Following the three-day Arqana August Sale, the single session Arqana V.2 Yearling Sale was topped by lot 408, a strapping bay son of first-season sire Anodin (Ire) (Anabaa) in Deauville on Tuesday. The colt went the way of Pierre-Yves Bureau of Wertheimer & Frere, who held off trainer Jean-Claude Rouget for €140,000. Consigned by Haras du Cadran and from the extended family of champion sprinter Tamarisk (Ire) (Green Desert) and dual Arc heroine Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}), the son of the winning Cantalupa (GB) (Dr Fong) will hopefully follow in the hoofsteps of Harmless (Fr) (Anodin), who was one of two by the Wertheimers' homebred sire they purchased at this sale in 2017. A €35,000 yearling here, Harmless has gotten off to a bright start, as he is one of 10 winners for the Haras du Quesnay resident, and numbers the Listed Prix Roland de Chambure at ParisLongchamp on Bastille Day among his trio of victories.
“Supporting our stallions has always been part of our policy,” explained Pierre-Yves Bureau of Wertheimer & Frere. “We did it with Green Tune, Gold Away (Ire), Poliglote (GB), Intello (Ger) and have always been rewarded. It is also a way of thanking the breeders who have placed their faith in our stallions. This colt really stood out for us and time will tell if we were right.”
Back in the limelight on Tuesday was Haras de Bonneval's Siyouni (Fr), whose offspring had proved popular during the August Sale proper, including Monday's session topper at €380,000. Two fillies, both from the draft of Haras des Capucines as lot 407 and lot 346, took the silver and bronze medals, respectively, on Tuesday. Nicolas de Chambure signed for the former, extending to €125,000 under the name of Magnolia Bloodstock for an unnamed client. The April-foaled bay is out of the winning Candinie (Bernardini), herself out of a half-sister to MGISW Grand Slam (Gone West) and MSW Leestown (Seattle Slew).
The first lot in the ring on Tuesday, lot 346 hammered at €115,000. Purchased by Francois Doumen, the bay was acquired in utero by breeders Karine Morice and Dominique Ades Hazan for €60,000 during the 2016 Arqana December Mare Sale. She is the second foal out of Optica (Fr) (Hernando {Fr}), a full-sister to listed hero Semarang (GB). Under the stakes-winning third dam Gallanta (Fr) (Nureyev), who also played bridesmaid in the 1984 G1 Prix Morny, is European champion juvenile and G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Gay Gallanta (Woodman) and G2 Gallinule S. victor Sportsworld (Alleged).
“I have bought her for my loyal client Henri de Pracomtal,” said Doumen. “I have been to see her several times over the past few days. She is an energetic filly, a little bit on the small side, but with the je ne sais quoi that makes the good horses. She has a beautiful pedigree for a breeder.”
Near the end of the sale, the fourth dearest yearling on the day went through the ring, and it was yet another by The Aga Khan Studs' Siyouni, after Tom Whitehead's Powerstown Stud struck for a son of Moojeh (Ire) (King's Best) for €105,000. Part of the Haras d'Etreham draft, the chestnut colt (lot 482) is a half-brother to MSW Fourioso (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), while European champion miler Bahri (Riverman) and Group 2 winner Bahhare (Woodman) are nestled under the third dam Wasnah (Nijinsky II), who ran second in the Listed Pretty Polly S.
Young sire Dabirsim (Fr) enjoyed a decent result on Tuesday, as Mandore International and Middleham Park Racing teamed up to acquire lot 435 for €90,000. Already named Dr Avery (Fr), the Haras de Grandcamp-consigned colt is out of the winning Fox Force Five (Ire) (Araafa {Ire}), herself a half-sister to listed winner Ossun (Fr) (Anabaa). Following the success of G3 Albany S. heroine & MG1SW Different League (Fr), Dabirsim's fee was hiked at Haras de Grandcamp from €9,000 to €30,000 in 2018.
At the close of the sale, 107 yearlings of 132 offered had found new homes good for a clearance rate of 81.1%, just below 2017's 82.3% for an identical number sold. The gross was also down, coming in at €3,534,000. The average was €33,028 (-15.8%) and the median also declined to €27,000 (-10%).
“Last year's renewal was nothing short of exceptional and this year we have seen a return to the figures of 2016, however still with a very healthy clearance rate,” said Arqana CEO Eric Hoyeau. “Uncertainty created by Brexit and other circumstances are clearly a worry for pinhookers, but it was good to see so many French trainers and agents having a go, as well as young French-based sires maintaining their popularity in the ring.”
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