Arqana

A son of Dubawi (Ire) (lot 292) went to Anthony Stroud on behalf of Godolphin for €2 million during the third and final session of the Arqana August Sale on Monday. He is the fourth seven-figure yearling of the three-day stand. Out of G3 Prix Minerve heroine Golden Valentine (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}), the bay colt was consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux. His second dam, G3 Prix Cleopatre victress Gold Round (Ire) (Caerleon), is responsible for no less than seven black-type horses, with four stakes winners to her credit. She is,...

A grey filly by Siyouni (Fr) made €1.4 million from Alex Solis and Jason Litt to become the second seven-figure lot at Arqana on Sunday and third overall. Lot 216, out of the Listed Prix de Saint-Cyr heroine Aviatress (Ire) (Shamardal), was consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux. The dam is a half-sister to GIII Seaway S. heroine Marbre Rose (Ire) (Smart Strike), as well as the stakes winner and dual graded-placed Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Under the third dam are the top-level winners Zoftig (Cozzene), Zo Impressive (Hard Spun) and...

By Emma Berry and Brian Sheerin DEAUVILLE, France--If two of the certainties in life are death and taxes, the third, in the world of bloodstock at least, is that if a yearling out of Starlet's Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) turns up at the Arqana August Sale then he or she will steal the limelight. This time it was a colt (lot 154), a full-brother to the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) no less, whose arrival in the ring...

by Emma Berry, Brian Sheerin & Sue Finley DEAUVILLE, France--A Shamardal colt with rarity value to add to his illustrious family ties was the sole millionaire yearling during the opening session of the Arqana August Sale when selling for €1.6 million from Gestut Ammerland to Godolphin. Bred by one of the most respected studs in Europe, the close relation to dual Classic winner and leading sire Lope De Vega (Ire) was the stand-out on a day which had a strong clearance rate for an elite sale of 84%, with the...

Flexjet, a private jet company, is the official partner of the Arqana August Sale which begins its three-day run in Deauville on Saturday. The private jet provider will offer a magnum of champagne to the buyers of every yearlings sold for €500,000 or more and to the top vendor of each day. In addition, the Flexjet team will be on hand throughout the sale to share a drink in Yard A or at the bar, Le 360.

  DEAUVILLE, France-There were times at Arqana on Friday when it felt as though navigating your way through the Champs-Elysees roundabout during rush hour would present a far more straightforward task than slaloming between the scores of yearlings around the sales complex on the eve of the August Sale. It was predictably busy at Barn B, where Felix Lepeudry of Elevage de Tourgeville, readied a six-strong draft to be inspected by two heavyweights from either corner of the globe underneath a clear blue sky and a welcome breeze. Getting their...

DEAUVILLE, France -- Haras de Beaufay is one of the new names on the list of consignors this August at Arqana and its debut draft of two yearlings is in line with the farm manager's ambition to take things "step by step" as the new team carves out a reputation in a competitive field. The stud, based near Gace in Normandy, was bought in 2016 by Czech breeder Jiri Travinicek, who set about turning it into a semi-commercial broodmare farm for his own mares and those owned by clients. Three...

This is the week where the first serious claims are staked for future bragging rights in the stallion ranks and the season's hopes and waffle that goes with first-season sires are cast aside as the market provides some shape and substance.  There seems to be a strong whiff of No Nay Never in the air after the devastatingly-good performance of Little Big Bear in Saturday's G1 Phoenix S. at the Curragh. This, of course, is great news for Coolmore as Ten Sovereigns (Ire), one of No Nay Never's best sons,...

Marc Chan and Andrew Rosen's 2-year-old filly Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}), making a swift return after running second in Newmarket's July 8 G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. last time, notched a landmark score in Saturday's G3 Princess Margaret Keeneland S. at Ascot to become her sire's first Northern Hemisphere pattern-race winner in the six-furlong dash. She had previously posted victories in a June 11 novices' heat over five furlongs at Bath and when upped to six furlongs for Newmarket's June 25 Listed Empress Fillies' S. in her penultimate start. Positioned...

Georgiana Cabrero's 6-year-old entire Riocorvo (Ger) (Pastorius {Ger}--Rio Cobra {Ger}, by Silvano {Ger}) was the only one of six contenders found wanting for black-type when sent postward for Wednesday's G3 Grand Prix de Vichy and upcycled his resume with a decisive success and career best in the 10-furlong test. He was let go as a 63-10 chance coming back off a May 15 handicap win at ParisLongchamp and a fourth in last month's Listed Grand Prix de Compiegne, on stakes bow last time, and raced three lengths off the clear...

Mark Johnston, one of the most successful trainers of the modern era in Britain, joined forces with his son Charlie last winter and things couldn't be going better for the father-and-son team in their first full season holding the licence together.     The Middleham team sent out 100 or more winners for 28 consecutive seasons and, with 94 winners already on the board this term, are sure to surpass that tally once again.      Interestingly, the Johnstons have sent out 26 juvenile winners this season, which is more than any...

Jaber Abullah's Alia's Rose (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Quanzhou {Fr}, by Dubawi {Ire}) was let go as a 33-5 chance for Sunday's Prix de la Butte Blanche, a maiden for unraced fillies, at Chantilly and returned to the winner's circle with a 'TDN Rising Star' tag after producing a breathtaking display from off the pace in the seven-furlong test. Racing at the tail of the field through halfway, she made smooth headway on the bridle out wide in the straight before quickening impressively for control approaching the final furlong and...