6 minute read
Arqana news digest and tables
Quesnay disperal will prove major talking point
ONE of the biggest, though also wistful, features of Arqana’s breeding stock sale will be the dispersal of mares and youngstock from the Head family’s Haras de Quesnay, which has been sold in its entirety and its stallions relocated elsewhere.
The famous Normandy establishment has been in the hands of the Heads since its purchase by William Head in 1958, but, following the death of Alec at 97 last year, the decision was taken to sell up lock, stock and barrel.
The most famous recent product of Quesnay is dual Arc heroine Treve, who was sired by Derby winner Motivator, one of the four recent resident stallions relocated.
A draft of around 40 broodmares, fillies and foals are to be offered for sale, including the last foal out of Trevise (166), Treve’s dam who has also produced blacktype horses Trophee and Trois Rois. She is a filly from the last crop of the late Le Havre.
Treve’s half-sister Toride (197), who has already produced Listed winner Lady Day and Group 3 runnerup Maximus, as well as a €260,000 Nathaniel colt sold to Stroud Coleman at the recent yearling sale at Arqana, is also to be offered.
They are to be joined by Perle D’Auge (31), from the top Saint Pair family of Pearls Galore and Pearly Shells, who is a half-sister by Le Havre to this year’s dual Group 3 winner Eternal Pearl.
Hello there You
Last year’s Rockfel Stakes winner Hello You (195) is set for a second spin in the Arqana sales ring, having been sold to Robson Aguiar for €350,000 from Mezeray at the Select Yearling Sale in 2020.
The daughter of Invincible Spirit was bred by Serge Boucheron out of Pivotal mare Lucrece, and was a six-anda-half-length winner on her debut for Ralph Beckett and Amo Racing.
The filly was then second to Sandrine in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and third behind the same rival in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes, before a switch to Dave Loughnane.
On her third start for the Shropshire trainer she struck in the Rockfel, beating none other than Cachet in the Newmarket Group 2 – she would return to the Rowley Mile the following year to plunder the 1,000 Guineas – with Oscula (who also sells here as it happens as lot 182), Jumbly and Majestic Glory among others in behind. She finished her season with a reasonable fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar.
Hello You has ultimately turned out to be a better twoyear-old than three-year-old, her best performance this year coming when third to Cachet in the Nell Gwynl.
She is the fourth foal out of the winning Lucrece, who has bred two other winners and is a half-sister to Prix Maurice de Gheest winner Signs Of Blessing.
Mala’ from heaven
This season’s Group 3 Prix Imprudence winner and Prix de la Foret runner-up Malavath (199) is another who catches the eye.
She was at least as impressive a two-year-old, winning twice including in the Group 2 Criterium de MaisonsLaffitte, and placed on her other three starts, notably when just half a length second in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar, where she was closing rapidly on Pizza Bianca crossing the line.
The three-year-old returned to the United States to have a crack at the Breeders’ Cup Mile last weekend, finishing fifth to Modern Games. The daughter of Mehmas is out of a sister to Ceisteach, a Group winner and the dam of Steip Amach, a dual Group winner and placed in the Prix Jean Romanet and Prix Rothschild. The blueblooded filly hails from the family of Group 1 winners Shergar and Shalanaya, while her juvenile full-brother Knight has won both his starts including the Horris Hill and is an exciting Classic prospect for KHK Racing.
ARQANA DECEMBER BREEDING STOCK
vvWhere and when Arqana sales complex, Deauville;
December 3-6 vv 2021 results 688 sold from 909 offered (76 per cent) for turnover of €41,541,000, an average of €60,379 and median of €15,000
DEAUVILLE
Sweet proposition
This year’s Prix Vermeille winner Sweet Lady (188) looks set to prove one of the star turns of the sale, despite being unable to showcase her talents on British Champions Day on her one and only start outside France.
The daughter of Lope De Vega was bred by Stratford Place Stud out of the Dansili mare High Heel Sneakers, and sold to Paul Nataf for €100,000 in this ring at the August Yearling Sale in 2019.
