Cover image courtesy of Darren Tindale

History has a habit of trailing big races like pilot fish, and Saturday’s G1 Cox Plate is no different. The weight-for-age Classic is a century old and 12 horses will gallop in a hot burst for glory, but one in particular is chasing his own rainbow.

Four-year-old Anamoe, a Godolphin son of Street Boss (USA), is looking to tip his earnings over the $9.5 million mark on Saturday, bringing his Group 1 tally to seven. If he does win, it will be his 10th Group victory and his 11th stakes win overall, and few will question his place among the greats.

However, there’s more to this story.

At the moment, Anamoe is tied with both Daylami (Ire) and Fantastic Light (USA) as Godolphin’s all-time Group 1-winning horses. They each have six Group or Grade 1 victories apiece, so should Anamoe win the Cox Plate this weekend, he will sail into unchartered territory for the Godolphin operation.

Also, if he does win, Anamoe will equal the sharp Benbatl (GB) as the most Group-winning of Godolphin’s horses ever (10 Group victories) and, by overall stakes victories, he will overtake both Benbatl and Hunter’s Light (Ire), with whom he is currently tied on 10 stakes wins.

It’s a remarkable effort for the Australian-bred horse, bringing a degree of breathless history to his Cox Plate run on Saturday.

Anamoe is currently a pre-post favourite for the race, edging Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) and El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and, while he’s undefeated this spring, he isn’t unbeatable.

The G1 Might And Power S. a fortnight ago was a ding-dong contest that saw Godolphin’s colt come through in a nail-biting finish and, with both I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking) and Zaaki getting within a bee’s breath of Anamoe that day, both of which will race on Saturday, the Cox Plate might prove the contest of the spring.

For Jason Walsh, the racing and bloodstock manager of Godolphin Australia, Anamoe has almost no peers in the Godolphin operation.

“He’s quite obviously one of the best homebreds that Godolphin has had in Australia,” Walsh said, speaking to TDN AusNZ this week. “I’ve been here for quite a long time now, and the only other horse I’d consider to be of a similar calibre is Sepoy.”

In 2011, Sepoy posted one of Godolphin’s (then Darley’s) most dazzling records with a two- and 3-year-old trot like few others. He won the Blue Diamond, Golden Slipper, Manikato and Coolmore Stud S., each among his four Group 1 victories, seven total Group races and 10 overall stakes.

Sepoy raced in the maroon and white colours of Darley Australia and, as such, he isn’t among the count of Godolphin’s most-winning horses to date. He did, nevertheless, produce an unforgettable career matched only by his daughter, Alizee, arguably and now Anamoe.

“Despite the fact there are more opportunities at this top level here in Australia, Anamoe has a record now that sits very favourably with some of Sheikh Mohammed’s best horses that have raced for Godolphin in Europe as well,” Walsh said. “He’s a horse we’re very proud of.”

Bossing the pedigree

Anamoe was bred by Godolphin Australia in 2018, a bay colt by Street Boss that was born on November 16 and a late foal, by most accounts.

He is a son of Anamato (Redoute’s Choice), herself a winner of the G1 Australasian Oaks and four Group races overall, so there is plenty of pedigree about Godolphin’s latest star.

“The most satisfying part about Anamoe is that he absolutely illustrates what our business is about,” Walsh said. “There are so many people involved in his development, and so many steps before what everyone sees on the racecourse, and we all get so much satisfaction from seeing him, right down to the gardeners that keep our farms looking trim and the accountants that ensure our suppliers are paid.

“Everybody is contributing every day to the success you see on the racecourse, and Anamoe absolutely epitomises that.”

For Street Boss, Anamoe is certainly the best thing that could have happened. The Darley Australia shuttler has already sired the likes of the G1 Winterbottom S. winner Elite Street, the G1 Newmarket H. winner The Quarterback, and as well as smart sprinter and Rosemont sire Hanseatic. Anamoe, however, is another level.

“Street Boss really had to do it the hard way in his early years with us,” Walsh said. “He didn’t have a great deal of support from our broodmare program, and Anamoe’s year was really the first year we really supported the horse strongly with our own broodmare band.

“That was when he got Anamato, a Group 1 winner out of a stakes winner in Europe, and it’s clear that most of our best horses come from our best families and Anamato provided that.

