Monceaux Invincible As August Sale Ends

DEAUVILLE, France–The benefit of a last-minute update was evident, but then so was the good sense to invest in an established Wertheimer family when an Invincible Spirit (Ire) half-sister to Saturday's G3 Prix du Calvados winner Polydream (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) topped the final session of Arqana's August Sale at €400,000.

Partnerships were in play on both sides of the transaction for lot 234. The vendor was the sale's dominant force Ecurie des Monceaux, which has based its successful business on strategic alliances between breeders and bought this filly in utero when purchasing her dam Polygreen (Fr) (Green Tune) for €200,000 at Arqana in December 2015.

Stepping in as purchaser was the duo of David Redvers and Ghislain Bozo of Meridian International, who had the previous day gone to €750,000 to buy the Kingman (GB) half-sister to Wings Of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}) for a new syndicate consisting of Qatar Bloodstock and some investors from China. The same partnership will race Monday's top lot, of whom Redvers commented, “She has so much quality and is very light on her feet. When I first few her I wasn't even aware how good Polydream is but the update made her just what we're looking for. It will make the autumn even more exciting, watching Polydream win a Group 1.”

A delighted Henri Bozo, who has presided over yet another major Monceaux draft at Arqana, added, “This is a new partnership for around ten fairly young breeders. My aim is to bring new people into the business and to promote racing by getting them involved first in small shares in broodmares and then with some racehorses.

“We decided three or four years ago to have partnerships with younger people as long as they share our ambition as long-term breeders. But we've been very lucky here to buy into a good Wertheimer family and then to have an update like that on Saturday was superb.”

Monceaux finished the August Sale in its now-familiar position as leading vendor, with 33 yearlings sold for a total of €9,597,000 at an average of €290,818.

Overall, the combination of a slightly reduced catalogue and fall in clearance rate meant that the sale's three-day aggregate didn't quite match strides with last year, but it dropped by only 4% to €38,355,500 for 229 horses sold from 305 offered. The average, on the other hand, was up, by 10% to €166,409 and the median remained static at €110,000.

The third session on its own brought another €9,379,500 to the sale's tally (-8%) with a median of €65,000, average of €85,268 (+4%) and a clearance rate of 76% for 110 sold.

Frankels Head East
The buying team of Mark Richards and Nick Columb from the Hong Kong Jockey Club made an early splash at the sale when buying the first two lots through the ring on Saturday evening–sons of Frankel (GB) and Kingman (GB) respectively–but found things tougher on Sunday. They bounced back on Monday to add another two yearlings to the team for export, who won't see a racetrack until their 3-year-old seasons.

The first of the pair was lot 219, a Monceaux-consigned Frankel colt out of the Group 3 winner Noelani (Ire) (Indian Ridge {GB}), a sister to the top sprinter Namid (GB).

“I'm very happy to have bought two Frankels,” Richards commented after bidding €300,000 for the May-born colt. “This one's very immature but that suits us ideally. We're not in a rush and he's going to be going over to Hong Kong for a sale in 19 months' time, so he's got all the time he needs to strengthen up.”

Richards later went to €240,000 for lot 231 from Haras de Montaigu, a grey colt by Siyouni out of Peinted Song (Unbridled's Song) from the strong Wildenstein family which boasts G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Peintre Celebre among a host of black-type winners.

“Our CEO is very keen on the sire and we've been trying to get a Siyouni for a while now without luck. This one fitted the bill perfectly,” he said.

Gillier Branches Out At Haras Voltaire
Fashion magnate Thierry Gillier put together the first pieces of what could be a fascinating new breeding operation when he completed the purchase of three fillies across the Arqana sale.

His creation Zadig & Voltaire is a well-known Parisian upmarket label and has outlets around France. Gillier himself is descended from the family that founded Lacoste and is a renowned collector of modern art.

He was introduced to racing slightly by chance as he owns a property close to Deauville at Saint Etienne la Thillaye, which neighbours the Wertheimers' Haras de Saint Leonard.

Working closely with his new farm manager Jacques Navet, a name from the French show jumping world, and bloodstock agent Marc Antoine Berghgracht, he is in the formative stages of founding the 85-hectare Haras Voltaire for thoroughbreds.

“I come very often to Normandy, I'm next to a stud, and first I was into the sport horses, so I went into buying them and they have been pretty good,” Gillier said.

“The plan is to have a boutique stud, it will not be a big one, maybe 10 or 12 mares–let's see how it goes–but we'll take our time.”

The team began on Saturday by taking lot 52, Haras d'Etreham's Shamardal filly and the second foal of Purely Priceless (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) for €400,000. The dam is a half-sister to Albany S. winner September (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}, who were both out of the European champion Peeping Fawn. They followed up with lot 80, Haras du Mezeray's Invincible Spirit (Ire) daughter of Straight Lass (Ire) (Machiavallian) for €320,000.

Monday's acquisition was the cheapest of the three at €130,000 with Berghgracht's MAB Agency signing for lot 214, a daughter of Charm Spirit (Ire) from Ecurie Des Monceaux out of the Giant's Causeway mare Naissance Royale (Ire).

A half-sister named Jadhaba (Ire), by Galileo, sold for €620,000 at this sale three years ago and won several times for Jean-Claude Rouget.

“Now we have a team,” Gillier continued. “Jean-Claude Rouget will train them. It's very exciting to buy a horse, especially the last one as the price was good–we expected to spend much more. I have three, and we might buy some more during the next sales.”

