The Arqana August Sale had started quietly on Friday evening, before John Stewart’s €1.4million purchase of a Wootton Bassett colt led a lift in prices, but the second day seemed even more demure, with figures falling across the board.

American interest was the common thread on the first two days, with agents Alex Solis and Jason Litt signing for Saturday’s session topper at €730,000. That figure pales in comparison to Al Shaqab’s sales-topping 1.7million guinea spend on her grandam Twyla Tharp at the 2012 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, the same year her daughter The Fugue landed the Group 1 Nassau Stakes.

After securing the daughter of Sea The Stars, agent Jason Litt said, “Sea The Stars is a tremendous stallion, so we were very happy to buy her. We’ll have a great dinner tonight and sit and chat about all the possibilities. This is for dreaming, so hopefully we’re here in a couple years winning some big races with her.”

Saturday’s star lot was bred by Al Shaqab with Sunderland Holdings, and is the first foal out of her unraced dam La Vie. Haras de Castillon consigned the filly, who also shares her page with Group 1 winners Summoner, Compton Admiral and Limato.

A different role

Al Shaqab Racing had earlier topped the table in the role of buyer, as they went to €550,000 for a filly from the first crop of St Mark’s Basilica. The January-born bay benefitted from an update, with half-brother Feed The Flame finishing second in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris- a race he won in 2023.

“She comes from a great family which keeps improving,” commented Al Shaqab’s Mohamed Abdulrahman Al Mansour. “St Mark’s Basilica was an amazing racehorse and obviously this is his first crop; they look like good horses and hopefully they’ll prove that on the track.”

Another first crop sire to celebrate a notable result was Haras du Logis resident Victor Ludorum. The €420,000 paid by Oliver St Lawrence for a Coulonces-consigned colt was particularly impressive given his sire’s starting fee of €15,000 and dam’s price of €12,000 in December 2022.

Monceaux continues August Sale stronghold

The highest-priced colt on the day was a son of Ballylinch Stud sire New Bay, which was knocked down to Chauvigny Global Equine for €620,000. Ecurie des Monceaux’s offering was bred by China Horse Club out of a blacktype full-sister to Tasleet.

After signing the docket, agent Sebastien Desmontils said, “We really liked him and obviously he could end up bring a stallion if he ends up being very good, and so that’s why he made the price.”

Monceaux consigned three of the top four highest-priced lots on the night, the other being a Dubawi colt out of a half-sister to bluehen Prudenzia. John Stewart, buyer of Friday’s millionaire top lot, went to €550,000 to secure the own-brother to juvenile maiden winner Age Of Time.

Day 2 of the 2023 renewal featured a €2.4million top lot, so it is difficult to interpret the statistics until the sale comes to a close on Sunday evening. However, the present clearance rate of 79% seems cause for concern, give last year’s figure of 86%. The average price currently stands at €215,141, marking a 10% drop from €239,914 12 months ago.