Cover image courtesy of Zuzanna Lupa

Sporting the Warrnambool businessman’s blue and green silks, Light Infantry finished eye-catchingly strongly to run John and Thady Gosden’s star mare Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) within a 0.1l.

While he was just denied a first victory at the highest level, it was the high-class horses at trailed in behind him that added extra weight to the performance.

The beaten horses included G1 2000 Guineas winner Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), multiple Group 1-winning globetrotter State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner), while Erevann (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who was previously unbeaten having clinched the G3 Prix Paul de Moussac on his previous appearance, finished third.

Over the moon

Colin and Janice McKenna were booked to fly to Deauville to support their newest recruit, but were forced to forgo the trip and Colin, who watched from home, was delighted with the colt's effort.

“We were over the moon with the run,” McKenna told TDN AusNZ. “It was unbelievable - he has clearly got a lot of ability. That was a world-class field and the winner is probably the best filly in Europe, if not the world, so it was very exciting. I thought 100 metres out the horse was going to get there, it was a pretty good effort.”

McKenna, alongside other prominent owners Ozzie Kheir and John O’Neill, purchased a significant share in Light Infantry, with a view to racing him in Australia.

Sunday will be the last time he runs in Europe for a while, with the colt set to enter quarantine in the coming weeks. When he arrives in Australia, he will join the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace camp and a tilt in the $10 million Golden Eagle lies in wait.

“The plan now is for him to head in to quarantine to head over for the Golden Eagle, we can’t miss that race. But, we want to win these Group 1s as well, because he is also a stallion prospect and, with the way he ran last night, he was definitely worth the investment. We can’t wait for him to get to Australia,” McKenna said.

Royal Ascot aspirations

The long-term plan for the colt is then to return to Simcock’s Newmarket-based operation Europe for the 2023 Royal Ascot meeting, where he will likely line up in the G1 Prince Of Wales’s S., while he could also head to that Group 1 via the G1 Lockinge S. at Newbury.

“Some of the original owners have stayed in the horse and the deal is that when he goes back to Europe he will rejoin David Simcock and run for him in Europe and Ciaron and Dave are very happy with the deal. David (Simcock) is a very good, world-class trainer and he loves this horse and has a lot of faith in him."

The McKennas’ aspiration to win a race at Royal Ascot was fuelled when Merchant Navy, a horse they co-owned, landed the 2018 edition of the G1 Diamond Jubilee at the prestigious meeting.

“We have been looking for a Royal Ascot prospect for a while, particularly my wife Janice, because she watches all the European racing and we have of course had Merchant Navy, who won at Royal Ascot, but she had been on to Ciaron, Gab (Nutt) and Will (Bourne) about getting one to race at the meeting for a while now.

“We have bought a few Europeans over the years, probably not as many as other people, but Ciaron is always looking around. Then Will and Gab came upon Light Infantry with Ozzie’s team and John’s team and thought he was exactly the sort of type we were looking for,” he said.

“Ciaron was overseas at the time and he went and had a look at him and said: ‘You’ve got to buy this horse, he’s a beauty.’ Ozzie and John are big supporters of Ciaron, as are we too, and it was good to be in a nice horse together, it’s wonderful.”

Bright young star

Light Infantry announced himself as a horse to follow last season with an ultra-impressive 6.5l victory on debut at Yarmouth, before following up that performance with a victory in the G3 Horris Hill S. at Newbury in October on his final start as a juvenile.

The colt’s first start this year was in the G1 2000 Guineas, where he ran ninth, beaten by only 6.8l by Charlie Appleby and Godolphin’s Coroebus, but bounced back with a second-place finish in the G1 Prix Jean Prat on his next appearance.

Maher and Eustace’s Bloodstock Manager, Will Bourne, who was on hand to watch the colt’s performance in Deauville on Sunday, said he was very much looking forward to getting the horse back to Australia and was confident he was the ideal candidate for a race like the Golden Eagle.

“We had been looking to get a horse suitable for the Golden Eagle and also Colin (McKenna), after Royal Ascot, said that he wanted a horse to run his colours during the meeting next year. We thought this was the perfect horse for that plan. He is very lightly raced and looks to have plenty of ability and plenty of improvement,” Bourne told TDN AusNZ.

“He is the most expensive horse I’ve ever purchased, so for him to run like that was fantastic and a bit of a relief to be honest. I was happy if he had come home in the top four, we were very excited and relieved to see that he is clearly a world-class horse, given the price we had paid for him.

