By Kelsey Riley
Siyouni (Fr), Europe's leading second-crop sire, was the star of the show at the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale's cumulative session Monday, siring four of the top-five-priced foals, including a session-topping filly sold to Fairway Partners for €52,000.
Figures for the session remained largely on course from last year's. The clearance rate dropped marginally (1%) to 74%, and 200 horses changed hands for €2,237,900 (193 were sold for €2,203,500 on this day last year). The average was also down a tick (2%) to €11,190, while the median dipped 3% to €7,750. The cumulative clearance rate is up 1.3% to 78%, and the median is also slightly up (5.2%) at €20,000. The cumulative average is down 4.3% to €40,928, and thus far 577 horses have sold for €23,615,400, down 4% from this time last year.
The Siyouni filly (lot 559), a May foal from the Haras d'Engerville consignment, established the session-leading price early in the session when hammered down to Hubert Guy on behalf of the Fairway Partners, including Fairway Consignment principal Charles Briere, for €52,000.
“We were beaten several times yesterday so we stretched our budget a little for this filly,” said Guy. “We are this year again teaming up with Charles [Briere] to buy foals that will be re-offered as yearlings. We thought this one would make in the region of €40,000, but the sire is really on fire. We hope that she can make it to the Deauville August Sale.”
A daughter of Raven's Pass (lot 760) took second billing on the day among foals when selling to the Hayden Partners for €50,000 from La Motteraye consignment. A Siyouni colt (lot 622) purchased by Patrick Monfort proved the most expensive colt foal of the day at €46,000, and Siyouni was also responsible for a filly (lot 665) that cost Emerald Bloodstock €40,000.
Siyouni stood for €7,000 in 2014, when this foal crop was conceived. This year he stood for €20,000, and after siring this year's triple Group 1 winner Ervedya (Fr), he is up to €30,000 in 2016.
The session's joint-highest priced mares made €50,000. Lot 723, Picayune (Ger) (Manduro {Ger}), was sold to Kern Lillingston agency in foal to Linngari (Ire), while lot 754, the unraced 3-year-old filly Rima (Ire) (Marju {Ire}), sold to MAB Agency from the Aga Khan draft.
The final session of the Arqana December Yearling Sale, which has a strong National Hunt presence, begins Tuesday at 11 a.m. local time.
Americans Active In Deauville…
With the sale taking on a more local flavor on the final day of trade Tuesday, it is safe to reflect on the participation of Americans in Deauville at the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale. John and Leslie Malone's Bridlewood Farm made the greatest impact when purchasing the sale-topping mare Embellishment (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 177) for €900,000, however, they were far from the only active Americans. Agent Justin Casse signed for three horses for €170,000 (click here for feature); WinStar Farm bought the filly Pickaway (Ire) (lot 178) from the Wertheimer and Frere consignment for €285,000 through agent John McCormack; Gordian Troeller and Jim Cassidy bought the filly Amboseli (Medaglia d'Oro) (lot 8) for €70,000; Calumet Farm bought Noisy Feet (Tapit) (lot 214), in foal to Starspangledbanner (Aus), for €175,000 through agent Mick Flanagan; and also in attendance were the likes of Jacob West, making his first visit, and Steve Young, Simon Callaghan, Leonard Powell, Christophe Clement and Runnymede Farm principals, who were also selling.
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