvement. I wasn’t expecting to pay so much for her, however.” 

Early Flurry… 
Three colts attracted final bids of €45,000 in the first hour of the sale. Lot 348 went the way of Jean-Pierre de Gaste, acting on behalf of Saudi owner Abdullah Al Maddah, whose colors where carried to victory in this year’s Listed Prix Servanne by the smart sprinter Dibbajj (Fr) (Iffraaj {GB}). The colt from the 50-strong draft of Haras de Grandcamp, the largest in the sale, is by the popular Kendargent (Fr) out of the unraced Montjeu (Ire) mare Escolhida (Ire), a half-sister to the G1 Irish St Leger winner and champion stayer Septimus (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells). 

“I also bought two yearlings on day one for Mr. Al Maddah [lots 53 and 85, both by Siyouni], and one in August [already in training with La Teste conditioner Jean-Francois Bernard],” said Gaste. 

Lot 354, a chestnut colt by Peintre Celebre very much in the mold of his sire, attracted a final bid of €45,000 from Gilles Forien’s Agence FIPS. The colt offered by Haras de Manneville is out of the Elusive Quality mare Fever Fever, who was placed at listed level and has produced the smart Hijra (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}), a winner in France last season and in the U.S. this year as a 4-year-old. 

“He is for Eduardo Fierro,” said Forien. “He will go into training in Madrid first, and move to France if he proves good enough.” Fierro, a longtime client of Forien’s, only keeps a handful of horses in training but has enjoyed some great success with the likes of multiple group winners Ivory Land (Fr) (Lando {Ger}) and Valentino (Fr) (Valanour {Ire}), both trained by Alain de Royer Dupre. 

Moments later, bidding stopped at the same amount for a son of Siyouni (Fr) (lot 357) who was knocked down to Benoit Jeffroy acting on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing. Paul Basquin of Haras du Saubouas was the underbidder. The colt was consigned by Haras de Grandcamp for Aleyrion Bloodstock, breeder of last Sunday’s E.P. Taylor S. runner-up Odeliz (Ire) (Falco) and many other smart performers. He is out of the unraced Sadler’s Wells mare Floride (Ire), a full-sister to the Listed Fred Archer S. scorer Xtra (GB). “This colt will stay in France, but we haven’t yet decided who will train him,” said Jeffroy. 

Umm Qarn Continues Spree… 
A daughter of Le Havre (Ire) (lot 381) will join the growing Thoroughbred stable of Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani after being knocked down for €45,000 to Umm Qarn Farm’s Alban de Mieulle. The May-born filly is the first foal out of High Ville (Fr), a daughter of Highest Honor (Fr) who won five races and is a half-sister to the G3 Prix Andre Baboin scorer Kadance Ville (Fr) (Fabulous Dancer). “We have bought her as a broodmare prospect,” offered Mieulle. “We liked the fact that she is out of a young mare by Highest Honor, who is such a good broodmare sire.” 

Later in the afternoon, Umm Qarn Farm spent the same amount on a filly by the same sire and bred by Gerard Augustin-Normand himself. Catalogued as lot 409, she is the first foal out of the black-type performer La Mouche (GB) (Dubawi {GB}), from the family of the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner Torrestrella (Ire) (Orpen). 

The sale finishes tomorrow, starting at 2:00 p.m. local time.