WITHIN the first hour of this year’s three-day Arqana August Yearling Sale, there were fireworks.

Bidding on behalf of Godolphin, Anthony Stroud signed for the top-priced lot of the session, a son of Dubawi, for €1,200,000. Consigned by the perennial sale leaders Ecurie des Monceaux, the colt is out of an Invincible Spirit half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner and young sire Persian King. A notable feature of the sale was the presence of Sheikh Mohammed.

Stroud pointed to the obvious attractions of the colt, being a son of Dubawi, with a strong female line, and coming from the most illustrious of nurseries at Monceaux. He summed up the transaction, saying; “We’re very happy to buy him.”

Later in the first session, and again for Godolphin, Stroud spent €580,000 on Baroda Stud’s son of Lope De Vega out of the stakes-winning Kodiac mare Tifosa. The colt is from the family of Group 1 winners Arcano and Gilt Edge Girl, as well as the smart performers Tarwiya, Sword Fighter and Godfrey Street.

After signing for 10 yearlings for more than €3 million on Friday. Mandore International’s Nicolas de Watrigant was pleased with his day’s business.

In company with Benoit Jeffroy, he notably bought five lots on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing, led by a son of Siyouni out of an Acclamation mare, for which he went to €500,000. Consigned by Henri Bozo’s Monceaux, the colt is from the immediate family of Group 1 winner Mohaather. The agent also struck at €500,000 for the first foal, by Kingman, out of the Australian Group 3 winner Zargos.

Subject to a lot of anticipation, a son of Frankel out of the French listed winner and Italian Group 1-placed Via Pisa did not disappoint. After seeing off all the opposition, agent Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock had the final say at €950,000. The colt is a full-brother to a group-placed multiple winner, and his dam is a half-sister to the Japanese and Hong Kong Group 1 winner Admire Mars. He was consigned by Haras de Saint Pair.

“Her dam has already produced a very good racehorse by Frankel,” said Brown. “There was a lot of interest in the colt, so we are very happy to have got him. He’ll go to England, and then we’ll decide on his future in due course.”

Sensational

Among the exceptional lots consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux during the session was a son of the sensational Wootton Bassett who was knocked down for €720,000. M.V. Magnier signed the docket for the colt, one of a number of lots he purchased during the week in partnership with Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm. The colt come from an excellent German female line.

Magnier said: “He’s a lovely colt by Wootton Bassett, a very successful stallion. The colt was perfectly prepared by Ecurie des Monceaux who do an excellent job.”

Another high-priced Wootton Bassett on the day was consigned by Haras d’Etreham.

This filly out of the dual US graded stakes winner Quiet Oasis, who was runner-up in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes, sold for €550,000 in favour of bloodstock agent Mike Akers, acting behalf of Alex Bregman and The Bregman Family Racing group.

The well-bred filly is a half-sister to the Irish group winner Lancaster House, and is from the famous Lodge Park Stud family of Group 1 scorers Park Express, New Approach and Was.