By Emma Berry
Foals were to the fore during the second session of the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale and Blandford Bloodstock made the early running when bidding €160,000 for a filly by the increasingly popular Wootton Bassett (GB).
The weanling (lot 251) hails from a George Strawbridge family which includes the Group 1-winning siblings Call The Wind (GB), We Are (Ire) and With You (GB), and is the first foal of the unraced Ayelet (GB) (Hat Trick {Jpn}). The mare's listed-winning dam Dream Clover (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) is a half-sister to the above-named trio. Ayelet was bought by Victor Langlais at the Tattersalls July Sale for 40,000gns and sent to the former Haras d'Etreham resident for her first cover with the resultant filly being consigned by La Motteraye.
“Tom Goff, my business partner, was looking for a filly foal for one of his clients,” said Richard Brown, who was acting on behalf of an American breeder. “Tom had tried at Newmarket but wasn't able to come over to Arqana. Then we saw this filly. She has been bought for an owner/breeder so it's a long-term investment. She is by a super sire and from a really lovely family.”
A foal by the similarly popular Showcasing (GB) made his way onto the shopping list of Mags O'Toole and became the most expensive colt of the day at €150,000. Another first foal, lot 273 is out of the unraced Dadao (GB) (Intello {Ger}), a daughter of Anthony Oppenheimer's G1 Coronation S. winner Balisada (GB) (Kris {GB}) and thus a half-sister to G2 Jockey Club S.-placed Galactic Star (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).
With Arqana being mindful of the current curfew and lockdown restrictions which remain in place throughout France, the traditional National Hunt sector of this sale, which usually takes place on the final day, had been brought forward to the November sale and the remaining Flat mares and foals have been spread throughout the four days. That led to 70 fewer lots being catalogued for Sunday compared to last year, which naturally resulted in a downturn in turnover to €3,893,500 despite the clearance rate of 75%. The average was down by 16% to €29,056 and the median contracted to €24,000 from €26,000.
The well-related young Le Havre (Ire) mare No Faith (Fr) led the broodmare division and, in foal for the first time to Bated Breath (GB), lot 332 was bought by a partnership of Haras d'Etreham and Haras du Lieu Marmion for €112,000. The 5-year-old half-sister to GIII San Francisco Mile winner Tigah (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) raced for Prime Equestrian won three sprint races in the provinces for Christophe Ferland.
The Wertheimer draft remained popular, with the listed winner Sonjeu (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) being bought for €150,000 by Marc-Antoine Berghgracht. The 5-year-old (lot 434) daughter of Group 2 runner-up Wait And See (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), who is now on her way to Ireland, is carrying her first foal by the Wertheimer-bred young Haras du Quesnay stallion Attendu (Ire). The family also includes the Group 1-winning fillies Golden Opinion (Slew O'Gold) and Samitar (GB) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire})
Another from the Wertheimer breeding operation to end up among the day's leaders was the lightly-raced 3-year-old Angelissima (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who was snapped up by SARL Trotting Bloodstock for €95,000. The family has been lucky very recently for purchaser Florent Fonteyne, who this year bought Thirsty (Ire), an Oasis Dream (GB) half-brother to the filly's dam Foreign Tune (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). The 3-year-old, who is trained by Adrien Fouassier, broke his maiden at Deauville only last week by five lengths.
“It's a family that I know well,” said Fonteyne of lot 300. “This family has been very lucky for us. She has been bought as a breeding prospect but she could run again beforehand, so she will head to Adrien Fouassier and he will tell us if she can run or not.”
The family has also been very successful for the filly's breeder over the years and her dam's other siblings include group winners Impassable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Spotify (Fr) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) and Attendu (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}).
Haras de le Gousserie's great year on the track was headlined by the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere victory of Sealiway (Fr) and subsequent trip to Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup. Through Paul Nataf, the Chelhoub family added a youngster to the ranks by Sealiway's sire Galiway (GB) in lot 385.
Out of the listed-placed Revedargent (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), the filly foal is not only bred on the same cross of the two Haras de Colleville stallions as Sealiway, but also the G3 Prix la Rochette winner Kenway (Fr), who also carried the colours of Haras de la Gousserie colours.
“She has been bought as a future racing prospect,” said Nataf. “There has been Sealiway, Kenway, and we hope we have found the third.”
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