“It has been a very hot week in Deauville and it was very firm ground, so he has now won on Soft ground and he has probably run a personal best on a very firm deck, so he is clearly very versatile and very talented.”

A shot at the big time

The McKennas' famous silks have been carried to victory by a host of top-class horses, but perhaps most famously by their star mare Jameka (Myboycharlie {Ire}), whose six victories were spearheaded by triumphs in the G1 Caulfield Cup and G1 BMW S. and McKenna said he and his wife just love racing and it was exciting to have a horse with the potential to take them to do the big time once more.

“We just love our racing, whether it’s a Darwin Cup or a Caulfield Cup, we are usually there enjoying it because you may not get a chance to do it again,” said McKenna.

“Obviously, the ultimate goal is Australia and during our time with horses we have had quite a few handy horses, but not many boomers and to have one in Europe that can race at Royal Ascot, Goodwood or wherever is just another little thing ticked off in the ‘To Do’ box.

“He will run in our colours when he races in Europe and Ozzie’s colours in Australia, which we are thrilled about. It’s about the thrill of owning a nice horse and that is what Janice wants to do, she wants to go to Royal Ascot and have a horse run in our colours at the meeting, that is our ultimate goal.”

Cover image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan

We have a generational opportunity to invest in the long-term future and legacy of the industry. If I was tasked with investing $30 million it would be directed to areas where it could make the most impact to the sustainability of the entire thoroughbred racing and breeding industry.

That is investment that can benefit all participants nationally, today, but also ensure viability long-term.

The greatest threat to our industry’s ecosystem is perception. The way in which the industry is regarded, understood and recognised by the community. Our social license is issued by society, it is not a right and therefore needs to be maintained and cultivated.

Perception is not a threat to one individual state over another, it’s a complex multifaceted issue that the industry faces Australia-wide. When I say perception, this is not limited to one theme. The industry faces numerous and significant perception issues, most notably equine welfare, infrastructure, education/training and ultimately employment.

I count myself as fortunate to have decades of lived experience working across domestic and international jurisdictions in various roles in racing and breeding. If the threat is national – then surely the solution via strategy, policy development, funding and implementation – must also be national.

The simple truth is such transparent mechanisms are not currently in place to enable the most effective and functional decision making on matters such as advocacy, welfare, education, training and infrastructure - and as a result who is looking after the national interest?

Like any healthy ecosystem, the industry cannot continue to thrive if fundamental areas are overlooked. Our industry is world-leading in prizemoney growth yet we are all hearing daily stories about commercial and integrity resources being stretched beyond their maximum. With the perception of low pay and long hours there is a current and future skilled staffing crisis across studs, stables and also with raceday officials. Visibly, something is not healthy within the foundation of racing, and we must work together in identifying and addressing these issues in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of our industry moving forward.

There’s an old saying that the best leaders choose to listen, then act. We have a tremendous amount of passionate and highly talented people in the industry that can make a difference if allowed a seat at the table and a voice in the vote. The consultation of relevant stakeholders is entirely imperative to effective governance. The dysfunctional nature of our national administration is negatively impacting perception within and outside the industry.

Competition is healthy, but the matter of industry sustainability amongst states doesn’t need to be a competition. The Australian racing and breeding industry will be stronger and be here for longer when we decide to work together and permit funding decisions that provide more opportunity for collective advocacy and growth.

If we can listen beyond our own backyard and self-interest, we can get in the long term game. Now.

Cover image courtesy of Regal Bloodstock

With the G3 Breeders’ Plate and G3 Gimcrack S. less than two months away, trainers would already have a good idea which of their 2-year-old crop will be ‘early’ types and a chance to contest the first juvenile events of the season.

One man that has played an integral part in the development of this season’s babies is renowned race education and pre-training expert Julien Welsh, who has been doing the role for 30 years.

Welsh and his team at Booralite Park, about 50 kilometres South-West of Melbourne, have worked with “a couple of hundred” horses since January’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Some of his clients are Peter Moody, Michael Moroney, John Sadler and John Moloney.

Ahead of the new season’s 2-year-old races, Welsh is predicting another big campaign for Newgate Farm’s young gun Russian Revolution.

Russian Revolution was Australia’s Champion First Season Sire last season, with 15 winners and 18 wins from 47 runners. He had two stakes winners – Rise Of The Masses and Revolutionary Miss (both were 2-year-olds) – and his progeny accrued $1,840,685.

