For many years the sales pavilion hadn't been so packed for the opening day of the Breeding Stock Sale, featuring Part I of the catalogue.
An outstanding collection of fillies, broodmares and foals had driven investors from all over the globe to the seaside resort of Deauville, and they locked horns throughout the day with the leading French breeders.
Despite a slightly smaller catalogue, a steep
increase in the average price (+21%) led the daily aggregate to
finish €1 million clear of last year's record-breaking total, which was up 48%
on 2016.
Three fillies – two of racing age and one foal – commanded seven-figure prices
and no less than 9 were knocked down for €500,000 or more. They were only three
a year ago.
At the close of a frantic day, ARQANA CEO Eric Hoyeau commented: "Coming into the sale, we felt
confident that we were offering a quality array of fillies, broodmares and
foals, and for them to have met the market's requirements is a source of
immense satisfaction. Trade was very strong from beginning to end courtesy of a
diversity of purchasers from Japan, America, Australia, the whole of Europe as
well as France. This is a great message of optimism for everyone in the
industry and we wish all buyers the very best of success on the track and in the
sales ring. As ever we are grateful to the vendors, who placed their faith in
our capacity to sell their best stock and brought some stunning individuals to
the ring. The results are above all a credit to them, as well as to the hard
work put in by the entire team at ARQANA. We all work tirelessly to convince
vendors, attract buyers and offer them the best possible service – from hotel
bookings to ground maintenance and general logistics. It takes a team effort
and it is a great feeling when it all comes to fruition."
Japan bound Gr.1 winner
LILY'S CANDLE sets new top price at €1.1M
Two-year-old filly LILY'S
CANDLE (lot 160) made the headlines on Arc weekend when she
inaugurated the colours of American owner Martin Schwartz, who had paid
€390,000 for her the night before at the Arc Sale, with a breathtaking victory
in the Gr.1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac.
Hardly a couple of months later, she was
back in the spotlight as part of the Haras des Capucines draft and fell to the
sale-topping bid of Emmanuel de Seroux acting on behalf of Katsumi Yoshida's
Northern Farm.
Her page had benefitted from a tremendous update in between, as her close
relative LYS GRACIEUX, took the Queen Elizabeth II Cup Gr.1 at Kyoto.
"No decision has been made yet regarding whether she will stay in training or go straight to Japan," said de Seroux. "Katsumi loves the family. We bought Liliside here a few years ago and she has now produced Lys Gracieux, and obviously Lily's Candle won the Marcel Boussac so she really is everything we're looking for."
Bozo
& O'Connor partner on €1 million 2yo filly SOLAGE
Daughters of Galileo proved one the hottest commodities of the day and the
once-raced SOLAGE (lot 148) made no exception when selling for a round million
to the bid of Ghislain Bozo and John O'Connor. The half-sister to Gr.3
performer NORMANDY EAGLE is out of a half-sister to PLUMANIA, a Gr.1 winner in
the Wertheimer colours, from the family of fellow Gr.1 winners LEFT HAND, GROOM
DANCER, FALCO and ABSOLUTELY in Australia.
That page coupled with a faultless
conformation justified a €700,000 price tag as a yearling and the Nicolas
Clément trainee added to her credentials with an eye-catching debut effort when
second to MERIMBULA in the coveted Prix de la Chapelle at ParisLongchamp.
"We have bought her in
partnership with Ecurie des Charmes," commented Ballylinch Stud manager John
O'Connor. "We have been buying and breeding a few mares together for a few
years now and this one really is the type of inviduals we are looking for. She
was an expensive yearling and showed a lot of promise as a juvenile so the hope
is that she can build up on her debut as a three-year-old. It takes a bit of
optimism but this is what drives us forward! No plans have been made yet as to
where she will be trained."
Dubawi filly foal from
Gr.1 winner Just The Judge secured by Godolphin
The first foal out of dual Gr.1 winner Just The Judge, a colt by Dubawi, topped
this year's August Yearling Sale at €1.4 million when offered by La Motteraye
Consignment on behalf of co-breeders Qatar Racing and China Horse Club, and his
full sister (lot 175) all but matched that price tag when commanding €1 million
a record price for a foal at ARQANA. Anthony Stroud signed the docket for the
February-born filly and commented:
"What can you say - there's everything to like about her. She is a beautiful filly with a gorgeous page and has as much potential on the track as in the paddock in the longer term. She will go to the UK and ultimately be trained by one of Godolphin's trainers."
Arqana Release
