FACING the same difficulties as all other sales presently, the Arqana Summer Sale produced a satisfactory set of results in the circumstances, with just the median showing a large fall, down from €19,000 to €16,000, a 16% decline, while the clearance rate was only 67%, compared with 83% a year ago.
That said, 326 horses traded, just 15 fewer than in 2023, leading to a 7% fall in aggregate. The average was back just 3%. This was the third year in succession that the turnover was more than €10 million.
At the close of the sale, Arqana chairman Olivier Delloye and managing director Freddy Powell said: “Overall sales were close to €11m, which is a very respectable result. The market did not keep pace with the increase in supply, but good profiles sold well in all categories.”
Highlights of the week largely appeared on Wednesday, with the star of the three days of selling being the wild card entry Mambonumberfive. This three-year-old gelding was knocked down to bloodstock agent Bertrand Le Metayer for €450,000.
Offered from Écurie Éric Ventrou, the son of Born to Sea finished runner-up over hurdles at Auteuil for trainer François Nicolle on his most recent start.
“He’s a horse that has a lot of strength and has everything in his favour to go over fences,” said Le Metayer. “He’ll go into training with Ben Pauling in England. I’ve bought him for one of his clients on the advice of François Nicolle.”
Willie Mullins
Very active on day two were the trio of Pierre Boulard (PB Bloodstock), Willie Mullins and Harold Kirk. They bought three lots, led by the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Charlus, a three-year-old gelding by Churchill, who sold for €315,000. Winner of his first three starts, he most recently finished runner-up in the Listed Derby du Midi.
Minutes earlier, the same team struck for the wild card entry Karma D’Airy. A recent second over hurdles at Auteuil, the Hugo Merienne-trained filly made €250,000. The four-year-old daughter of Authorized is out of the Auteuil listed winner Quaska D’Airy.
They also had the final say for another wild card entry, Sony Bill, at €200,000. A winner of his first two starts over hurdles, the Hector de Lageneste and Guillaume Macaire-trained gelding finished runner-up in the Listed Prix Stanley at Auteuil.
Wild cards
With some the best flat profiles in the horses-in-training section, Emmanuel de Seroux (Narvick International) paid €250,000 for the Listed Derby du Languedoc winner Zweig. The agent was joined in the purchase by Blandford Bloodstock, Hubie de Burgh and his colleague Martin Buick, as well as Annabel Neasham.
Successful on his last three starts, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained colt was sold with an entry in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris. The son of Churchill has a current rating of 96.
A little earlier in the day, de Seroux also signed the docket at €170,000 for the Fabrice Vermeulen-trained Paradise Storm. The consistent three-year-old son of Masked Marvel has not finished out of the first two in his last four starts, and most recently won over a mile and a half.
Victorious over 11 furlongs since the publication of the catalogue, the Gianluca Bietolini-trained Bolide Porto was knocked down for €200,000 to Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland. A dual winner at two and consistently placed, the son of Le Havre hails from the family of Group 1 scorers Dominant, Aristia, Call The Wind, With You, We Are and Kelina.
Inside matters
Back to the place where he sourced the multiple Group 1 winner Lord Glitters, bloodstock agent Jason Kelly purchased five lots on Wednesday, notably the wild card entry Inside Matters for €145,000.
Consigned by Haras d’Ombreville, the Henk Grewe-trained colt finished third in the Group 3 Preis des Winterfavoriten at two, and most recently won at Compiègne. Kelly also signed the docket at €140,000 for the Wertheimer & Frère homebred Creatif. A winner on his debut for Carlos Laffon-Parias, the three-year-old son of Dubawi is out of the pattern winner and Group 1-placed Soustraction, and hails from the excellent family of Solemia, The Gurkha and Silasol.
Irishman steals the show on day one with a Too Darn Hot filly
THE opening day of the sale on Tuesday comprised two and three-year-olds, mainly of the National Hunt variety. However, the first part of the day was reserved for flat-bred juveniles, and this section produced the day’s best price.
This was the €210,000 spent on a daughter of Too Darn Hot from Brendan Holland’s Grove Stud. Bidding on behalf of the syndicate MyRaceHorse, Arthur Hoyeau had the final say for the filly. She is from an outstanding female family that includes Group 1 winners Champagne Color and Jeweler.
“She’s a very attractive filly. She has a lot of quality and the perfect profile for running in the United States,” said Hoyeau. He added: “She did a good breeze yesterday and we have heard good things about her preparation. We’re very happy.”
Five stores made six figures, led by a son of Zarak from Haras des Granges. Knocked down for €155,000 to Joey and Zara Logan, the colt is out of the Grade 3 hurdle winner Missy Tata, from the family of Grade 1 chase winner Bostons Angel. He will now join the stables of Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm in France. That price was challenged soon afterwards for a half-brother to Nietzsche Has and Niko Has. The unbeaten Nietzsche Has was the highlight of this sale in 2023, and this year’s offering was knocked down for €150,000 to Mags O’Toole. He was offered from The Channel Consignment on behalf of Hamel Stud.