High Hopes For Capucines Draft At Arqana

Haras des Capucines was founded in 1994 by Eric Puerari and Michel Zérolo. Based on 200 hectares near the village of Nonant-Le-Pin in the Orme region of Normandy, it has become established as a leading breeder and consignor in France and is regularly among the top three vendors at Arqana's August Yearling Sale. Around 60 mares are boarded at Haras des Capucines, including some owned by prominent international breeders such as Martin Schwartz, Peter Brant, and OTI Management. Puerari and Zérolo hold shares in around 25 of the mares on site. Capucines-bred Group 1 winners include 2012 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Zagora (Fr) (Green Tune), 2013 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Flotilla (Fr) (Mizzen Mast {Fr}), and 2016 Prix Saint-Alary winner Jemayel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). As consignors, they notably sold 2018 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Olmedo (Fr) (Declaration Of War) at the Arqana V2 Yearling Sale in 2016.

TDN visited Haras des Capucines to hear from Eric Puerari about the farm's approach, its yearling draft and his assessment of the French bloodstock market.

TDN: How did Haras des Capucines come to be?

Eric Puerari: My father bred horses and we would attend the races and sales together, so I got the bug young. I studied economics, then did some spells with three trainers, before working as a bloodstock agent. As I got older, I decided to do something more stable, so I founded Haras des Capucines in 1994 with my business partner Michel Zérolo, who is a bloodstock agent based in America. Michel is in charge of the commercial relationships with clients.

We had good success from the beginning because one of the first horses I bred was Winged Love (Ire) (In The Wings {GB}), who won the Irish Derby in 1995. So that gave me some optimism to carry on. Our neighbours Haras de Montaigu bred last year's Epsom Derby winner Wings of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}) and another neighbour Haras de Nonant-Le-Pin bred 2012 French Derby winner Saônois (Fr) (Chichicastenango {Fr}) as well. So we are surrounded by people who can breed the very best horses and we've thankfully managed to breed a few good ones as well.

TDN: Is there a particular 'type' you aim to produce? Precocious, speed, Classic, commercial, etc.

EP: I like Classic families, but I also like mares who have a good race record. Sometimes it's very expensive to have both, so you have to make a choice. I can't say we try to breed especially precocious horses. We tend to go to very good milers like Kingman (GB) or Charm Spirit (Ire). Or sometimes milers that can extend to stay a mile and a quarter like Lope De Vega (Ire). Another priority is to produce horses who can run at two, but have a capacity to develop longer-term and keep performing at three and beyond.

TDN: How important is the Arqana August Sale to Haras des Capucines? What successes have you had there?

EP: It is very important. To start with it is the French breeding industry's window on the world, because everybody comes to Deauville in August. If you have a good consignment then it gets noticed, so we always do our best to offer our highest quality yearlings there. It's important also for our clients because it's the sale where we have the best chance of achieving the prices we would like. You need to have a very mature horse to have success there. We have been lucky to have many good years at Arqana August Sale. We are regularly in the top three as vendors. One that really stands out for me is 2018 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Olmedo (FR), who was actually sold at the V2 Sale in 2016. He went for a very reasonable €100,000 and has become a Classic winner.

TDN: How does your 2018 Arqana August draft compare to previous years?

EP: We are very happy with our consignment. Physically, they have come along really well and I think we have the right stallions. We're selling two Golden Horn (GB) fillies (lot 114 and 134), one Kingman colt (lot 99), four by Wootton Bassett (GB) (lots 13, 177, 258, and 450), plus stock by other headline stallions such as Siyouni (Fr) (lot 36, and 407), Sea The Stars (Ire) (lot 91), Galileo (Ire) (lot 51), and Australia (GB) (lot 28). We do have a number of young mares represented, who are having their first or second foal, so they haven't totally confirmed their quality, but they are all well-bred and promising. This year's preparation was quite easy because we had a good spring and breeders that have brought us some horses to prepare have brought them in top condition.

TDN: What Arqana August yearlings do you have by first-crop sires?

EP: We don't have many by first-crop sires this year. Just the two fillies by Golden Horn, who have both clearly been stamped by their sire. And they are both very good walkers, so I have a good impression of the stallion. I also have one Night of Thunder (Ire), who is impressive physically and from a good Aga Khan family.

TDN: Any standouts among this year's yearlings?

EP: We have a spectacular colt by Kingman (GB). He is from a great family, related to The Gurkha (Ire). He's out of Clamina (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), who is a half-sister to two-time Group 1 winner Silasol (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}). So if he's good then he has a stallion's pedigree. We have already had a lot of interest in this colt because Kingman is very hot. His stock normally have quite a bit of leg, but this one is closer to the ground and shows more Green Desert. So he looks quite precocious.

We also have a lovely filly by Siyouni (Fr). She is out of Sivoliere (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was a stakes-performer at two and has an impressive American family. Sivoliere is probably the fastest Sea The Stars we have yet seen and has Classic American blood on the damside. On top of this she is outstanding physically so we think she deserves a lot of attention from buyers.

Another nice filly we have is by Dark Angel (Ire) out of Foreign Legionary (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (Lot 115). Her dam is a half-sister to Alexander Goldrun (Ire) (Gold Away {Ire}), who was really a champion. Mantastic (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), the first foal out of Foreign Legionary, won brilliantly in Australia last month. Last year we sold a very nice Lope De Vega (Ire) filly out of Foreign Legionary at the Arqana Yearling Sale for €380,000, so we have high hopes once again.

TDN: How do you assess the strength of the French breeding industry?

EP: As we all know, breeding racehorses is a game in which you need capital in order to perform. I think France remains attractive to investors from all over the world. One of the main strong points we have here in France is that we have land available for breeding operations at a reasonable cost compared to Ireland and England. We have top professionals working throughout the industry's various sectors in France. Also, the quality of stallions available has never been as good as it is now. And they are available at a reasonable price. Finally, we also have some brilliant companies such as Arqana, who always succeed in bringing important international clients to the sales here in France and sell great stock at good prices. So I think the breeding industry in France is strong.

TDN: What do you make of the large number of new stallions in the country?

EP: Recently we have been very lucky to gather a very good group of young stallions, which is very convenient for us because we are able to breed at home. There is less risk, less expense, and we have more control. So between Siyouni (Fr), Wootton Bassett (GB), Le Havre (Ire), Charm Spirit (Ire), Anodin (Ire), Almanzor (Fr), Shalaa (Ire) and Olympic Glory (Ire), who all stand at really reasonable prices, I think we are blessed to have such a good young group. This gives French breeders an outstanding chance to show what they can do.

The stallions that don't perform will always get eliminated by breeders over time, so having quite a lot on the market is not a big worry. If there is a problem to be highlighted then I would mention the excessive number of mares bred by top stallions today. It is very difficult to resist the demand that is out there, but I think big stallions covering 200 mares is too much and should be reduced for the good of the breed as a whole. This would also keep some rarity in quality, while at the same time keeping these stallions alive a bit longer.