“Street Boss has definitely gone to a new level in the past few seasons and he’s become a hugely important horse for us, not just in that retrospective sense but in producing a horse of Anamoe’s class and quality.”

Walsh said that Anamoe will be one of the hottest stallion prospects in the country when he eventually retires, but will his season end this weekend if he wins the Cox Plate?

“Not necessarily,” Walsh said. “James (Cummings) does have an appetite to consider the Champion S. on the final day of the carnival at Flemington, but we’re very much focused on Saturday at this point.”

Anamoe would be a first Cox Plate winner for the Godolphin team. In the past, it’s gone close enough with horses like Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}), who was second to Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) in 2016, and fifth to the same mare the year before.

“Sheikh Mohammed also campaigned a few horses that were placed, namely Benbatl who also ran into Winx,” Walsh said. “So it would certainly be His Highness’ first success in the Cox Plate if it were to happen this weekend.”

Time to travel

In the discussion about Anamoe’s place among Godolphin’s all-time greats, it’s worth considering both Daylami and Fantastic Light.

Anamoe is tied with this pair for most Group 1-winning horses in the royal blue silks, but the two European horses were campaigned extensively overseas during their careers.

Daylami, bred and originally raced by The Aga Khan, was bought by Godolphin at The close of his 3-year-old season and, career wide, he won races in Ireland, England, France and America. Fantastic Light, another level again, won top contests in England, Dubai, France, Ireland, Hong Kong, America and Dubai.

Gallery: Anamoe is tied with Daylami and Fantastic Light for the most Group 1 wins in the royal blue silks

“I think it’s true that Anamoe is yet to be tested on the world stage,” Walsh said. “He has a world-class record here, but an international campaign might well be considered for the early part of next year. We’re very much focused on the short-term goals right now, but it would be lovely to think that we could take him abroad somewhere and show off his talent.”

Anamoe’s likely target in a 2023 international campaign would be the G1 Dubai Turf over 1800 metres in March during the Dubai World Cup meeting. After that, ambitions are in Europe, but only if the ducks are in a row.

“It’s important to recognise that European horses at a mile and above are very, very strong and we would only consider taking him there if we thought he could represent us well, which I’m sure he would. But it’s another calibre of opposition, isn’t it?”

It’s fair to admit that European horses are at an advantage when it comes to overseas campaigns. They don’t have 24-hour flights to contend with, or acclimatising to opposite seasons.

As such, Australian horses like Anamoe, with replete records in Australia, will always be at sea defending their legendry on the world stage.

“From my perspective, though, the amazing thing about Anamoe is his versatility,” Walsh said. “This is a horse that I feel should have won a Golden Slipper, and he was placed in both of those juvenile Group 1s (the Golden Slipper and Blue Diamond) and now he’s about to contest, for the second time, Australia’s premier weight-for-age event at 2040 metres.

“There are very few horses with that degree of aptitude in terms of distance, and I think it speaks to just how talented and unique he is.”

Last year, Anamoe was second by a whisker to State Of Rest (Ire) in the Cox Plate, with Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) whipping in a vintage finish at Moonee Valley. State Of Rest went on this year to win the G1 Prix Ganay at Longchamp and G1 Prince Of Wales S. at Royal Ascot, while Verry Elleegant added the Melbourne Cup to her resumé after that thrilling Cox Plate.

Elite and unusual

For Jason Walsh, Anamoe has been a unique experience these last few years. He says the horse is a definite character with a dominant personality.

“He knows he is good,” Walsh said. “From a young horse, he’s done what he wants to when he wants to, and if he’s not ready for something, he’s very happy to let you know. But he’s got that charisma that all top athletes have got. He stands out.”

Walsh remembers what it was like at Flemington in years gone by when So You Think (NZ), in the care of Bart Cummings, used to walk across the track in the dark mornings.

“There’s something about Anamoe that delivers the same sort of presence,” Walsh said. “He’s not a particularly big horse and he’s quite refined, but he carries himself in such a way that separates him from the rest.”

With revelations that Anamoe is likely to head overseas to race, it’s obvious that the horse has put himself on the radar of Godolphin internationally. He’s getting bigger than what he’s achieving in Australia, and it will be fascinating to see whether Saturday’s Cox Plate result contributes to that.

Walsh will be trackside and, win or lose, Anamoe will remain in the rarest air.

“He’s secured Group 1s at two, three and four years of age, and that’s elite and unusual,” he said. “We’re very lucky to have him.”

