By Emma Berry
A dispersal or two can provide a huge fillip for a mixed winter auction, as was the case in Deauville on Tuesday when the February Sale got off to a particularly lively start for the time of year. The day's takings were more than €1 million beyond the aggregate for the whole sale last year, with a sale record of €3,927,500 accrued from the exchange of 174 horses at a clearance rate of 87%. That represented a 310% increase in turnover from the same session last year, with the average of €22,572 up by 230%. The median improved from €4,000 to €6,750.
The renowned owner-breeder Marquesa de Moratalla, who enjoyed top-level success on the Flat with her Prix du Jockey Club winner Tin Horse (Ire) (Sakhee) and over jumps as the owner of Cheltenham Gold Cup winner The Fellow (Fr) (Italic {Fr}), died just over a year ago and the sale of her breeding stock added more than a little sparkle to Arqana's opening sale of the year.
Leading the first of two sessions was Graciously (GB) (Lot 119), an 8-year-old daughter of Shamardal who claimed three victories on the racecourse herself and notably is a half-sister to the G1 Falmouth S. winner Giofra (Fr) (Dansili {GB}). Having brought the hammer down for another Arqana February record of €500,000, Graciously, who is in foal to Invincible Spirit (Ire), will travel to Larissa Kneip's Haras de Saint Arnoult where she is to be covered by new resident stallion, the multiple group winner Dschingis Secret (Ger).
“I'm still in shock,” said Kneip after signing under her Artemis Bloodstock banner. “I bought her for the owner of Dschingis Secret, Horst Pudwill, who was looking for a top mare to support his stallion. He will send him 25 mares, including seven that I bought for him at Arqana in December. Graciously has all the qualities that we are looking for and her damline will cross very well with Dschingis Secret. Her Invincible Spirit foal will be offered for sale and we hope that it can repay part of the amount spent on this purchase.”
Another from the same dispersal, handled by the Channel Consignment, took the second-top spot of the day. Lot 64, the 4-year-old Recover Me (Fr) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) brought a bid of €210,000 from Jean-Pierre Dubois acting on behalf of Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock. A winner at three, the daughter of the dual-winning Marie Rossa (GB) (Testa Rossa {Fr}) will now switch to the Pau stable of Jean-Claude Rouget having been trained up to now by Alain de Royer Dupre. Her new owner has not yet been disclosed.
The sale also featured the continuation of the dispersal of the stock of Issam Fares through his Haras de Manneville. One family in particular played a dominant role when 2-year-old and yearling fillies out of the G2 Prix de Pomone winner Baino Hope (Fr) (Jeremy {Ire}) sold for €190,000 and €160,000 as consecutive lots.
The 2-year-old (Lot 96), named Bainoland (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) was the more expensive of the two and is listed as in training with Jean-Claude Rouget, who bought her for an unnamed partnership. She had followed her Camelot (GB) yearling half-sister into the ring (lot 95), who was bought by Eric Puerari.
He said, “She has a lot of quality about her and I am very fond of Camelot. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to buy such a quality filly. She's been bought with a group of friends and will be reoffered later in the year.”
Just a handful of lots later another yearling out of Baino Hope's half-sister Baino Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and by the ever-popular Siyouni (Fr) also reached the €160,000 mark. Her buyer Anna Sundstrom has already had significant sales-ring success with a subsequent multiple Group 1-winning daughter of Siyouni and she plans to offer this filly later in the year for the High Valley Equine syndicate, with which she is associated.
“She is a carbon copy of Laurens (Fr),” said Sundstrom. “She has the same walk and the same character. When I saw her yesterday I knew she was the one.”
Baino Rock was herself a four-time winner, with those victories including the listed Prix Charles Laffitte. Her first foal, a 3-year-old brother to the yearling, is named Global Rock (Fr) and is in training in Newmarket with Ed Dunlop for Dr Johnny Hon.
The Rouget-trained Out Of Town (Fr) (Lot 76), a 4-year-old daughter of Kentucky Dynamite who won at two and was runner-up in the listed Derby du Languedoc for Issam Fares, was bought by Sarona Farm for €95,000. The same price was also given by Laurent Benoit of Broadhurst Agency for another of the Marquesa de Moratalla's mares, the 13-year-old Wilside (Ire) Verglas {Ire}), a Group 3 winner in her racing days who has produced the listed-placed treble winner Sarigan (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and was offered in foal to Wootton Bassett (GB) as lot 122.
Haras de Manneville was the leading vendor of the day, with 42 horses of varying ages sold for a total of €1,651,000. The Channel Consignment was next on the table with 16 sold for €1,268,000.
The final session of the February Sale begins on Wednesday at 10am local time.
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