Gallery: Champion First Season Sire Russian Revolution's two stakes winners

“I really think he is going to shine. He’s by a champion (Snitzel), who’s by a champion (Redoute’s Choice), so again, it’s coming through the gene pools,” Welsh told TDN AusNZ.

“His progeny that I have worked with are smart, athletic, nice types and generally easy to work with. I’ve done quite a few of them and they’re all really nice horses.

“He really stamps his progeny, and I think that is important. Good horses that stamp their progeny usually turn out to be good horses; if you look at all the good Danehill horses, they all look like him. It’s the same with Snitzel, although I know he swaps and changes their colour a little bit, but they all look like Snitzel, they’re all built like him.”

Welsh is an unabashed fan of Snitzel, claiming the Arrowfield Stud resident is deserving to be mentioned in the same breath as his grandsire Danehill (USA), as well as champions Redoute’s Choice and Fastnet Rock.

“Have a look at the sires that are going around that are by Snitzel… he’s just a freak and I think one of the best we’ve ever had,” Welsh said.

One son of Russian Revolution that has particularly impressed Welsh is the Moody-trained Kasparov, who won on debut at Sportsbet-Pakenham Synthetic on Monday. Kasparov is the second winner for US stakes winner Capar Girl (USA) (Munnings {USA}) and bred by Fernrigg Farm, who race the gelding in partnership with Matha Bloodstock.

Welsh pre-trained Kasparov, who holds a nomination for the G1 Caulfield Guineas.

“I think he’s pretty smart; I know he only won on the polytrack, but he did it in nice style,” said Welsh.

“He was a really nice colt and he looks like his old man.”

Welsh also has a good opinion of Vinery Stud’s Headwater and Yarraman Park’s Hellbent.

“I did a couple by Hellbents and they were really nice horses. He also stamps his progeny and is a son of a Champion Sire, I Am Invincible, so there’s that nice pedigree,” Walsh added.

“I like the Headwaters, too; I did a few of them this year and they were lovely horses, really easy to work with. Again, he’s by a champion in Exceed And Excel and his dam, River Dove, is a super mare.”

Regarding the newest batch of first-season sires, Welsh revealed he likes to see their progeny get to the trial stage before making an assessment.

A master horseman

A leading mountain racing rider for 13 years, who also doubles as a trainer, with his best horse being seven-time winner Don’t Doubt Dory (Fiorente {Ire}), Welsh admits this year has been slower than he would have liked due to the impacts of COVID. He usually has approximately 25 staff but is down to 13, which has forced him to turn clients away, something that has been uncommon over the journey.

“At any time we will have 30-40 horses in. We didn’t have a big season; we slowed it down a little bit due to staff shortages. Like everyone, post-COVID, we’re struggling and I had to knock a few horses back this year, which is disappointing, but that’s the way it goes. I didn’t really have a big breaking-in season, but we probably churned through a couple of hundred,” Welsh told TDN AusNZ.

“We’ve still got a few in, we haven’t got many, then most of the ones that are coming back are back for their second preparation.”

In a nutshell, Welsh’s role is to educate young horses in the fundamentals required for them to begin training, including barrier education.

Welsh explained: “It’s introducing the horse to have a ride. We educate them to have their first rides and there’s a process involved in that called the mouthing-up process; that is where we put a bit in their mouth and getting them to come off pressure with it.

“Also, teaching them to turn left and right and to back up and to stop, that’s all done with your hard and your legs. That’s obviously a really important part of it; I think that’s probably the main thing, you need to be able to have a horse with a nice supple mouth and one that can accept the bit and come off pressure when needed.

“We also introduce them to treadmills and all of the mechanical things we use these days.”

The secret to success

Horses are flight animals and Welsh learnt very quickly that the best way to get the desired result is to listen to them and work in partnership, not stand over them.

Welsh says patience is a virtue, while the ability to stay calm and come up with a Plan B when things aren’t going to script is paramount. Reading the horse and waiting for them to tell they are ready to do certain things is also crucial. And, most importantly, don’t annoy them.

“Think like horses, not like humans. Patience is everything with young horses; you’ve got to be patient. You can’t afford to get frustrated and if you do, walk away and come back when you’re a little bit cooler and calmer. Take a break, go and have a cup of coffee and see what you’ve done and try and work out why it’s not working. Then, go back and try something different, because it’s amazing what they’ll teach you,” said Welsh.

“I’ve been working with horses for 30 years and every year I’ll learn something new. You never stop learning, and when you do, that’s it, you’ll stay in the one spot.”

