The Deauville sales ring buzzed throughout the one-day Arqana v.2 Yearling Sale, which posted a turnover of €3,481,000, a 14% gain from last year. The average price set a new record in the sale’s four-year history at €39,897, up 17.6%. Remarkably, 30 horses sold for €50,000 or more against only 14 a year ago, which pushed the median price up 13% from €30,000 to €34,000.
Three yearlings commanded six-figure prices, headed by two sons of Haras de Bonneval’s Siyouni, now a proven source of juvenile talent. Thierry de la Héronnière's Haras d'Ellon led through the ring a colt out of the winning juvenile Ponte Di Legno (lot 440, pictured). The latter is a daughter of Porlezza, winner of three Group races including the Gr.1 Prix Maurice de Gheest for Deauville trainer Yves de Nicolay, and dam of the black type juveniles Pontenuovo and Ponte Vespucci. Roger Marley signed the docket under the name of Margaret O'Toole and explained: “We have two Siyounis at home and love them. This one was my pick of the catalogue, he is a handsome individual with a great page and will be re-offered here at one of the breeze up sales. We paid a bit more than we intended but we really wanted to buy this horse.”
Lot 478 from the draft of Haras d'Etreham was the second Siyouni colt of the afternoon to break the six-figure barrier at €105,000 when selling to Jim McCartan. He is a half-brother to the four-time winner and Listed 4th Zadrak and hails from the Aga Khan family of Gr.1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Zalaiyka. His price tag provided a hefty pinhooking profit on the €37,000 paid by BB Ltd at last year's ARQANA Breeding Stock sale. “He is a beautiful colt with an exceptional walk,” commented the agent. “I am a big fan of the sire. He will probably be sent to Ireland first to be prepped for the breeze ups.”
A colt from the first crop of dual Group 1 winner Declaration Of War (lot 463), who started his career in the care of Jean-Claude Rouget before switching to Aidan O'Brien as a three-year-old, was the trainer's pick of the v.2 Yearling Sale catalogue. The current runaway leader on the French trainers’ leader board forked out €100,000 for the Haras des Capucines offering. He is the second foal out of the winning mare Super Pie and the first, a three-year-old colt by Makfi, has already won four races. The second dam Super Lina was placed at Listed and Group level, and this is the family of Group 1 winners Steinlen and Stacelita. “I know the sire well as I trained him,” commented Rouget. “This colt was top of my list and I am delighted to have him. Now we'll wait and see what the future holds.”
French-based stallions with strong credentials to produce two-year-old winners dominated the market. Siyouni, already the sire of leading v.2 Yearling Sale graduate TRIXIA, the French champion juvenile of 2015 and winner of the Gr.3 Prix de Lieurey two days ago, led the standings with 7 yearlings sold for €503,000. Next on the leader board are three first-season sires who all won at Listed or Group level as juveniles: Penny’s Picnic, whose six yearlings to sell recorded a €42,167 average price, over 14 times his 2014 stud fee, Dabirsim and Style Vendome. Fifth on the list is Kendargent, also a consistent producer of black type juveniles.
The v.2 Yearling Sale-Beachcomber Hotels Challenge will have new rules for 2017 with the winner set to be the first two-year-old black type winner to have graduated from the auction. Currently in the lead for the 2016 challenge is Middleham Park Racing’s CLEM FANDANGO, a €11,000 buy at last year’s sale and 3rd in Lady Aurelia’s Gr.2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot. She runs in the Gr.2 Lowther Stakes at York tomorrow.
After the last fall of the hammer, Arqana president Eric Hoyeau commented: “It is an extremely pleasing renewal of the v.2 Yearling Sale, which has now fully asserted its ability to produce two-year-old winners at a high level. This year’s yearlings were the first to have been conceived with the v.2 sale in mind and we are thrilled to see the breeders so handsomely rewarded.”
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