By Kelsey Riley
Deauville, FRANCE–Peter Morgan of Carmel Stud declared lot 381 the nicest foal he's seen this year after securing him for €165,000 at Arqana on Sunday. The son of Starspangledbanner (Aus) offered by ACF Elevage is out of the listed-placed Torentosa (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), herself a daughter of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches third Ysoldina (Fr) (Kendor {Fr}), now better known as the dam of this year's G1 Investec Derby winner Wings Of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}). It is also the family of the G1 Prix Saint Alary winner Belle Et Celebre (Fr) (Peintre Celebre).
“We've looked at 3,000 foals this year, and we think he's the nicest one we've seen,” Morgan said after signing the ticket. “We loved him from the minute we saw him and he will be aimed at Book 1 in Newmarket next year. He was a lovely looking individual. He's the only foal we've bought this year and we've looked at a lot. We think he's special.”
The bay is the fourth foal out of Torentosa, and two others have been offered for sale: Jackfish (Fr) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), a 310,000gns yearling turned was turned around for 75,000gns later that year, and a Almadiero (Fr) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), a €220,000 yearling. Torentosa was bred this year to Dutch Art (GB).
Earlier in the afternoon, an Acclamation (GB) colt out of the Italian stakes-placed Regina Mundi (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) (lot 321) went the way of Paul Nataf for €75,000. Jamie Railton paid the same price for a first-crop son the G1 2000 Guineas and G1 Lockinge S. winner Night Of Thunder (Ire) (lot 358). Offered by Haras du Buff, the colt is from the family of the G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Prix de l'Opera winner Covert Love (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), and the dual Group 1 winner and sire Grey Swallow (Ire) (Daylami {Ire}) appears under the third dam.
Overall, 201 lots found new homes from 245 offered, a clearance rate of 82%, and grossed €5,716,500. The average grew by 3.2% to €28,440, while the median also improved to €27,461 (+24.8%). Cumulatively, 376 horses brought a combined €27,309,500 for the first two days of selling for a clearance rate of 81.6%. The average grew by 17.1% to €72,632 and the median was €35,000 (+6.1%).
Tops among the fillies and mares on Sunday was Shemda (Ire) (Dutch Art {GB}), lot 348 from the Aga Khan draft. The winning 3-year-old filly was bought by Badgers Bloodstock for €100,000, with Arqana's Freddy Powell conducting the bidding. Shemda is out of a winning daughter of the G1 Prix de Diane winner Shemaka (Fr) (Nishapour {Fr}), who herself produced three stakes winners and also counts among her descendants this year's G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Shakeel (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and Chilean Classic winner Luck (Chi).
The Japan-based JS Company went to €90,000 to secure the 6-year-old mare Salasie (Fr) (Teofilo {Ire}) (lot 273) in foal to leading French sire Wootton Bassett (GB). Salasie is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Tierra Del Fuego (Fr) (Champs Elysees {GB}) but the real riches come under her second dam, Rainbow Lake (Rainbow Quest), who is the dam of G1 Gold Cup and GI Arlington Million winner Powerscourt (GB) (Sadler's Wells), triple Group 2 winner Riposte (GB) (Dansili {GB}), French Group 3 winner Last Train (GB) (Rail Link {GB}) and, most famously, the listed winner Kind (GB) (Danehill), better known as the dam of Frankel (GB), Noble Mission (GB) et al.
JS Company is a regular buyer at the European sales and was perhaps most noted this season as the buyer of the 850,000gns No Nay Never colt at Tattersalls October.
New Zealand-based agent Paul Moroney signed for L'Acclamation (GB) (Acclamation {GB}) (lot 265) for €82,000. The three-time winner is out of the stakes-winning Lunaska (Fr) (Ashkalani {Ire}) and a half-sister to the stakes-winning Luna Royale (Fr) (Royal Applause {GB}). It is the family of Monroe Bay (Ire) (Makfi {GB}), who sold to Ecurie des Charmes and Ballylinch Stud for €420,000 on Saturday.
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