Siyouni Colt Tops Arqana's Second Session

Siyouni sired the top lot at Arqana on Wednesday | Aga Khan Studs

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With just a handful of lots to pass through the ring on Wednesday evening, the day's bestseller, a colt by Siyouni (Fr) (lot 342), emerged from the Haras du Quesnay draft and was the top pick of Roger Marley at €140,000.

“He was the one I really wanted today and was the only one on my list,” said the breeze-up pinhooker who works in association with John Cullinan and signed on behalf of Margaret O'Toole. “I love the stallion and have had a lot of luck with him. He'll be reoffered next year through Church Farm and Horse Park Stud.”

The colt hails from the family of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Silvermine (Fr) (Bellypha {GB}) and includes the Mark Johnston-trained Listed winner Fire Fighting (FR) (Soldier Of Fortune {Ire}). His dam Sea Life (Fr) (Anabaa) has produced four winners including the ten-time scorer and Listed-placed Sea Trial (Fr) (Panis {Fr}).

While the number of horses sold through this truncated session exactly matched last year, the average price rose by 11% to €35,466 but the median dropped to €27,000 from €30,000. A clearance rate of 79% for 89 sold from the 114 offered brought turnover of €3,156,500, which was up by 10%.

Haras des Capucines consolidated its position as leading consignor at Arqana October with the sale of lot 321, a daughter of Evasive, for €115,000 to trainer Marc Pimbonnet.

Again acting on behalf of owner Fabrice Petit, Pimbonnet said of the half-sister to the Listed-placed treble winner Red Line (Fr) (Sageburg {Fr}), “She's from a family that I know well and there's precocity on both sides. Evasive has produced some good 2-year-olds and the dam's current 2-year-old is a good filly.”

The daughter of the dual-winning Gone West mare Red Love hails from the further family of the dual Classic winner and Ballylinch Stud stallion Lope De Vega (Ire) and also caught the interest of trainer Jean-Claude Rouget, who was underbidder.

Sylvain Vidal of Haras de Montfort & Préaux is known for supporting his home stallions at the sales and he played a leading part in Wednesday's trade when signing for a colt by Rajsaman (Fr) (lot 235) for €90,000 and a filly by Le Havre (Ire) (lot 230) at €75,000 during the first hour of the session.

The former, consigned by La Motteraye, is out of Java Jazz (GB), a Sinsgpiel (Ire) half-sister to Puggy (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) who has served the stud well as the dam of Gerard Augustin-Normand and Antonio Caro's dual Classic winner Avenir Certain (Fr), a daughter of the Montfort & Préaux's flagship stallion Le Havre (Ire). This colt will race for the same partnership from the stable of Jean-Claude Rouget.

“This is a lovely and athletic colt by Rajsaman, who has done so much for us this year as the sire of Brametot,” Vidal said. “Obviously it is a family that is very special to us because of Avenir Certain but also it has been very successful recently with Mehmas (Ire). It is a very strong family.”

The family certainly has depth, with Java Jazz's grandam being Lunda (Ire) (Soviet Star), the dam of dual Group 3 winner Blue Monday (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) and Mehmas's dam Lucina (GB) (Machiavellian), while her third dam is Lucayan Princess (GB) (High Line {GB}), whose offspring include the Group 1 winners Warrsan (Ire) (Caerleon) and Luso (GB) (Salse).

Vidal added of the Le Havre filly, a daughter of the treble winner Influence (Fr) (Dansili {GB}) and consigned by Coulonces Sales, “She is a lovely filly, athletic with good bone and she is out of a mare by Dansili, who is a good broodmare sire. She doesn't look precocious, I think that she will be a good 3-year-old.”

A filly by the top-class miler Charm Spirit (Ire), who has divided the first part of his stallion career between Tweenhills and the Aga Khan's Haras de Bonneval, found favour with trainer Yohann Gourraud, who went to €82,000 for lot 297, another offering from Coulonces Sales.

“She is a strong filly who walks very well and looks quite powerful,” said Gourraud of the Team Hogdala-bred daughter of the unraced Morning Bride (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), a sister to the G2 Railway S. winner Probably (Ire). The siblings are out of a Sadler's Wells half-sister to the three-time Group 1 winner Moonlight Cloud (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

He added, “She comes from a family of good milers and she will race for a syndicate of my owners.”

Nicolas Lefevre of Astute Bloodstock signed for lot 284, a Wootton Bassett filly from Haras de la Louviere for €77,000. The daughter of Misdirect (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) is a half-sister to three winners including the Listed-placed Mc Queen (Fr) (Silver Frost {Fr}).

“She's a lovely filly, very athletic and looks pretty precocious. I bought her for a syndicate of friends and it's a partnership with Astute Bloodstock and Haras d'Etreham. She will go into training in Chantilly but I'm not sure yet who will train her.”

The Stroud Coleman Bloodstock team has been busy throughout the first two days of the sale, signing for seven yearlings for €608,000. Heading the list on Wednesday was lot 244, a colt by Doctor Dino (FR), bought for €75,000 and consigned by Domaine de l'Etang for Haras du Mesnil.

“Doctor Dino is a really versatile stallion,” said buying agent Matt Coleman. “This colt was bred by Henri and Antonia Devin and has been bought for a partnership which will include them and Trevor Stewart. He will be trained in Chantilly by the Devins' son Henri.”

The Arqana October Sale resumes today at 11am.

 

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