News Strong international market on Day 1 of Arqana August Yearling Sale

Strong international market on Day 1 of Arqana August Yearling Sale

breeding

The opening night of the 2016 August Yearling Sale saw some solid trade from a broad variety of international buyers, with several newcomers making their presence felt on the Deauville market. 83% of the 91 yearlings on offer changed hands, a clearance rate up almost 12 points from last year’s initial session. Turnover was also significantly up at €14,116,000 (+19%), yet the average dipped slightly at €185,737 (-3%).

Yearlings from the second crop of Juddmonte’s Frankel, whose two-year-olds have been registering jaw-dropping statistics since the start of the flat season, were in high demand and the leading offering on day 1 was an offspring of the Banstead Manor Stud resident who sold to Shadwell for €850,000. Angus Gold had to outbid a determined Jean-Jacques Taïeb (racing manager for HSpirit) to secure lot 92 (pictured), a chesnut colt out of the Fasliyev mare Pertinence, who has already produced the dual Listed winner LA PEINTURE, who sadly died before displaying her full potential. This is the family of PEINTRE CELEBRE. “Sheikh Hamdan liked the colt very much and we are very pleased to have him. Frankel has a truly outstanding success with his first crop. This is a very athletic and elegant colt who uses himself well. Moreover, he was consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux who do a tremendous job. We have been very lucky with the horses we bought from them.”

Champion miler CHARM SPIRIT (lot 44) was a €140,000 graduate of the ARQANA October Yearling Sale and now stands at Haras de Bonneval following two seasons at Tweenhills Stud. His full brother commanded more than four times that price at €650,000 on a bid from Sheikh Fahad Al Thani, standing alongside Hannah Wall of David Redvers Bloodstock. The son of Invincible Spirit “He is a very impressive individual, commented Hannah Wall. We loved him at the farm and were even more impressed when we saw him again today. No trainer has been decided yet.” Sheikh Fahad Al Thani concurred: “He is even nicer than his
brother and I hope that he will be as good!”

Laurent Benoît of Broadhurst Agency had to go to €600,000 to secure a Dark Angel filly from Haras de la Louvière (lot 49), out of a half-sister to the Classic winners Latice and Lawman. The Cape Cross mare Larceny remained unraced but she has already produced the Gr.2 Ribblesdale Stakes 3rd THE BLACK PRINCESS. “She will go to André Fabre for an undisclosed client,” commented the agent. “This is one of the great families from La Louvière and the dam seems to produce well.”

An athletic colt by Invincible Spirit (lot 59), the second foal out of the Gr.3 victrix Marvada, sold to M.V. Magnier for €475,000. The Grove Stud offering is from the family of last year’s Italian Classic winner Sound Of Freedom and Gr.1 Prix Morny hero Chargé d’Affaires.

Earlier in the session, the first lot to break the €400,000 mark was a full brother to the European Champion sprinter of 2014 and now Kildangan Stud resident, SLADE POWER (lot 22). The chesnut son of Dutch Art went the way of the Kong Kong Jockey Club for €450,000.

Lot 57, like the sale-topper a son of Frankel offered by Ecurie des Monceaux, became the first horse ever purchased in France by the Zayat family after Justin Casse signed the docket at €410,000. The grey is a half-brother to MARBRE ROSE, a Grade 3 winner in the States, out of an Unbridled’s Song mare.

The sale continues today from 5:00pm

Photo ©ZuzannaLupa