Martaline

National Hunt yearlings were in the spotlight during the third and final session of the Arqana Autumn Sale on Wednesday, and colts by Doctor Dino (Fr) and Martaline (Fr) filled the top five spots on the leaderboard. Topping trade was lot 708, Haras de l'Hotellerie's half-brother to listed winner Joplin (Fr) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) on the flat and Thyme White (Fr) (Anodin) over jumps. He was bought by JH Bloodstock for €97,000. Haras de Montaigu's Martaline colt out of the dual winner Best Exit (Fr) (King's Best) (lot 648) was...

The latest instalment of Emma Berry's winter series on the crossover between the Flat and National Hunt scenes On Boxing Day, Epatante (Fr) (No Risk At All {Fr}) followed the example of her stable-mate Verdana Blue (Ire) (Getaway {Ger}) by winning the G1 Christmas Hurdle at Kempton. Her five-length victory (with the previous year's winner back in fourth) came on the back of a similarly impressive win at Newbury in November and launched the 6-year-old mare to the head of the betting for the Unibet Champion Hurdle on Mar. 3....