Arqana Select Sale

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Insights features Arqana graduate Mascaret (GB). 3.35 Saint-Cloud, Debutantes, €27,000, 3yo, f, 8fT MASCARET (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is one of two Andre Fabre representatives in this intriguing affair and at €620,000 was the fourth-highest-priced filly to sell at the Arqana Deauville September Yearling Sale. Out of the G3...

DEAUVILLE, France—The more things change, the more they stay the same or, as our French friends here in Deauville would say, plus ça change. Sheikh Mohammed buying the top lot by Dubawi (Ire) at a yearling sale is not exactly a surprise, but it is also not a situation that could have been taken for granted ahead of a sales season shrouded by uncertainty. The elite end of the yearling sales market stuttered into action on Wednesday at Arqana, where vendors' pre-sale jitters appeared to be justified through the first...

With the yearling sales now in full swing TDN quizzes industry figures on past purchases, life during lockdown and gets their perspective on the sales for the next few weeks. Nicolas de Watrigant answers our questions today. TDN:  What was your best yearling purchase over the last few years? And your favourite? NDW: From the 2014 Arqana August sale, Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was definitely one of the very best horses I have purchased. Winning both the Prix Rothschild G1 at Deauville and the G1 Coronation S. during Royal...

DEAUVILLE, France—Another tranche of prospective buyers appeared on the sales grounds at Arqana on Tuesday. As second looks, third looks and vettings are being completed, there is now just the nervous wait for vendors until 2pm local time on Wednesday when the Arqana Select Sale finally gets underway and they begin the learn their fate. There is not one member of the bloodstock fraternity who believes that this sales season will be in any way easy. As one major breeder observed on Tuesday morning, "If we get through this year...

DEAUVILLE, France—The Life Of Brian anthem 'Always look on the bright side of life' is one that could easily be adopted by the bloodstock industry. There have been crises in the past—in modern times perhaps none so all-pervading as the one we currently face—but, extraordinarily, the horse traders as a collective always bounce back, even if some individuals are lost from the merry band along the way. Merry would be too strong an adjective to describe the current mood on the Arqana sales grounds but, amid the nervousness of some...

DEAUVILLE, France—In a yearling sales season which has had more reshuffles than the British government's cabinet, the caravan has finally started rolling in the last week and has now pitched up in Deauville for Arqana's headline event of the year. As it is taking place three weeks later than usual, it is no longer the August Sale but the Select Sale, though there is a more than familiar feel to the catalogue, which features plenty of France's leading equine families. Two consignors have taken advantage of the sale's later date...

Arqana has announced that its Select Sale, which had been rescheduled from August to September 24 to 26, will now be brought forward by a little over a fortnight to the new date of September 8 to 10. The change is a result of the recent imposition of a new 14-day quarantine requirement on travellers to the UK from France, which would not allow participants at the major European yearling sales to attend the three major sales at Arqana, Goffs and Tattersalls. A statement released by the French sale company...