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By Brian Sheerin and Emma Berry DEAUVILLE, France -- The sales at Arqana this year have largely retained their momentum, but the company was not immune to the retraction that has been present across the market for mares and foals this winter. With the clearance rate being lowered to 71% from the 78% of 2022, the turnover fell by 20% to €36,467,000, and the average was down by 7% to €227,919.  Four millionaire fillies and mares featured in the opening session, compared to seven last year, but the one sector...

La Motteraye Consignment will offer Classic heroine Channel (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) during the Arqana Vente d'Elevage from Dec. 9-12. A winner of the G1 Prix de Diane, the 7-year-old is a daughter of the G1 Cheveley Park S. winner Magical Romance (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}). Carrying to Wootton Bassett (GB), the daughter of Love Magic (GB) (Dansili {GB}) is also from the same line as standouts Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), Philomene (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Pacifique (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}). Her eldest foal...

Gwen Monneraye and Lucie Lamotte, collectively known as La Motteraye Consignment, have come a long way since setting up their business in December 2009 with €92 in their pocket. Less than a decade later they topped France's premier yearling sale in 2018 when selling a Dubawi (Ire) colt out of Just The Judge (Ire) for €1.4 million, and at this year's Arqana August Sale their draft is headed by another yearling with two Classic-winning parents. The Sea The Stars (Ire) filly, who will have the lot number 234 attached to...

Aside from perhaps the odd delay at the Channel Tunnel for British-based visitors heading to Deauville, the Arqana August Sale should be just about back to normal this year for the first time since 2019. A loaded plane will jet in direct from Saratoga on Thursday morning, when the scene will be set for three days of trade at the auction which routinely acts as the bellwether for the European yearling market. Small changes to the format can be found this year in the fact that the August Sale is...