Berghgracht explained further, “The plan is to have a few well-bred fillies to race, it's new to him, the plan is to create, have mares on the farm, breed, and be a commercial farm, but I'm sure he will keep a few for himself to race.”

Gillier has still to get onto deciding what his silks will be, but he will have plenty of assistance on that score.

“I've got some time,” he said. “I'd like to work on it. I'll ask my wife [Cécilia Bönström], she's a designer, so she's going to do it.”

He continued: “It's fun. When look at those horses it's amazing, it's like buying a piece of art. It's so beautiful. It's not far from art–it's the same pressure, the same way of bidding.”

Gillier is reminded that horses can get injured. “But art can fall down,” he chuckled.

Dabirsim In Demand
A filly (lot 201) from the second crop of Dabirsim (Fr), consigned by Haras des Capuchines, made the most impact when attracting a final bid of €270,000 by Nicolas de Watrigant's Mandore Intenational Agency.

Dam Mi Vida Loca (Ire) (Sakhee) is a full-sister to multiple French Listed race winner Shujoon (GB) and she was described as “the filly of the day” by De Watrigant.

“I didn't buy many at the sales but I liked her,” he continued. “The stallion looks as if he will be very good but the main thing is that I liked her as an individual. She has been bought for a new syndicate and hopefully she will be successful for them. I would think she will stay in France.”

Dabirsim, who was standing his second season at Gestüt Karlshof for €9,000 when these yearlings were conceived, had four sell during the August Sale for an average price of €123,000.

Roger Varian had hit the headlines when saddling Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) to win Sunday's Darley G1 Prix Jean Romanet and the Newmarket trainer struck for an early session-leader.

Bidding over the telephone via Arqana's Freddy Powell, Varian secured lot 193 for €180,000. The Kodiac (GB) filly, consigned by Haras du Mezeray, is the second foal of Lucrece (GB) (Pivotal {GB}). The dam is a half-sister to top-class sprinter Signs Of Blessing (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and her first foal, by Lawman (Fr) sold for €160,000 at this sale last year.

“She's for an existing client,” Varian confirmed. “She was a racy filly and we liked her very much.”

Trade was rather slow for the first few during the ring until there was various interest shown in lot 185, a Makfi (GB) colt and the first foal of French Listed-placed Kyurem (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}). The broodmare's most notable sibling is Simenon (Ire) (Marju {Ire}), the prolific dual-purpose performer who finished fourth in both the Melbourne Cup and the Gold Cup, while there have been recent updates from Affina (Ire) Kodiac (GB) has won twice as a 2-year-old for Simon Crisford.

Bloodstock agent Sylvain Vidal picked up the colt, from Haras de la Perelle, for as-yet undisclosed owners and trainer for €115,000. “I know the dam's family quite well,” Vidal said. “He was a nice athletic colt who moved very well.”

Astute Purchase Written In The Stars
Haras du Mezeray's filly by Dutch Art (lot 295) had attracted four separate bidders from across the room at one stage before Australian-based French agent Louis Le Metayer secured her under his Astute Bloodstock banner for €170,000.

Dam Astrologie (Fr) (Polish Precedent), third in the GIII Long Island H. herself, has proved herself in the paddocks with her three previous foals headed by Richard Hannon-trained winner Barreesh (Ire) (Giant's Causeway).

Le Metayer explained: “She's by a proven stallion and was one of our picks of the sale. The mare has had a couple of winners and she had a great attitude and a huge girth. She has been bought by a couple of Australian clients and will probably go into training over here for Henri Devin.”

Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock made a late €260,000 play for an Iffraaj (GB) filly on behalf of American owner Martin Schwartz.

Lot 313 was the first foal of Delhi (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}), who won a Chantilly conditions race under the banner of Skymarc Farm and consigner Ecurie des Monceaux and is a granddaughter of G1 1000 Guineas S. fourth Capistrano Day (Diesis {GB}).

“She'll be trained by Jean-Claude Rouget–business as usual,” said Zerolo. “Iffraaj is a good stallion and I thought she was a nice filly.”

Lot 318 also attracted a flurry of bids. Already named Love Rocks (Fr) and consigned by Haras de Grandcamp (Eric Lhermite), the Le Havre filly out of Exit The Straight (Ire) (Exit to Nowhere) is a half-sister to this year's G1 Prix Saint-Alary second and G3 Prix de Psyche winner Vue Fantastique (Fr) (Motivator {GB}).

Leonardo Gatto Roissard, who signed the ticket at €255,000 under the name of OBI Agent, revealed only that the filly is “for a friend of mine”, but declined to name his client.

Remarking at the close of three solid days of trade, Arqana CEO Eric Hoyeau said, “My wholehearted thanks and that of the entire Arqana team go to all our vendors for producing and entrusting us with such a stellar collection of horses. French breeders have definitely upped their game over the past few years, both by investing in young, quality broodmares and in nominations of a very high standard. The result of those efforts is here for all to be seen and the record average price is a fair reward for having produced the best possible yearlings for the top end of the market.”

He continued, “We were thrilled to welcome so many investors from all around the world, a combination of our most loyal supporters and of many new faces from Japan, America, Australia, not forgetting France. Our aim is to offer them a choice of cherry-picked yearlings with the strongest credentials as well as an encompassing experience of what French racing and breeding have to offer. In saying that, I cannot bypass a word for the outstanding work that our team produces day after day–to put on a sale like this is the ultimate team project and I am incredibly lucky to be able to rely on such a competent and dedicated group of men and women.”

The action continues today at Arqana which hosts the single-session v2 Sale from 3:00 p.m. local time.