Table: Best Godolphin horses by Stakes victories

Table: Best Godolphin horses by Group victories

Table: Best Godolphin horses by Group 1 victories

Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos

Well-bred import Emissary made a play for a spot in the G1 Melbourne Cup with his impressive victory in the G3 Geelong Cup on Wednesday.

A winner of the Listed Heatherlie S. earlier in the year, the 6-year-old gelding stayed on stoutly to defeat Surefire (GB) (Fastnet Rock), who is incidentally raced and bred by Juddmonte Farms, the former owner and breeder of the winner and home to Emissary’s elite sire, Kingman (GB).

The gelding was sitting 30th in the order of entry for the Group 1 on the first Tuesday in November prior to Wednesday’s win, so a start in the race is nearly certain with the horse set to be re-weighted on Thursday. Trainer Mike Moroney, who won the race in 2017 with Vengeur Masque (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), is confident that when the horse is re-handicapped he will have done enough to secure his berth into the 3200-metre marathon.

“He's come from second-last in a really good field,” Moroney said. “It's probably one of the better Geelong Cup fields we've seen for a long, long time and I think for that reason the handicapper will recognise that.

“The way he did it. He came from second-last and he took all the bad luck out of the equation.”

The gelding was last seen running eighth in the G3 Herbert Power S. with Moroney putting that disappointing performance down to the Soft conditions and he was delighted to see him show his full colours on Wednesday.

“We were starting to wonder if he really stayed, but today he showed he certainly does,” Moroney said. “We wanted him on dry ground, out to the mile-and-a-half and we wondered whether that would do it.

“We'll head on to the Melbourne Cup now, all going well.”

Should Emissary line up in the G1 Melbourne Cup, he will attempt to hand his trainer a second win in the race, having saddled Brew (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}) to victory in the Group 1 in 2000.

The win made up the second leg of an impressive treble for in-form rider Blake Shinn, who will not be on board the gelding should he gain a start in the G1 Melbourne Cup having already been locked into partner the 2019 winner, Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}).

“It was a big win, he showed glimpses of promise and it's nice to get him to produce a personal best today (Wednesday)," Shinn said.

“He settled really nicely and that was the main objective to get him to run the 2400 metres. As we've seen in his first-up run (in winning the Heatherlie H.) he had a great turn of foot over 1700 metres.

“If we could reproduce that same turn of foot over this distance we were in business. The race panned out lovely and we got a nice drag into the race from Damien Oliver's horse (Rodrigo Diaz) and he chimed in at the 300 (metre mark). He hadn't been in the race (until then).

“The way the race was run, they went fast early and it allowed him to get into a nice breathing pattern and spend no gas. That gave him the opportunity to run the distance out strongly and show his true form.”

Purchased by Moroney, his brother Paul and European-based agent Armando Duarte from the draft of his former owners Juddmonte Farms for 350,000gns (AU$657,000) at the 2020 Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale. Australian buyers will get the chance to hunt for the next Emissary when the 2022 edition of the sale gets underway at Park Paddocks in Newmarket on Tuesday.

In winning the Group 3, Emissary becomes Kingman's second Group winner in the country, joining Sinawann (Ire), while worldwide the stallion’s stakes-winning haul stands at 53, headlined by his six elite-level winners which includes Palace Pier (GB), who is currently covering his first book of mares at Darley’s Kelvinside base.

Emissary himself is from a family littered with stakes winners and he is a half-brother to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and G1 Epsom Derby winner Workforce (GB), with the pair both being out of the unraced Soviet Moon (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}), whose dam is the G3 Park Hill S. winner Eva Luna (USA) (Alleged {USA}).

A high-class broodmare in her own right, Eva Luna produced six winners including the dual Group 1-winning stayer Brian Boru (GB), the 2013 G2 Herbert Power S. winner Sea Moon (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}) and the Longchamp Group 2 winner Moon Search (GB) (Rainbow Quest {USA}).

Eva Luna is a descendant of another seven stakes winners including the 2018 G1 Caulfield Cup winner Best Solution (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). The family could be subject to another significant update this weekend when Best Solution's juvenile Group 1-winning brother, El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), takes a shot at the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.

Derby plan for Grand Pierro

The Jason Warren-trained Grand Pierro (Pierro) will now head to the G1 VRC Derby at Flemington on Saturday week, after he illustrated his staying prowess with an impressive victory in the Listed Geelong Classic on Wednesday.