In the blood

Over time, Welsh has become somewhat of a master of pedigrees, which he claims makes his job much easier.

Welsh explained: “Everything comes back to genetics. I’ve broken in horses for the past 30 years. I’ve had horses where I’ve worked with the sire and/or dam… you’ll find that a lot of things come out in their genetics and their genes. When you get them in, you can pretty much tell how they’re going to go and how to go about it. If you know your breeds and the family lines, it’s a big advantage. It enables you to remember how you worked with their family, because family are very close and they do things very similar.”

Reward for effort

Welsh admits there is no greater feeling than developing a horse into the finished product.

“When you’ve got your horses going really lovely and supple and they go to the track and they’re going nicely, then people come back and tell you, ‘These horses go well’, you think to yourself, ‘I’ve done a good job there',” he said.

“I like to see horses get passed on from me, go to their trainers and their riders get off them and say positive things about them.”

According to Welsh, who has worked with 36 Group 1 winners, including Reward For Effort, Elvstroem and Magnus, he is quickly able to determine whether a horse is a special talent. That is in part due to the fact that he rides them most days.

“It’s pretty easy to pick the topliners,” Welsh commented.

“These good ones, when you get on them, they’re different. It’s the X-factor, they’ve got an X-factor about them and you can pick it up.”

Gallery: Group 1 winners Julien Welsh has worked with

Elvstroem – a five-time Group 1 winner who has gone on to enjoy a successful career at stud – is the best horse Welsh has had anything to do with and will forever be a favourite.

Welsh says Elvstroem was the complete package.

“He had everything; he was just a wonderful horse. He had a beautiful temperament and he was the same every day; he was an ultra-consistent horse. He was a tradesman; he went to work every day and he never, ever put a foot out of line.

“He was a one-off.”

Contrary to his earlier comments, Welsh admits Elvstroem’s progeny, on the whole, didn’t boast the same traits as the 2004 Caulfield Cup hero.

“I’ve had a lot of his progeny and they haven’t been like him, which is strange. Obviously, there’s been a few that have been like him, but on a percentage basis, more have been a little bit ratty and highly strung. Obviously, it comes back to the mare as well,” Welsh said.

This time it was a colt (Lot 154), a full brother to the G1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Sottsass (Fr) no less, whose arrival in the ring around 6pm (local time) ensured standing room only in Arqana's upper tier as industry professionals and holidaymakers alike strained to see which players would go into battle to try to buy him.

In the end, it came down to who could hold their nerve the longest between David Redvers, standing alongside Sheikh Fahad Al Thani and looking down into the seats below where Yoshito Yahagi was taking instructions by telephone. The Japanese trainer eventually had the final nod at €2.1 million (AU$3.03 million) to push the colt's breeder and vendor Ecurie des Monceaux back into the top spot on the list of consignors.

“It's a really good pedigree and he's a very well-made colt. I loved him. He's Sottsass' brother, and My Sister Nat was second to my horse (Loves Only You) at last year's Breeders' Cup. She's also a very good filly.”

The globe-trotting trainer, who earlier in the day had saddled Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) in the G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville, said, “I will take him to Japan and I hope he will win the Japanese Derby, then I hope to bring him back to France later.”

Of course it is not only Sottsass and My Sister Nat (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}) to have advertised the merits of their mother at the top level. It was the outstanding Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) who really got the ball rolling for the mare with her seven Grade I wins, and 3-year-old filly Pure Dignity (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who topped this sale two years ago in its later September slot, has also impressed on her sole winning outing to date for Roger Varian.

A frenetic post-racing session at Arqana brought another €15,612,000 (AU$22.5 million) to the overall tally, which has been boosted by the sale of three seven-figure lots so far. The 67 yearlings sold on Sunday evening (local time) represented a clearance rate of 84 per cent, with the average climbing to €233,015 (AU$335,000) and the median to €140,000 (AU$202,000). Comparative figures for the reformatted sale will be provided at the end of the final session.

The pride of Monceaux

The session started in sensational fashion for Ecurie des Monceaux with the sale of the Siyouni (Fr) colt, and though trade was patchy at times, the leading consignor quickly reasserted its dominance at Arqana, and by the end of two days had sold 25 yearlings for €8,810,000 (AU$12.7 million).

Monceaux principal Henri Bozo said of Sottsass' brother, “That was a fantastic sale. You always have to be very happy when you sell a horse at a price like that. It was a great pride. It's a great pride to have a mare like that, it was a great pride to have the staff to bring a horse like that to sale. It's really only happiness. It will be very interesting to follow a horse in Japan and with a trainer like Mr Yahagi. So it will be a new step and very interesting. To be honest, I had no idea who was going to buy him.”

