Robert Nataf

DEAUVILLE, France--As the first full day of showing got underway for Arqana's August Yearling Sale, the sales grounds gradually filled as visitors arrived from Britain and Ireland, along with a planeload of agents and owners who came straight to Normandy from Saratoga.  As if to welcome France's premier sale back to its rightful slot in the calendar, the sun also made an appearance as Arqana prepared to bring the curtain up on the European yearling season. The three-day auction begins its run on Saturday, with two select evening sessions after...

After one start for local trainer Raffaele Biondi that resulted in a runner-up effort in the May 23 G2 Derby Italiano, Juan De Montalban (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is headed back to Britain and to the yard of trainer David O'Meara after O'Meara and his assistant Jason Kelly went a sale-topping €400,000 for the 3-year-old at Arqana's Summer Sale on Thursday. Juan De Montalban (lot 488) had been bought by trainer Andrew Balding for 85,000gns as a Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling, and sold privately to Italy after posting...