The 3-year-old gelding finished strongly to beat the Danny O’Brien-trained pair Let'srollthedice (Dundeel {NZ}) by 0.2l, while King’s Crossing (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}), was another 0.5l away in third.

Last seen running fifth behind current G1 VRC Derby favourite Mr Maestro (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Listed Super Impose Plate at Flemington on October 1, the gelding clearly appreciated the step up to 2200 metres and Warren is confident he will only continue to thrive as the distances get longer.

“He's a genuine stayer, this guy, and looking for dry tracks and a race over the right distance for him and he found it today,” said Warren, who was winning the race for the second time having landed it first with Confrontational (Redoute’s Choice) in 2020.

“We came here with quite a lot of confidence, and I was surprised to see him so short in the market.

“It was justified, and he's run up to it and it's a really pleasing result to get another winner for Grand Syndications.

“I was very confident he'd run the trip and he was strong on the line, so we can go to what looks to be a better race for a bit more money. He's been a tricky horse to get going and it is a tribute to my staff. He's got a few tricks up his sleeve and when he heads out onto the track, he doesn't do everything right.

“One thing he's always had though is a good stayer's engine. He never blows, he always pulls up clean in the wind and we've always had him marked as a Derby hopeful.”

The gelding was a $50,000 buy by John Price Bloodstock and owners Grand Syndicates from the draft of Collingrove Stud at the 2021 edition of the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and he is out of the G3 WW Cockram S.-placed mare Le Societe (Anabaa {USA}), making him a half-brother to Listed-placed Indiscretion (Sebring).

Grand Pierro becomes the 31st stakes winner for Pierro, who is standing at Coolmore Stud for a fee of $99,000 (inc GST).

Turaath returns to the winning groove

After a 403-day hiatus, the Maddie Raymond-trained Turaath (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) returned to the winner's circle when she flashed home to win the Listed Black Pearl S. at Geelong on Wednesday.

Having not saluted the judge since her victory in the G2 Let’s Elope S. last September, the daughter of Oasis Dream (GB) overcame a slow start, flying home to beat Jump The Broom (Sebring) by 0.2l, while Larkspur Run (Shamardal {USA}) was the same distance further afield in third.

“She’s so tough, so honest. They had her on the line, but you can see her dig deep and fight,” Raymond said. “It’s not great that she’s missing the kick. I’m sure we’ll be able to give her a good squeeze out if we need to.

“She’s relaxing well now, but she might be overdoing it a bit. She’s a little bit more versatile, so if you do find a race where there is a lot of speed, you can sit off and she can finish off like that.

“She went into her first run with no jump-outs, no trials, and she ended up having a pretty soft run and I thought she was still fresh enough to be here today over 1200 (metres), but she’ll take good improvement from that and will be better off over further.”

Raymond said the mare could now head to the G3 The Hong Kong Jockey Club S. for mares over 1400 metres on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington.

By Oasis Dream, who stands alongside Emissary’s sire Kingman at Banstead Manor in Newmarket, Turaath was bred by Shadwell Stud and purchased by her co-owner John Nicholls for 35,000gns (AU$62,700) at the 2020 Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2020.

She is a daughter of stakes-winning, multiple Listed-winning, Group 1-placed mare Fadhayyil (GB) (Tamayuz {GB}), who is set to be offered carrying a sibling to Turaath at the upcoming Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale. The mare is catalogued as Lot 1148 and is among the offerings from Derrinstown Stud.

Cover image courtesy of Darren Tindale

The last time Cameron and Kellie Bond presented a draft at the Magic Millions 2YOs In Training Sale on the Gold Coast, they sold a colt for $270,000, the third-highest lot of the sale.

That was in 2020, where the colt from the last crop of the late Yarraman Park Stud-based sire Hinchinbrook, who had breezed in 11.10s, was purchased by Denys Chan (acting on behalf of Lisa Ngai) for Hong Kong-based trainer, Douglas Whyte.

The colt is from Paris Match (Street Cry {Ire}), who is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Kiss And Make Up, and his second dam is the former smart filly, two-time Group 1 winner Fashions Afield (Redoute’s Choice).

