Results Consolidated At Arqana October

Arqana’s four-day October Yearling Sale drew to a close Friday with minor dips in cumulative average and median, but numbers for the sale remained largely on par with last year. A total of 435 horses were sold–exactly the same as last year–for a total of €15,683,500 (down €65,000) at a buyback rate of 21%, which was a 3% improvement from 12 months ago. The average was down a narrow 0.4% to €36,054, while the median dropped 3.8% to €25,000. The final day’s trade saw 81 youngsters sell for €1,098,500 at a buyback rate of 20.6%, which was down nearly 2% from last year’s corresponding session. The average dipped 6.1% to €13,562, while the median was unchanged at €12,000.

“After the solid gains posted in August, we are very pleased to see the October sale consolidate last year’s record figures,” said Arqana President Eric Hoyeau. “The market was strong throughout the week, with solid demand coming from French buyers, foreign trainers who are now based in France, European professionals who frequently race in this country as well as pinhookers. The good performance of the yearling middle-market relies on a broad and diversified client base, which reflects the appeal of French racing and must give us confidence in the future. We wish all our clients the very best of success with their purchases.”

Topping the final day’s trade was a Siyouni (Fr) colt (lot 490) picked up by Willie Slattery on behalf of Five Star Bloodstock Transport for €43,000 from the consignment of Haras de la Haie Neuve. The colt is expected to return to Deauville in the spring for the breeze-up sale. Lot 585 neared that mark towards the end of the session when fetching €40,000 from the training partnership of Markus and Stephanie Nigge. That colt is a son of Orpen from Haras de l’Hotellerie.