Arqana

In March and April, the bloodstock sales world stood on the precipice, or so it seemed, as the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale--the first major international auction to confront the social upheaval of COVID-19--was put under severe pressure. In the event, team Inglis rose to the challenge and showed a potential way forward for other sales houses with its innovative virtual sale. It didn't, however, escape completely unscathed, and trepidation remained high for those with horses to sell all over the Northern Hemisphere. Six months on, we can now report that...

Debut winner Hashtag Pretender (Fr) (Great Pretender {Ire}) (lot 462) has been added to the Arqana Autumn Sale. The 3-year-old jumper is joined by G2 Prix Chaudenay third Iskanderhon (Exchange Rate) as lot 420. The latter finished second in the Listed Prix du Grand Camp on Nov. 9. The Arqana Autumn Sale is slated for Nov. 16-18, with the National Hunt Breeding Stock Sale tacked on at the end, Nov. 19.

Five horses have been added to the Arqana Autumn Sale as wild cards. Four horses-jumpers Garkapstar (Fr) (Kapgarde {Fr}) (lot 439), Get Vingt Sept (Fr) (Rail Link {GB}) (lot 460), and Hawai Game (Fr) (Diamond Boy {Fr}) (lot 461); as well as the Flat SP Argyron (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) (lot 410); will sell on Nov. 16. Rounding out the fivesome is a half-brother to Grade 1-placed Theleme (Fr) (Sidestep {Aus}) named Kloth of Utopia (Fr) as lot 910. The weanling colt is by Cloth of Stars (Ire) and will go...

The Dec. 5-8 Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale's catalogue is now online. A total of 841 mares, fillies and foals will go through the ring in early December, with sessions beginning at 10 a.m. each day. Highlighting the sale are 53 half-sisters to Group 1 winners. Leading the way is G1 Preis Von Europa heroine Donjah (Ger) (Teofilo {Ire}) (lot 182), who will start in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Keeneland. The filly is consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux. Monceaux also offers Anabasis (Ger) (High Chaparral {Ire}) (lot 164)...

Six stallion shares and breeding rights were available during the Arqana Online sale on Wednesday, and the top lot was a 1/50th share of European highweight Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) that went for €310,000. The share, lot 6, was purchased by Elwick Stud and allows two nominations annually. The Haras d'Etreham resident, whose oldest foals are yearlings, sits second by average on the TDN European First-Crop Sires Sales Statistics page, with 14 yearlings sold for an average of $119,463. A breeding right in leading first-season sire Mehmas (Ire) (Acclamation...

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the National Hunt foals, fillies and broodmares that usually sell at the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale will now have their own separate session on Nov. 19, and the catalogue is now available. Selling that day are 161 horses after three days of National Hunt horses-in-training, 2-year-old stores, and NH yearlings on Nov. 16-18. There will also be a 23-lot dispersal of Haras de la Croix Sonnet among the breeding stock. Online bidding will be available at www.arqanaonline.com.

Arqana has reached an agreement with local authorities that will allow its Autumn Sale to take place on its original dates later this month despite the national lockdown in France. Access to the sales complex will be restricted to those attending in a professional capacity, and the sale will take place entirely outdoors in the ring in the main yard. Inspections will begin on Nov. 13 and the sale will begin the following day with a flat-bred yearling session. After a day's break, horses in training will be sold on...

Arqana announced six shares and breeding rights to top European stallions will be offered during an online auction at www.arqanaonline. Bidding is scheduled to commence Wednesday, Nov. 4 at noon (12:00p.m.) and conclude at 6:00 p.m. (local time). The lots on offer are: Lot 1: a share (1/50th) in Siyouni (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}) - The share gives right to one nomination every year, plus one extra nomination in 2022 and then every other year. The Aga Khan Studs' sire currently sits in second position on the European stallion rankings by...

Following the news that French President Emmanuel Macron is tightening COVID-19 restrictions, Arqana announced they are considering several options for their remaining 2020 sales. A decision on new sale dates and formats will be made early next week. "We spoke with the local authorities this morning and received confirmation that the upcoming sales will have to follow a different organization from the one in place at the recent October Yearling Sale," said Arqana CEO Eric Hoyeau. "Several alternative options remain on the table and we are working hard to review...

France extended its curfew measures from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. to other parts of the country, including Deauville, for the next six weeks on Thursday, with another two week extension a possibility as COVID-19 cases increase. The curfew will not affect the Arqana Autumn Sales with Flat yearlings Nov. 14 and Nov. 16-18 with horses-in-training, stores and NH-bred yearlings. However, the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale, which normally features a mix of Flat and National Hunt breeding prospects, broodmares and foals, has been retooled, as its sessions normally finish...

Haras de la Gousserie's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac placegetter Rougir (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) displayed no ill effects after her effort tackling ParisLongchamp's one-mile strip earlier in the month and knuckled down to register a first stakes success in Tuesday's G3 Prix des Reservoirs over the same distance at Deauville. The Cedric Rossi trainee had opened up with victories over seven furlongs at Chantilly and Saint-Cloud before dropping to fifth in the Aug. 1 G3 Prix Six Perfections and then running third in a Sept. 1 Lyon-Parilly conditions heat in her...

Ecurie des Monceaux's Siyouni (Fr) colt (lot 157) out of the beautifully bred young mare Prudente (Fr) (Dansili {GB}) became the highest-priced yearling sold during the first of five days of the Arqana October yearling sale on Monday when knocked down to Al Shaqab Racing for €525,000. The colt is the second foal out of the mare, who is a winning full-sister to Prudenzia (Ire), the dam of Group 1 winners Magic Wand (Ire) and Chicquita (Ire), as well as stakes producer Pacifique (Ire). Prudente's first foal, a Galileo (Ire)...