At the same sale in 2017, Kenmore Lodge offered a Smart Missile colt out of County Mayo (USA) (Grand Slam {USA}). He was bought by Vichit Pongsri-iam of Thailand for a sale-topping $320,000. Named My Big Boss, he has won five races in Singapore.

Twelve months later, they sold a Hinchinbrook colt for $260,000, while in 2019, a colt by I Am Invincible made $300,000.

And, in 2015, Kenmore Lodge offered a colt by Written Tycoon from Rezonet (Hussonet {USA}), who made $60,000. He would be named Tyzone, and after earning $1.3 million in prizemoney, the now 9-year-old gelding has been retired. Tyzone won three stakes races, including Queensland’s premier event, the G1 Stradbroke H. (in 2020).

“This sale has been good to us over the years, we’ve had some nice results,” Cameron Bond told TDN AusNZ.

“It’s good to be back, we’re excited. Last year was the first sale we’ve missed in 10 years or so; we just wanted a bit of a break.

“We’ve got a quality draft and are really looking forward to Tuesday.”

Kenmore Lodge was established in 2009 and is located in Wyreema, a rural town 15 km south-west of Toowoomba in the undulating eastern Darling Downs.

The business offers a range of services, including agistment and pre-race education, rearing and sales preparation.

In addition to the success at the Magic Millions 2YOs In Training Sale, Kenmore Lodge sold G3 Winx Guineas winner Wapiti (Love Conquers All), and carried out the pre-race education for stakes winners Playing God, The Odyssey and Winning Ways (Declaration Of War {USA}).

“We spread our operation across breeding, selling weanlings and yearlings, breaking in horses,” Bond explained.

“And we’ve always done a few breeze-up horses.”

A four-pronged attack

Kenmore Lodge heads to Bundall on Tuesday with a four-horse draft, all of which are colts.

“We find the colts are popular at breeze-up sales and we’ve had good success in the past,” Bond said.

“The Asian market is usually quite strong at these sales and colts and geldings obviously appeal to them.”

Bond said the pick of the bunch is the Deep Field colt. Catalogued at Lot 10, he is from the Wyong maiden winner A Little Prayer (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) – a half-sister to Group 1 winner Romantic Touch (Northern Meteor) and Group 3 winner Burning Passion (Northern Meteor).

The colt’s third dam, High Heels (Canny Lad), is a half-sister to dual Listed victress Actress (Snippets), and produced Group 1 winners Desert War (Desert King {Ire}) and Laser Hawk (Artie Schiller {USA}).

“He hasn’t breezed yet, but I’m expecting him to breeze well. He’s a nice horse, a very nice horse,” Bond remarked.

“He’s a big scopey horse that will make a lovely 3-year-old. He’ll improve with maturity, but he’s quite forward now.

“I expect him to breeze well on Friday.

“His full brother has just been exported to Hong Kong and there’s high expectations around him.”

The colt was passed in at this year’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

“He came from a client. He came to be broken in and he took our eye and we struck a deal with the owners to present him at this sale,” said Bond.

Lot 81 is a colt by Smart Missile out of the seven-time winner Lycra Lass (Shamardal {USA}), who is the dam of Group 2 placegetter Vegas Knight (Declaration Of war {USA}).

His second dam is the stakes-winning mare Leggings (NZ) (Tights {USA}).

The colt breezed at Eagle Farm on October 6 in 10.85s.

Lot 128 is the fifth living foal from Strassa (Street Cry {Ire}), who won a Queanbeyan maiden.

By Lean Mean Machine, the colt’s second dam is Enciamo (Encounter), who is a half-sister to four-time Group 1 winner Streama (Stratum).

He also breezed at Eagle Farm on October 6 in 10.67s.

“They both breezed really well and we’re really happy with both of them,” said Bond.

“He’s a good-moving horse, the Smart Missile.”

Rounding out Kenmore Lodge’s draft is Lot 67 - a Delago Deluxe colt from the dual-winning mare Isadiva (Casino Prince). This is her first foal.

The colt’s second dam, Diana Cazadora (Chi) (Dushyantor {USA}), won five races in Chile, including a Group 1.

“Paul Moroney helped us select some of these,” Bond added.

“This is the first time we have worked with Paul; I’ve been really impressed with a lot of the horses that he’s bought at yearling sales.

“He’s a good judge.”

