Arqana

A one-fiftieth share in top French sire Le Havre (Ire) (Noverre) brought €300,000 during Wednesday's Arqana Online auction. The winning bid was made by Montfort et Preaux acting as agent. Beginning at 11 a.m. this morning, the auction attracted 10 bids between five different entities, and ended at approximately 6:17 p.m. The sire of dual Classic heroines La Cressonniere (Fr) and Avenir Certain (Fr), Le Havre is credited with 34 black-type winners, 12 at the group level. In addition to his Classic winners, he has also sired fellow Group 1...

A share in leading French sire Le Havre (Ire) will be offered via Arqana Online on Mar. 11. It is just the third time that a share in the Montfort et Preaux resident has come up for sale. The 14-year-old Le Havre has provided 33 stakes winners headed by dual Classic-winning fillies La Cressonniere (Fr) and Avenir Certain (Fr), as well as GI Shadwell Turf Mile winner Suedois (Fr) and G1 Prix de l'Opera victress Villa Marina (Fr). He has 16 3-year-olds entered in this year's Classics and his 51...

Arqana has signed on as the sponsor of Naas's new listed race for 2-year-old fillies, the Listed Arqana Irish EBF Marwell S., which will be contested over five furlongs on July 22. Eamonn McEvoy, general manager of Naas Racecourse, said, "We are absolutely delighted to associate our new race, The Marwell S., with a company such as Arqana. Arqana are a world-class company and have a phenomenal record in selling top bloodstock in France that go on to international success. The world-renowned Deauville yearling sale is in August so the...

Gerardo Torres will succeed Jaime Parejo as Arqana's Spanish representative. A sports journalist for 20 years, Torres was appointed director of racing at the Hippodrome de la Zarzuela in Madrid in 2012 and was on the Spanish Jockey Club Committee from 2015 to 2018. Torres campaigned Spanish Classic performer Ariete Arrollador and bred Spanish Oaks winners Opikkopi and Noctalia. "Spain is a nation of top-level sportsmen and aficionados," said Arqana President Eric Hoyeau. "Their racing history has always been full of twists and turns over the years, so it was...

The wraps have already been lifted from Tattersalls and Goffs and this week it is the turn of Arqana to host its mixed February Sale to start the auction year rolling in Deauville. The 'something for everyone' nature of these sales is always a draw even in the depths of winter, and though this lower-key debut will have none of the glitz and glamour of the August Sale, history relates that there are always gems to be found. Of course only time will tell whether any of the 431 lots...

One fiftieth of National Hunt stallion No Risk At All (Fr) (My Risk {Fr}) (lot 217 ter) and 11 supplements brings the total lots to go under the hammer at the Arqana February Mixed Sale to 442. Held on Feb. 11-12, the sale consists of 105 horses-in-training, 25 2-year-olds, 175 broodmares, 62 fillies and 75 yearlings. Among the supplementary lots is Eau Vive (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) (lot 76 bis). Consigned by HSV Agency, she is out of a SP half-sister to National Defense (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Another new addition...

Arqana has released the catalogue for its February Mixed Sale, which runs Feb. 11 and 12 and features 431 broodmares, fillies, horses in training, yearlings and 2-year-olds from both the flat and National Hunt realms. Horses in training will kick off the sale, and highlights of that section include Agnes (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) (lot 25), a listed-placed 4-year-old filly with a rating of 93 whose third dam is the great mare Fall Aspen; and Made To Lead (Fr) (Linngari {Ire}) (lot 77), a 5-year-old filly who was stakes-placed last season...

Heightened awareness of animal welfare causes and the plight of retired racehorses over the past 30 years has dramatically changed the landscape in Thoroughbred aftercare and it continues to evolve as more racing jurisdictions recognize the need for institutional aftercare funding. Organizations forming now to provide safe and meaningful retirement for Thoroughbreds have the benefit of an enlightened racing and breeding industry. In the past, the road to establishing necessary partnerships with racing and breeding organizations was often a dead-end. Now, the path is much more direct. For Au-Delà des...

Natagora (Fr) (Divine Light {Jpn}-Reinamixa {Fr}, by Linamix {Fr}), winner of the 2008 G1 1000 Guineas for owner Stefan Friborg and trainer Pascal Bary, has died at Shadwell Stud aged 14, according to Racing Post. A €30,000 Arqana October yearling purchase by Patrick Barbe, Natagora was never worse than second in seven starts at two and posted five wins, including the G1 Cheveley Park S., G2 Prix Robert Papin and G3 Prix du Bois. She won the 1000 Guineas by a half-length under Christophe Lemaire and while she wouldn't visit...