Moonlight Cloud Sister Shines In Deauville

Floret | Arqana

Floret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) (lot 210) was the standout of the Arqana Summer Sale catalogue, being a half-sister to the four-time Group 1-winning miler Moonlight Cloud (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), and she fulfilled her potential in the ring when scooped up by Tony Nerses on behalf of Imad Al Sagar for €380,000 on Wednesday.

Offered by Charles Briere's Fairway Consignment, the unraced 3-year-old filly is out of the stakes-placed Ventura (Ire) (Spectrum {Ire}), and she is also a full-sister to U.S. listed winner Cedar Mountain (Ire). The second dam, Wedding Bouquet (Kings Lake), won the G3 Park S. and the GIII Monrovia H. and was twice Group 1-placed at two, while under the third dam is the likes of the dual Derby winner Generous and his dual Classic-winning half-sister Imagine. Nerses said the filly would return to Blue Diamond Stud in the UK and a mating plan would be decided upon, while consignor Briere said, “she is a lovely filly, she arrived to Fairway only two months ago and adapted very well to her new life. She has a great page; you can't get better for breeding, especially being a half-sister of Moonlight Cloud.”

At the close of trade on Wednesday, cumulative figures wound up nearly on par with the 2018 edition of the sale. With just one more horse offered this year (381), the number sold rose slightly (298) resulting in a clearance rate that was up five points to 78.2%. The aggregate finished at €7,798,500. The average was down ever so slightly at €26,169, while the median jumped 29.2% to €15,500.

Of the in-foal mares offered on the day, topping the table was The Channel Consignment's Torentosa (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}) carrying to Zoustar (Aus) (lot 218). The 11-year-old, a half-sister to G1 Investec Derby winner Wings of Eagles (Fr) (Pour Moi {Ire}), was picked up by Tweenhills Farm for €140,000. It was Henri Bozo who signed the ticket on behalf of David Redvers, and he acknowledged Redvers's faith in Zoustar, the standout Australian champion first-season sire who recently completed his first shuttle season at Tweenhills.

“I bought her for my friend David Redvers,” Bozo said. “He believes a lot in Zoustar and he wants to give him every chance possible, so she is going to Tweenhills.”

Redvers is also familiar with the female family via the mare's 3-year-old half-sister Sparkle Roll (Fr) (Kingman {GB}); he bought her for €750,000 at Arqana August. She has won twice and was third in the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot last month.

Other in-foal mares to feature included Contessa Du Barry (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) (lot 261), in foal to Almanzor (Fr) and bought by Scea Domaine Rymska for €100,000; and a pair of mares bought by Haras du Saubouas: Boscastle (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in foal to Caravaggio (Ire) (lot 263) for €90,000 and Kelty In Love (Fr) (Keltos {Fr}) in foal to Panis (Fr) (lot 252) with a Wootton Bassett (GB) filly at foot for €80,000.

The remainder of the leaderboard was dominated by horses in training, many of those jumpers or former flat horses bound for the fences. Signing as TJ Bloodstock, Tony Jones went to €210,000 for the 3-year-old colt Belsanndi (Fr) (Sinndar {Ire}) (lot 404) from the Aga Khan Studs. Jones indicated the horse would go to Ireland with a view to continuing on the flat before going over hurdles.

Reaching €150,000 were Crealion (Fr) (Creachadoir) (lot 415), a winner over fences bought by Alex Elliott, and For Langy (Fr) (lot 420), a 4-year-old AQPS entire bought by Guy Petit.

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