ARCTIC Fire, Asterion Forlonge, El Fabiolo, Fact To File, Gaillard Du Mesnil, Gentleman De Mee, Golden Silver, Lossiemouth, Min, Renneti…

You’d be forgiven for thinking I was simply listing some of Willie Mullins’s stars of past and present, but more than that, they are all graduates of the Arqana Autumn Sale, which returns next week.

It came as no surprise that the combination of Mullins, Harold Kirk and Pierre Boulard were the biggest spenders at last year’s renewal, their five buys totalling €870,000 and averaging €174,000. All five have yet to run to new connections, but keep an eye out for Zillow (€300,000), Kel Histoire (€200,000), Kirsca De Thaix (€200,000), Manon (€180,000) and Kappa Jy Pyke (€140,000).

Gordon Elliott has taken charge of another of last year’s top lots, Kainsbourg, who was bought by Horse Racing Advisory for €355,000, while Mouse Morris is now registered to train Alex Elliott and Nicholas de Balanda’s €200,000 buy Autoportrait, on behalf of Robcour.

Success purchasing at the Autumn Sale is far from reserved to Mullins, with Balko Des Flos, Farclas, Gemix, L’Homme Presse and Royal Pagaille just some of the other top graduates.

The top-flight performers mentioned so far weren’t necessarily bought by the end-users we associate them with, and many were graduates of the sale’s yearling and two-year-old sections.

Under both codes

The same applies to the Autumn Sale’s best graduates on the flat, some of which were bought as horses in training, others as yearlings. The flat yearling section is now separate and takes place today, and was previewed last week, while horses proven under both codes will be offered on Monday, November 20th.

Arapaho was bought by Mark McStay’s Avenue Bloodstock for €140,000 as a listed-winning three-year-old and went on to win a Group 1 in Australia.

Silverwave flew the flag on home soil, Alain Couetil’s €420,000 buy amassing over €1.2 million in earnings from a career that included a Group 1 victory and four placings at the highest level.

The sale’s rags-to-riches story stars Chris Richner’s €3,000 bargain Subway Dancer. Bought as an unraced three-year-old, the well-related son of Shamardal went on to win two Group races and finish third behind Cracksman in the QIPCO Champion Stakes for Czech trainer Zedno Koplik.

Last year’s sale was topped by the Group-placed Make Me King, knocked down to Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown for €380,000.

He has since won a Group 3 for Hamad Al Jehani and Wathnan Racing, while their €340,000 buy Beshtani has yet to win, though he did finish fifth in the Group 2 Summer Mile, beaten a length and three-quarters.

Record breaker

Frédéric Sauque was responsible for buying the final session-topper of last year’s three-day sale, a son of Doctor Dino for €265,000 - the highest price ever paid for a National Hunt-bred yearling at auction.

At the end of trade, the sale achieved the highest average price in its history at €36,280, while the median matched the 2021 figure of €20,000. A clearance rate of 79% confirmed the market’s good health.

Expectations will be high next week, the quality catalogue of 747 lots now boosted by 20 wildcards. The sale takes place from Monday, November 20th until Thursday, November 23rd, beginning at 11am each day. Below are possible highlights from each session.

Lot 235: Four-time stakes winner and multiple group-placed Go Athletico, formerly trained by Ado McGuinness, will be consigned by Gerald Mosse, who he debuted for last month

Lot 425: Pleaseman impressed on his first start for Conny Whitfield and went on to be listed-placed next time

Lot 438: The Andreas Wohler-trained Westminster Moon has placed in four group races this term, including at Group 1 level

Lot 443: Wildcard Newlook completed a hat-trick of wins when landing a listed race over a mile and a half last time

Lot 445: Listed winner Flywire is by Frankel, out of a multiple graded winner over a mile and a half

Lot 448: Megarry sold for €110,000 after winning a listed race for Gavin Cromwell at two, but hasn’t built on that for new connections

Lot 452: Elbaz gained his second listed placing behind Joseph O’Brien’s Atlantic Coast last month, the winner later selling for 340,000gns

Lot 455: Jet Blue is an exciting wildcard, the son of Martaline having won a Grade 2 as a three-year-old and placed in a Grade 1 in September

Lot 471: Lanmaderlo has finished second on three of his four starts, including in a Grade 3 last time out

Lot 502: Two-year-old Beaumec De Houelle filly is a half-sister to three blacktype horses, led by three-time Grade 1 winner Abacadabras

Lot 541: Two-year-old Cokoriko half-brother to three blacktype performers, including top chaser Black Corton

Lot 616: Saint Des Saint yearling colt is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Farclas, out of a blacktype mare

Lot 636: Half-brother to Grade 1 winner Quel Destin, by Chouer Dy Nord

Lot 650: Galiway half-brother to Group 1 German Derby victor Sisfahan, out of a half-sister to Beaumec De Houelle

Lot 693: Saint Des Saints half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Frodon

Lot 708: Nathaniel colt out of Polygona, twice a Grade 3 winner over hurdles

Lot 721: Bathyrhon half-brother to top-class chaser Pic D’Orhy, from the family of Clarcam and Irish Saint

Lot 731: Doctor Dino filly is a full-sister to Grade 1-winning chaser Sceau Royal, who also won five Grade 2s

Lot 745: Blue Bresil colt is the first foal out of Grade 1-winning hurdler Stormy Ireland

Lot 752: Grade 2 winner Garde De Burge is a half-sister to Grade 1 second Martator, out of dual listed winner Tornada. Offered in foal to Jigme, a Grade 1-winning son of Motivator

Lot 760: Doctor Dino foal is a half-brother to five-time Grade 1 winner Theleme

Lot 793: Grade 3 performer La Barakas is a full-sister to two blacktype winners, most notable top hurdler Abacadabras. Offered in foal to Karaktar

Lot 823: Anodin colt foal is a half-brother to Grade 1 Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris victor Rosario Baron

Lot 855: Shannoise, offered in foal to Saint Des Saints, is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Allaho

Lot 859: Foal by Silverwave is a half-brother to Triumph Hurdle winner Majborough

Lot 880: Walk In The Park foal is a half-sister to the top-class Chacun Pour Soi, out of a Grade 3 winner

Lot 927: Saint des Saints colt is the second foal out of Group 1-winning hurdler Paul’s Saga

Lot 930: Yan Hua Enki is an unraced own-sister to triple Grade 1 winner Fastorslow. The Saint Des Saints mare is carrying her first cover to Jigme

Lot 963: Kapgarde filly foal is the first produce of Statuaire, a Grade 1-winning half-sister to State Man