Late in the session, the names of both Monceaux and Siyouni were back in lights as the first foal of the Listed-winning Shamardal (USA) mare Aviatress (Ire) (Lot 216) became the third millionaire of the sale when sold for €1.4 million (AU$2.02 million) to Alex Solis and Jason Litt on behalf of the filly's co-breeders Larry, Nanci and Jaime Roth of LNJ Foxwoods, a parents-daughter team who have owned horses since 2012.

Solis said, “The Roths actually owned the mare with Henri. We are partners and we've known about her the whole time. She's been a star since she was a foal and we were very excited to watch her grow and to come here. She's a spectacular filly. The Roths race a lot of fillies but this one had to come to auction as she was owned in partnership and we didn't want to let her go.”

Monceaux also sold a Dubawi (Ire) filly out of the Listed-winning Galileo (Ire) mare Birch Grove (Ire) for €575,000 (AU$828,000). It was perhaps no surprise to see the auctioneer bring the hammer down for Lot 226 towards the buyer in the corridor to the right of the rostrum, the favoured of Anthony Stroud, who signed for the filly on behalf of Godolphin.

Gallery: Monceaux's other high-priced yearlings, images courtesy of Zuzanna Lupa

Brisk but brilliant business for Ballylinch

There can be few businesses that bag €860,000 (AU$1.24 million) within the space of 10 minutes, but Ballylinch Stud is not any old business. One of the most beautiful studs in Ireland, Ballylinch brought a strong draft to Deauville, including two fillies by their own Lope De Vega (Ire), and an Invincible Spirit (Ire) filly (Lot 187) who elevated the operation beyond the €1 million (AU$1.4 million) mark for the opening two days in quick-fire fashion.

Lot 190, the Lope De Vega filly out of Xaarienne (GB) (Xaar {GB}), the dam of three different black-type performers, did best and went the way of China Horse Club for €320,000 (AU$461,000).

The other Lope De Vega filly (Lot 189) out of the homebred Witches Brew (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}) was sold to Rabbah Bloodstock for €260,000 (AU$375,000), while the Invincible Spirit out of Wild Irish Rose (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was knocked down to Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock for €280,000 (AU$403,000).

Ballylinch Stud manager John O'Connor said, “They are three really nice fillies. With the way things fell, they went through the ring within the space of a few minutes of each other so it was very concentrated. We knew we had really nice fillies and we knew that a lot of people liked them.

“The Invincible Spirit filly was bought by Tom Goff, who is an excellent judge, and I understand she was bought for George Strawbridge but I'm not sure where she's going. Wherever she goes, I'm sure she'll do well.”

And she is bred to do well. Wild Irish Rose won twice for Aidan O'Brien, including the Listed Stanerra S. at Leopardstown, and is a half-sister to black-type performer Cradle Mountain (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and from a good Ballymacoll Stud family that can be traced back to Islington (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}).

O'Connor added, “The Lope De Vega out of Witches Brew is a full sister to Antonia De Vega. She's a lovely moving filly and has a lot of residual value as a future broodmare but she should make a lovely racing filly as well.

Gallery: Ballylinch Stud's high-priced fillies, images courtesy of Arqana

“The last one (Lot 190) was bought by Matt Houldsworth for China Horse Club and she was an exceptional filly. All three were very busy and they did what we expected.”

The dream 10 minutes or so enjoyed by Ballylinch on Sunday followed on from a productive start with a filly by Too Darn Hot (GB), a colt by Waldgeist (GB) and a filly by Sea The Stars (Ire) fetching €475,000 (AU$684,000) collectively the previous day. The stud has one lot left to sell on Monday, a colt by Lope De Vega (Lot 241).

Juddmonte snap up two colts

On a day when Inspiral (GB), one of the best daughters of Frankel (GB), swooped to G1 Prix Jacques le Marois glory, backed up by the Group 3 victory of Eternal Pearl (GB) in the Prix Minerve, Juddmonte pounced to secure Lot 148, a handsome chestnut colt by the stud's decorated stallion and from the breeder of Eternal Pearl for €450,000 (AU$648,000).

Simon Mockridge of Juddmonte revealed that the Haras de Saint Pair-drafted colt out of Spain Burg (Fr) (Sageburg {Ire}) will be trained in Ireland. He added that a decision on whether he will be sent to Ger Lyons or Dermot Weld, the only handlers employed by the world-famous operation in that country, hasn't yet been made.

