Arqana

It's been the best part of three decades since Culture Vulture (Timeless Moment) strutted her stuff at the top table in Chris Wright's blue-and-yellow silks and the music supremo has found a jewel to match that luminary's achievements after David Menuisier incumbent Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) backed up a career best in ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix de Royallieu earlier this month with a game victory in Saturday's G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares S. at Ascot. The bay sophomore was in receipt of a six-pound pull from her...

Arqana has published the catalogues for its Autumn Sale, which will be held in two stages next month. The first catalogue comprises 254 flat-bred yearlings which will go under the hammer on Nov. 14. This catalogue has been organized in partnership with Osarus, which opted to cancel its traditional September Yearling Sale in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and re-route its entries to this sale and Arqana's October Yearling Sale. Following a two-day break for inspections, 200 flat and National Hunt horses in training will be offered on Nov. 16....

Plainchant (Fr) (Gregorian {Ire}), who registered a May 17 debut third tackling five furlongs at La Teste de Buch, broke through over six furlongs back there in June and followed up with a first black-type score there once more in the July 26 Listed Criterium du Bequet. Narrowly defeated over six in Deauville's Aug. 22 G3 Prix du Calvados, she returned with a five-length triumph in Chantilly's Sept. 18 G3 Prix Eclipse and returned to that Paris venue to make all for a career high in Saturday's G2 Criterium de...

Arqana has awarded Lena Goedde with first prize of €500 for the best turned out horse at last week's The Arc Sale. Goedde looked after Virginia Joy (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) on behalf of Gestut Auenquelle. Laura Delage, who earned €350 as the runner-up, was responsible for Dick Whittington (Fr) (War Command) for Yann Barberot's Stable, while Lea Winzenrieth came in third, collecting €150 for Hercule Point (Ire) (Network {Fr}). All horses were inspected at the sale and a jury rated the quality of their presentation according to the following...

The Arc Promise, a new fundraising initiative based on the "Breeders' Cup Pledge, was launched by Au-Dela des Pistes ahead of Arc weeekend. After the results were tabulated, over €60,000 was raised by the connections of every runner that opted to donate a fraction of their earnings in the event of a win or place by their horse(s). The donations will go toward racehorses retired due to injury that need additional support before they can be retrained. Ecurie des Monceaux donated 30% of its breeders' premiums, which resulted in a...

A yearling filly by Sea The Stars (Ire) is a late addition to the Arqana October Yearling Sale Part I on Oct. 19-23. Offered by Haras d'Etreham as lot 110bis, she is out of Scandinavian champion Matauri Pearl (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}), herself a full-sister to MGSW & MG1SP Wekeela (Fr) (Hurricane Run {Ire}). In the extended family is MG1SW and star sire Monsun (Ger) (Konigsstuhl {Ger}), as well as dual Classic hero Brametot (Ire) (Rajsaman {Fr}). The five-day sale will see 785 yearlings go under the hammer at Deauville.

There as a slow-motion finish to the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines on Sunday, where Al Shaqab Racing's 3-year-old Wooded (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) gave his all to prevail in a drawn-out finale. Missing the kick a touch but able to grab the rail under Pierre-Charles Boudot, the 13-2 shot who had captured the six-furlong G3 Prix Texanita at Chantilly May 13 was marginally ahead passing the two-furlong marker. After seeing off his close companion Liberty Beach (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}), the lightly-raced bay hit the line a...

It was a home success in Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe as Peter Brant's Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) realised his owner's longtime dream when providing him and Jean-Claude Rouget with a first renewal of the showpiece as Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) failed to fire in sixth. Third in 2019, last year's G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero--who holds the record time in that Classic since the race was shortened to 10 1/2 furlongs in 2005--had stayed slightly under the radar as he was geared towards his second...

Arqana staged its annual boutique Arc Sale of horses in training at Saint-Cloud Racecourse on Saturday evening following a day's racing at ParisLongchamp, and it was a current star of the German turf that proved the breakout horse, with Virginia Joy (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) (lot 24) selling to Michel Zerolo's Oceanic Bloodstock for €975,000. Having raced thus far as a homebred for Gestut Auenquelle, Virginia Joy won the July 12 G3 Mehl-Mulhens-Trophy by a head before finishing third, beaten three-quarters of a length, in the G1 Preis Der Diana...

Following an action-packed card at ParisLongchamp on Saturday, proceedings will move just a short jaunt down the road to Saint-Cloud Racecourse, where Arqana stages its annual Arc Sale of horses-in-training. The sale that has become a source of future quality performers for buyers from all over the globe will see 21 offerings go under the hammer on Saturday evening, with buyers even having a chance to secure a runner for Sunday's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. That is outsider Chachnak (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) (lot 21), who has won twice...

Two wildcards have been added to the Arqana Arc Sale on Oct. 3 at Saint-Cloud, bringing the catalogue up to 28. Nat King (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) is a 3-year-old entire who was placed twice at Deauville this summer before winning a mile turf handicap at Chantilly on Sept. 18 for trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias. He was also a winner last year at two, and will be offered as lot 27. The 4-year-old Deacon (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is being offered as lot 28 by Christopher Head's stable. The 4-year-old gelding has won...

Three 3-year-olds have been added as wildcards to the Oct. 3 Arqana Arc Sale at Saint-Cloud Racecourse. Gestut Auenquelle homebred Virginia Joy (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) is among the best of her generation in Germany, having won the G3 Mehl-Mulhens-Trophy in July before placing in both the G1 Preis der Diana and G2 T von Zastrow Stutenpreis. She will be offered as lot 24. Yann Barberot offers his 3-year-old colt Step By Step (Fr) (Sidestep {Aus}) (lot 25), a listed winner in June going 2400 metres and most recently second...