Stats Stay On Par At Arqana
A pair of youngsters shared top billing during the third session–and second day of Part II–of Arqana’s October Yearling Sale Thursday when selling for €70,000. The session experienced minor dips from the corresponding day last year. A total of 119 yearlings were sold for €2,880,000, compared to 117 sold for €2,981,000 12 months ago. The average dropped 5% to €24,202, while the median held steady at €20,000. The buyback rate was up marginally to 22.7%. Cumulative statistics show the sale continues to follow global trends in 2015 by being largely on par with last year. The overall median of €30,000 is down slightly from last year’s €30,500 at this point, while the cumulative average is down less than 1% to €41,149. The buyback rate has shown a 4% improvement at 20.9%.
The co-session toppers caused a flurry of activity when stepping into the ring just two lots apart. The first to appear was lot 423, an Irish-bred daughter of Speightstown out of the French stakes winner Pride Dancer (Ire) (Fasliyev). The bay, who is also from the family of Italian Group 1 winner Linngari, was picked up by agent Alain Decrion for €70,000 on behalf of owner Jean-Claude Seroul. Seroul’s Trixia (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) was in the spotlight Wednesday in Deauville when extending her unbeaten record to four in the G3 Prix des Reservoirs, and Seroul’s new filly will also go into training with Trixia’s trainer, Marseille-based Frederic Rossi.
“She is on the small side but with plenty of scope,” said Decrion of the filly consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux. “She is very well-bred, by a proven sire out of a good racemare, so she has a lot of things going for her. We mostly look for horses who can make good 2-year-olds.”
Two lots later, Chantilly trainer Eric Saint-Martin went to the same price for lot 425, a colt by Soldier Of Fortune (Ire) out of Princess Love (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}) who is a half-brother to a pair of stakes-placed winners.
“I thought I had the budget to buy two yearlings but I was beaten several times,” said Saint-Martin after seeing off the likes of Marc-Antoine Berghgracht, Francis Graffard and Guillermo Arizkorreta. “I’d rather focus on quality than quantity, so this one will probably end up being my sole purchase. I really fell in love with him; he is a very nice horse out of a mare who has done nothing wrong. He will carry the colors of Alaric de Murga, who has been a great supporter.”
First-crop sire and 10-time global Group 1 winner So You Think (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) also made his presence felt Thursday when a filly by the Coolmore resident fetched €68,000 from Paul Nataf. The bay (lot 443) is out of the stakes-placed Seal Bay (Ire) (Hernando {Fr}) and therefore a half-sister to the listed-winning Scalambra (Fr) (Nayef). Her third dam produced Classic winner Torrestrella, the dam of Group 3 winners Farmah and Intilaaq. Nataf revealed the filly was bought for owner Claudio Marzocco. “She is a strong filly who should develop into a nice 2-year-old,” he said. “She will be trained by Criquette Head.”
The final session of the Arqana October Yearling Sale takes place Friday.