In the colours of Gemini Stud, the filly won twice at two for trainer Francis Graffard before a six-length victory over Prix Marcel Boussac winner Tiger Tanaka in the Listed Prix la Camargo on her first start at three.
Also the winner of the Group 3 Prix de Flore in October of that year, Sweet Lady struck in the Group 2 Prix Corrida in May this year, with her career highlight coming in the Group 1 Vermeille in September, when she stayed on gamely to repel Lilac Road by a head.
Sweet Lady is the seventh foal out of the Listed-winning High Heel Sneakers and a half-sister to two winners, including Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Toujours L’Amour.
The four-year-old is one of 17 top-level winners for Lope De Vega, the Ballylinch Stud stalwart who is making inroads as a broodmare sire.
ARQANA DECEMBER BREEDING STOCK SALE
Five-year history
Year Offered Sold Aggregate (€) Average (€) Median (€) 2021 909 688 41,541,000 60,379 15,000 2020 704 557 25,253,500 45,338 16,000 2019 918 698 34,384,500 49,261 19,000 2018 901 683 33,276,500 48,721 18,000 2017 871 688 31,249,000 45,420 19,000
TOP TEN VENDORS 2021 By aggregate
Consignor Sumbe
No sold Average (€) Total (€) 6 892,000 5,352,000
Capucines Castillon 22 18 153,318 3,373,000 175,306 3,155,500
Monceaux Ammerland Wertheimer et Frere Aga Khan Studs La Motteraye Consignment Baroda Stud Ronald Rauscher 21 5 18 38 48 4 8 119,952 2,519,000 463,200 2,316,000 123,389 2,221,000 50,750 1,928,500 39.104 1,877,000 365,000 1,460,000 144,438 1,155,500
TOP TEN PURCHASERS 2021 By aggregate
Buyer(s) Oceanic Bloodstock Yohea
No bought Average (€) Total (€) 7 764,286 5,350,000
4 643,125 2,572,500
NBB Racing Crispin de Moubray BBA Ireland Narvick International Westerberg Langlais Bloodstock Gandharvi/Cadran/Melanie Meridian International
5 3 20 3 2 4 1 17 440,000 2,200,000 698,667 2,096,000 98,750 1,975,000 443,333 1,330,000 620,000 1,240,000 207,375 829,500 800,000 800,000 46,235 786,000
TOP-PRICED FOALS 2017-2021
Year Name, sex Pedigree
Buyer(s) 2021 Unnamed, f Frankel-Castellar Juddmonte
Vendor(s) Haras de Saint Isidro
2020 Barbate, c Frankel-Castellar Carlos Laffon-Parias Haras de Saint Isidro
Price (€) 590,000 400,000 2019 Ottoman Fleet, c Sea The Stars-Innevera Hennessy Bloodstock Montaigu 290,000 2018 Nash Nasha, f Dubawi-Just The Judge Stroud Coleman Bloodstock La Motteraye Consignment 1,000,000 2017 Frozen Ocean, c Dabirsim-Sailor Moon Godolphin SNC Petit Tellier 260,000
TOP-PRICED MARES 2017-2021
Year Name, year of birth Covering sire Buyer(s) Vendor(s) Price (€)
2021 Rougir, 2018 - 2020 Durance, 2016 - Oceanic Bloodstock Pursuit of Success LC Sumbe
3,000,000 Ronald Rauscher, agent 750,000
2019 Frankel Light, 2015 Dark Angel Charlie Gordon-Watson Mezeray
2018 Lily’s Candle, 2016 - Narvick International for Katsumi Yoshida Capucines 1,300,000 1,100,000
2017 Haggle, 2013 - Wertheimer et Frère Devin 1,300,000
Hello You after victory in the Rockfel Stakes in 2021
54% Strike Rate of Winners to Runners 85% Strike Rate of Winners and Placed Horses to Runners
