THERE was delight in spades when the hammer fell on the last lot of the three-day Arqana August Yearling Sale, and all concerned will have been pleased to have a day’s interval before the v.2 Yearling Sale on Tuesday.

As with each of the previous sessions, international trade was relentless. It was a record edition of the sale in every respect, with all the figures recording highs during the three days, and the numbers reached unprecedented levels, allowing for the fact that the 2022 sale was such a success. The average grew by 11%, while the turnover of almost €57 million was up 15% on 2022.

Arqana’s chairman Eric Hoyeau and the executive director Freddy Powell were understandably thrilled, and said: ‘‘Last year we changed the format of the August Sale, which now offers three days of sales of the same level. This year’s results have been excellent and we are more than satisfied. We would like to express our sincere thanks to all the vendors who entrusted us with colts and fillies of exceptional quality.

“We had the pleasure of welcoming major international owners and buyers from all over Europe, Australia, the United States, Japan and the Middle East, who were very active during the three days. We would also like to thank all our teams who worked tirelessly to make the sale a success. The yearling sales season is off to the best possible start.”

Leading vendor

With sales of two of the four yearlings that made over a million euros, Ecurie des Monceaux, managed by Henri Bozo, were again the leading vendors after the sale of 35 yearlings for a total of €15,810,000. Second place on the table went to Haras d’Etreham with 19 lots sold for a total of €6,477,000, followed by Haras des Capucines that sold 28 yearlings for €4,676,000.

With 20 colts and fillies bought for a total of €5,915,000, Nicolas de Watrigant’s Mandore International Agency took the top spot on the leading buyers’ table by aggregate. He was followed by Godolphin, and Sheikh Mohammed’s group struck for 10 lots at a total cost of €5,350,000. M.V Magnier and White Birch Farm combined for three yearlings that cost €3,720,000, though others were bought in different names.

The auditorium was packed after racing on Sunday when it came to the turn of an eagerly-awaited son of Siyouni to go under the hammer. Out of a half-sister to the top-class racehorse and influential sire Shamardal, the colt was yet another star lot offered from Ecurie des Monceaux.

When the gavel eventually fell, it was Coolmore’s M.V Magnier who had the final say at €2,200,000 for the colt who hails from the outstanding family of Helen Street, Street Cry, Victor Ludorum and Territories. Immediately before that, Magnier also signed the docket at €800,000 for a son of Wootton Bassett, again from Monceaux. This well-related colt is a grandson of the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes winner, Damson.

Incredible stud

“They’re lovely horses,” said Magnier about the two colts. “We sold their dams a few years ago and have now come back to buy their progeny. Ecurie des Monceaux is an incredible stud and they do an excellent job. We’re very happy with these two purchases.” The dam of the Wootton Bassett was sold for 280,000gns carrying this yearling, while Hourglass, the dam of the Siyouni, was sold a couple of years ago for $1,100,000.

Buyers were once again crowding the ring for the sale of a son of Wootton Bassett out of Group 3 winner and Group 1 Prix Morny runner-up Magic America, offered by Anna Sundstrom’s Coulonces. The hammer fell at €1,000,000 in favour of Japan’s Yoshito Yahagi. The half-brother to the listed-winning juvenile Look Around is from the renowned family of such stars as Nightime, Ghaiyyath and Zhukova.

Active over the three days and bidding on behalf of Godolphin, Anthony Stroud struck during the final session for a son of Camelot out of Group 3 winner and the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera-placed mare Lady Frankel. That mare is a half-sister to the outstanding racehorse and sire Lope De Vega. Consigned by Gestüt Ammerland, he was sold for €850,000. “He’s a lovely horse,” said Stroud. “We bought his half-brother by Shamardal here last year. We really like this colt and it’s a real stallion’s pedigree. We are very happy.”

There was a familiarity about many of the top lots, with the same names cropping up time and again. Marqueen Bloodstock spent €700,000 for a daughter of one of the sires of the minute, Siyouni, and this Monceaux-consigned filly is out of an unraced Frankel mare whose half-brother Charm Spirit won three Group 1 races. Minutes later and Monceaux, again, sold a Wootton Bassett filly to Al Shaqab Racing. She is a daughter of the US graded stakes winner Marbre Rose.