Sales Action Shifts To Deauville

The European yearling sale session kicks off Saturday evening with the Arqana August Yearling Sale in Deauville, France. A predictably international group of shoppers has descended on the seaside town for the three-day sale, which has 374 catalogued between evening sessions Saturday and Sunday and an afternoon session Monday. Selling begins at 5 p.m. after racing across the street at Hippodrome de Deauville over the weekend, with 94 catalogued each evening, and the remainder will sell starting at 1 p.m. Monday. Arqana’s v.2 yearling sale takes place Tuesday with a separate catalogue.

Shoppers were up with the sun Friday and out inspecting yearlings, and Arqana President Eric Hoyeau said he was pleasantly surprised with the global feel on the sales grounds.

“It is very international,” Hoyeau said of the assembled cast of buyers. “It’s very interesting and impressive to see so many people. All the usual people are here and there are definitely some newcomers, and it’s interesting to see some new people from the Southern Hemisphere–Australia and New Zealand. That’s something very new for us.”

That group includes representatives from Arrowfield Stud and Eliza Park International; agents Peter Vela, Damon Gabbedy and Paul Moloney; and Sir Owen Glenn, the owner of Australian Group 1 winner Criterion (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}). Meanwhile, those visiting from the U.S. included Alex Solis and Jason Litt, Justin Casse, Gatewood Bell, Tom Ryan, Michael Hernon, Bobby Flay and Deuce Greathouse. Owner Charles Fipke is also expected to be shopping.

“The vendors are happy, and it’s very busy,” Hoyeau added.

The August sale has been the epitome of a success story since the turn of the decade, with figures improving year-on-year and mirroring the direction French racing and breeding are moving. The sale’s average has risen each year since 2010, reaching €147,864 last year, and the median has also risen the last four renewals, hitting €90,000 12 months ago. Last year’s clearance rate of 80.5% was the highest in the sale’s 15-year history, and the aggregate of €38,592,500 was the third-highest, and highest since the number catalogued was cut by about 100 in 2013.

Despite these encouraging figures, Hoyeau remained modest about the potential of this year’s catalogue. He pointed to the strong results of last year’s sale, as well as last week’s Saratoga sale, as indicators of what may come.

“Saratoga was fantastic,” he noted. “And last year we had a very strong sale. Every year we look to consolidate our results. The most important thing for our vendors is to have a very solid and consistent sale. Breaking records is difficult to predict, but our target is to consolidate.”

Michel Zerolo of Haras des Capucines, which sends 30 through the ring over the next three days, said the action at his barn has been “non-stop” since Wednesday.

“It hasn’t stopped, even with the rain [Thursday],” he said.

Zerolo said the increase in shoppers in Deauville and the improvement of the French breed have gone hand-in-hand.

“The selection has become more drastic so the quality of horse has improved,” he pointed out. “The pedigrees have improved and the French breeders have made efforts with better stallions. You see a lot [of buyers] from Australia and New Zealand, and more Americans; way more Americans. There was a time when there were no Americans.”

Newsells Park Stud is a regular vendor at Arqana August, shipping yearlings across the English Channel to sell, and Newsells General Manager Julian Dollar echoed Zerolo’s sentiments.

“Everyone has been full flow; it’s felt busy in here,” he said. “We’re starting to get second looks, and it feels positive.”

While Newsells has plenty of opportunities to offer stock domestically, Dollar noted the operation has been lucky with horses sold at Arqana, its graduates including Group 1 winners Masked Marvel (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) and Gitano Hernando (GB) (Hernando {Fr}).

“We’ve always kept a presence here, even though it’s harder for our horses who aren’t qualified for the French premiums,” Dollar explained. “It’s been a good sale for us; the horses out of this sale have always run well.”

Dollar suggested buyers at Arqana may be more open-minded, and therefore it can be a good spot for an international pedigree in addition to well-bred fillies.

“I think it’s always a good sale for fillies, so we might pick a nice filly or two for this sale,” he said. “Also I think you tend to get more Australians and Americans here that come with an open mind, so for instance we have a nice Hard Spun filly (lot 43) who is doing really well so we brought her to France, and also a Harlan’s Holiday colt (lot 65). Harlan’s Holiday has a nice 3-year-old in France this year [Juddmonte’s Group 3-placed Inordinate] with Pascal Bary, who’s done well, so we thought we should bring him here as well.”

For the Arqana August catalogues, results and live-streaming, visit www.arqana.com.