Cover image courtesy of Zuzanna Lupa

Ballylinch sires to the fore

It's beginning to feel as if it's John O'Connor's world and we're just living in it. After selling 27 yearlings for almost 6.5 million gns (AU$12.2 million) at Tattersalls last week, Ballylinch Stud, which he manages, was then represented by a Group 1 double at Ascot's Champions Day when first Bayside Boy (Ire) won the Queen Elizabeth II S., followed by the triumph of Bay Bridge (GB) in the Champion S.

Both are sons of Ballylinch resident New Bay (GB), and Bayside Boy was bred and is co-owned by Ballylinch, while the stud bought into the James Wigan-bred Bay Bridge.

Though not on the list of consignors in Deauville this week, a strong Ballylinch feel continued at Arqana on Tuesday as Haras d'Etreham's colt by Lope De Vega (Ire), Lot 240, topped the second session and final day of Part I when finally secured at €210,000 (AU$330,000).

Lot 240 became the latest purchase by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock, which bid via telephone through Arqana's Freddy Powell after the partners' earlier departure.

The first foal of German Listed winner and Classic-placed Cherry Lady (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) is very closely related to his dam's fellow stakes-winning half-sister Celebrity (Ger), who is by Shamardal (USA), while Cherry Lady is herself by Soldier Hollow (GB), whose role as a broodmare sire was enhanced this year by the two Group 1 wins of Helmut von Finck's Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB}).

The Lope De Vega colt was consigned for his breeder, Haras Voltaire, by Nicolas de Chambure's Haras d'Etreham, which has enjoyed a decent two days of trade, selling 21 yearlings for €1.9 million (AU$2.95 million) to be second on the list of vendors.

Twenty lots later, and acting through Amelie Lemercier, American owner John Ballantyne of NBS Stables went to €160,000 (AU$250,000) for a daughter of Ballylinch freshman Waldgeist (GB) out of the Listed-placed Deauville Shower (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}).

Consigned by Elevage de Tourgeville on behalf of breeders Thierry Storme and Thierry Lohest, the bay filly (Lot 260) was the most expensive of the five yearlings by Waldgeist in the sale, who sold for an average of €83,400 (AU$130,000).

Meanwhile, the sextet of Lope De Vega yearlings sold has brought an average price of €176,667 (AU$275,000).

With the two days of Part I of the October Sale now in the books, another €6,131,000 (AU$9.5 million) was added to the ledger on Tuesday, bringing a running total for the sale to €18,955,000 (AU$29.4 million) with three days left to run.

Tuesday's clearance rate was 81 per cent, with 82 of the 101 yearlings sold for an average of €74,768 (AU$115,900) and a median of €62,000 (AU$96,100).

Overall, the average for Part I was €76,741 (AU$119,000) with a median of €60,000 (AU$93,000), and a healthy rate of lots sold at 81 per cent.

Zarak in demand

Anthony Stroud was back on the phone to Freddy Powell when Lot 299 entered the ring, and he bought the Zarak (Fr) filly for €180,000 (AU$280,000) from the Haras de Hoguenet consignment.

The second foal of the G2 Prix de Malleret runner-up Fuse (Fr) (Teofilo {Ire}), she was bred by Guillaume de Saint-Seine, the co-owner of G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf runner-up Malavath (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), who will return to this year's Breeders' Cup meeting in a bid to go one better.

Late in the session, Mark McStay of Avenue Bloodstock was another to opt for a Zarak yearling (Lot 325) when buying the half-brother to G3 Firth of Clyde S. winner Queen of Bermuda (GB) (Exceed And Excel) for €160,000 (AU$248,000).

“There was a lot of Dubawi about him and Zarak is really making waves as an emerging young stallion,” McStay said. “The mare has done it; she has bred two fast horses and she was fast herself. He'll be going to William Haggas.”

Lot 325 was bred by Yeguada Centurion from the stakes-placed Haafhd (GB) mare Imperialistic Diva (GB) and consigned by Haras de l'Hotellerie.

Though he was bought for a different unnamed client, McStay has done well with his purchases for Hong Kong-based owner Bon Ho, who owns the current favourite for the Melbourne Cup, the Guy Heald-bred Deauville Legend (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was bought by the agent at Arqana in September 2020.

Asked about the 3-year-old's travels to Melbourne, he replied; “Fingers and toes crossed. The horse travelled really well and James Ferguson is on his way out there right now. His team, led by Alison, has done a great job getting him there.