He said, “Spain Burg was a very good 2-year-old, had plenty of speed, and Frankel is having a fantastic season. He's had seven Group 1 winners this season and we saw Inspiral winning today, which was great.”

Six lots later , Juddmonte signed up a second colt (Lot 155) of the evening, by Night Of Thunder (Ire) and consigned by Haras d'Etreham. Bought for €220,000 (AU$317,000), the bay colt is the second foal of the Jim Bolger-bred and trained dual Group 3 winner Steip Amach (Ire) (Vocalised {USA}). The mare's half-sister Fidaaha (Ire} (New Approach {Ire}) is the dam of Malavath (Fr) (Mehmas {Ire}), winner of last season's G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte as well as being placed in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Blueblooded Kingman for Japan

Yoshito Yahagi wasn't finished when signing for the session-topper and later provided Elise Drouet of Domaine de l'Etang with a great return by going to €560,000 (AU$807,000) for a colt by Kingman (GB) from the family of Arc winner Waldgeist. Offered this time as Lot 183, the son of the Group 2 runner-up Waldjagd (GB) (Observatory {USA}) had been put through the ring as a foal and made €280,000 (AU$403,000) when co-breeder Drouet bought out her partner, Ecurie de Cachene.

The colt has plenty of pedigree behind him to support such lofty prices. His half-siblings include Group 2 winner Waldbiene (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) and Listed winner Urwald (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), whilst he can also count a G1 Deutsches Derby winner and a G1 St Leger winner amongst his relatives.

Haras de la Louviere fillies star

Lady O'Reilly's Haras de la Louviere is a staple of the Arqana August Yearling Sale and within three lots on Sunday evening (local time) the stud recorded two excellent results for fillies bred in two separate partnerships.

Lot 199, a filly by Siyouni who was sold for €600,000 (AU$865,000) to trainer Nicolas Clement, was bred with Charles-Henri de Moussac. She is a daughter of the dual Grade 3 winner Aigue Marine (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), whose dam Aiglonne (USA) (Silver Hawk {USA}) was bought by the partners more than two decades ago and is the dam of Group 1 winner Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

After signing for the filly in the company of her new owner, Clement, who also trains her half-sister, the Listed winner Fenelon (Fr) (Fastnet Rock), explained, “I met Dr Tallaj last year at Saratoga and he has horses with my brother, Christophe. We bought Galifa here in December and started a company called RT Racing, the same as he has in America. We've had three winners and we want more so (we) bought this filly.”

Gallery: Haras de la Louviere's high-priced fillies, images courtesy of Zuzanna Lupa

Dr Ramon Tallaj added, “This filly will be running in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in a couple of years' time. Nicolas will make that happen. The atmosphere here is very good. This is my first time and I will continue coming back.”

Just moments later the second foal of the Listed-placed Ambivalence (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) (Lot 202), a daughter of Wootton Bassett (GB), brought €750,000 (AU$1.08 million) when knocked down to Richard Knight.

The agent was unable to disclose the filly's new owner but said of the filly whose fourth dam is the influential Allegretta (Ger), “She will stay here in France. She was bought for a client of mine who picked her out and we thought she was an absolute queen. For me she was the best filly in the sale. I love the stallion Wootton Bassett and the mare is stakes-placed. She's also a second foal, which I love as well.”

Reflecting on the sale of the two fillies, Lady O'Reilly said, “We were lucky. They are two well-bred and very athletic fillies, and I think in this sale the physique has to correspond with pedigree. So we just got lucky: good stallions and good mares from very good families.”

Lady O'Reilly noted that Aigue Marine has a filly foal by the late Le Havre (Ire) and is in foal to Wootton Bassett, while Ambivalence is now in foal to Sea The Stars.

Half-brother to Treve goes to Al Shaqab

Al Shaqab Racing enjoyed some of its best days on a racecourse with Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}), the dual Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine, and the story continues with the powerful owners securing the legendary racemare's half-brother by Intello (Ger) for €260,000 (AU$375,000).

Consigned by Haras du Quesnay, Lot 171 was bought by Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International, who has had an extremely busy two days after signing for 14 individual lots.

De Watrigant said, “We bought him for Al Shaqab. Obviously, to win the Arc with Treve gave the Al Shaqab team great joy. He was a beautiful colt.”

The final session of the Arqana August Sale gets underway on Monday at 5.30pm (GMT+2).