Arqana Breeze-up Sale

As Covid travel restrictions prompted delays and relocations, last season's breeze-up sales were anything but plain sailing for many consignors. Some consolation was found on Thursday at Chantilly for Tom Whitehead of Powerstown Stud, who celebrated two first-time-out winners with Keeneland yearling purchases. The first race of the day, the Prix du Rond du Manege, went to Bellharbour Music, a May-foaled colt from the first crop of Mshawish, bought in September 2019 from Brookdale Sales for $30,000. Now trained in Chantilly by Alessandro and Giuseppe Botti, Bellharbour Music is still...

DONCASTER, UK—There aren't many bloodstock sales companies that can boast of an Irish auctioneer who can speak French with a Yorkshire accent but if you happen to walk in to the Goffs UK sales ring at Doncaster on Wednesday while Nick Nugent is on the rostrum that is what you're likely to find. In the spirit of COVID-encouraged entente cordiale, the breeze-up sector finds itself in a situation few would have imagined at the start of this year, with British sales house Goffs UK and French-based Arqana holding their respective...

In a spirit of entente cordiale prompted by the extraordinary environment of the coronavirus pandemic, Goffs UK and Arqana have announced that they will join forces to hold their respective breeze-up sales together in Ireland on June 29 and 30. In what could be a first for European sales, the horses will gallop "potentially in a timed breeze" a few days prior to being offered for sale at the Goffs complex at Kildare Paddocks. There will also be an online bidding facility to support the live auction. A joint statement...

Arqana president Eric Hoyeau has stated that the company is leaving "no stone unturned" in finding a solution to staging its Breeze-up Sale, which should have taken place but on May 8 and 9 but now cannot following a lockdown extension by the French government. With France remaining under strict constraints until May 11, the Arqana bloodstock team is now in liaison with vendors with regard to rescheduling the sale. The options include holding the breeze-up on its reserve dates of June 2 to 3 or 3 to 4, or...

The Arqana Breeze Up Sale, which released its catalogue earlier this week, could be rescheduled for either June 3 or 4 depending on the COVID-19 situation, the sales company announced on Saturday. Currently, the sale is slated for May 9, with breezes to take place the day prior. This format would be maintained if the sale is moved to early June. Deauville Racecourse will continue to play host for the breezes, regardless of when it is actually conducted. "In the midst of a crisis that is affecting us all, we...

A colt by Le Havre (Ire) out of G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) is one of 165 juveniles catalogued for the Arqana Breeze Up Sale. The one-day sale is slated for Deauville on May 9, but that date is subject to change due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. In 2019, former Arqana Breeze up graduates War of Will (War Front) and Channel (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) claimed the GI Preakness S. Stateside and the G1 Prix de Diane, respectively. Sprinkled throughout the 38 consignors are...

The Arqana Breeze Up Sale, despite the coronavirus pandemic, will keep its May 8-9 schedule, the French sales company announced on Tuesday. A provisional catalogue will be online on Mar. 25, however changes may occur to this timeline, depending on COVID-19 and the response required to maintain the health and safety of all participants. The closing date for the Arqana yearling and store sales has been moved to Apr. 3, while the planning of yearling and store inspections is underway. These will occur as confinement measures allow, as France is...

A year after War Of Will (War Front) won the GII Risen Star S., another Arqana Breeze-up Sale graduate, Mr Monomoy (Palace Malice), landed the same race (which was divided this year) and is also on course for the American Classics. The Brad H Cox-trained colt currently heads the leaderboard on the road to the Kentucky Derby with 52 points and he is not the only graduate of the 2019 sale in Deauville to have an eye on the Run for the Roses. Ete Indien (Summer Front) was runner-up to...