“There's a lot of pressure being favourite but it's a great position to be in. Mr Ho and his wife are flying out there and so am I. It's a great experience to be involved in. He's a fantastic horse who has already done us all proud so hopefully he can run well.”

French trainers in clover

Deauville-based trainer Stephane Wattel signed up the most expensive offspring in the sale of another first-season sire, the Coolmore resident Calyx (GB).

Lot 237, out of the Listed-winning Arch (USA) mare Cheriearch (USA), is a half-brother to Al Shaqab's G3 Prix de Fontainebleau winner Welwal (Fr) (Shalaa {Ire}). The colt was bred in partnership by Ariane Gravereaux, OTI Racing and Oceanic Bloodstock, was bought from the Haras des Capucines draft for €170,000 (AU$265,000) and will race for a syndicate led by Peter Savill.

The owner-breeder and former BHB chairman has put together a group of friends from Britain, Ireland, France and Australia with the intention of racing four juveniles in France next season.

Meanwhile, Jean-Claude Rouget and Michel Zerolo continued their support for the stock of another Coolmore resident, Wootton Bassett (GB), when signing for Lot 289 at €170,000 (AU$265,000) from La Motteraye Consignment.

From the further family of Superstar Leo (Ire) and One Master (GB), the daughter of juvenile winner Fille Du Septembre (Ire) (Choisir) was bred in partnership by Gwen Monneraye and Lucie Lamotte with Gerard Ferron.

Wootton Bassett has had a strong representation at Arqana so far this week, and 21 members of his final French-conceived crop have proved popular, selling for an average of €134,619 (AU$210,000).

Christophe Ferland will take charge of Lot 272, a Night Of Thunder (Ire) granddaughter of G3 Prix des Reservoirs winner Emily Bronte (GB) (Machiavellian {USA}), who was bought by Arthur Hoyeau for €160,000 (AU$248,000).

Bred by Ecurie de Cachene and consigned on their behalf by Edwige Le Metayer's Haras du Buff, the filly is the first foal of Dubai Opera (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a sister to Group 3 winner Lockwood (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

At Monceaux, sharing is caring

Victor Kiam famously said of Remington shavers; “I liked it so much I bought the company” and, though Peter Brant is unlikely to be able to secure Siyouni (Fr) himself from the Aga Khan, he has invested plenty in his stock over recent seasons and struck for another of his yearlings on Tuesday.

The filly, Lot 239, bought for €170,000 (AU$265,000) in the name of White Birch Farm, is out of the unraced Cherriya (Fr), a Montjeu (Ire) half-sister to the treble Group 1 winner Cherry Mix (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}).

Lot 239 was consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux, the sale's leading vendor who on Monday sold a Wootton Bassett filly bred by various members of the Monceaux staff for €210,000 (AU$325,000).

Eleven individuals were involved in the breeding syndicate, including former yearling manager Antoine Bellanger, who now runs his own Arcadia Elevage consignment, his successor Jordan Tancrede, Charlotte Andre and broodmare manager Bruno Dieuaide.

Tancrede, whose job it is to oversee the prep of the Monceaux yearlings, explained; “Henri Bozo bought the mare Avocate for the staff and asked me if I wanted to be involved. We had a Siyouni colt from the first year and sold him in the August Sale for €80,000 (AU$125,000).

“But then this was a big surprise, the price the Wootton Bassett filly made. She was a very nice filly but we thought she might make something like €110,000 (AU$170,000).”

The daughter of the Lawman (Fr) mare Avocate (Fr), from the family of Group 1 winners Ectot (Ire) and Most Improved (Ire), will race in America for Klaravich Stables.

Foote secures three

Having secured two lots on Monday at the Arqana October Yearling Sale, Australian-based agent John Foote of John Foote Bloodstock (FBAA) made his presence felt once again on Tuesday, securing three colts for an aggregate of €320,000 (AU$498,700).

The trio of purchases were headed by a colt by Intello (Ger), who he paid the Normandie Breeding consignment €135,000 (AU$209,000) for. The colt is out of stakes-placed Inchinor (GB) mare Carolines Secret (GB) and she is also the dam of Grade 2 winner Elektrum (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}).

Meanwhile, Foote also purchased a pair of colts by Sea The Moon (Ger), paying €110,000 (AU$171,300) for one and €75,000 (AU$116,800) for the other