Cover image courtesy of Zuzanna Lupa
At A Glance
The Arqana August Yearling Sale at Deauville concluded on Sunday with an aggregate of €56,949,000 (AU$96.7 million). The figure was up 15.41 per cent or €49,343,500 (AU$83.8 million) grossed from the 2022 edition.
The overall average climbed 10.7 per cent from last year to €232,445 (AU$395,000). The clearance was a healthy 86 per cent up four per cent from 2022.
The overall median recorded a figure of €170,000 (AU$288,900) which was significantly higher than the €140,000 (AU$237,900) achieved in 2022.
For the 12th year consecutively, Ecurie des Monceaux was the leading Arqana August Yearling vendor, selling 45 yearlings at an average of €451,714 (AU$767,700), but it was also a terrific sale for Nicolas de Chambure and his team, who sold the overall top lot, the Dubawi (Ire) half-sister to Bucanero Fuerte, for €2.4 million (AU$4.07 million) along with 14 other yearlings for a total average price of €340,895 (AU$579,300).
Plenty of attendees at the sale remarked upon the importance of the presence of some of the heads of major global racing and breeding operations in Deauville, and it may well have been a contributing factor to an incredibly buoyant market at Arqana. Godolphin, Coolmore and a rejuvenated Al Shaqab filled the top three buyers' slots.
Siyouni has long been the stallion king of France and, with Mqse De Sevigne winning her second Group 1 in three weeks across the road just before the start of the final session, and the scintillating prospect of Paddington running in Wednesday's G1 Juddmonte International, the stock of the Aga Khan Studs' star resident really couldn't be higher. At Arqana over the last three days, 15 of his yearlings sold for a total of €6,950,000 (AU$11.8 million), putting him behind only Dubawi and Frankel on the sale's sires' table.
Freshman sires featured prominently, with Ghaiyyath's €455,000 (AU$773,300) average for three sold giving him bragging rights, but it was also a notable debut for Haras d'Etreham's Hello Youmzain, whose stock drew many favourable comments and who ended the sale with 19 sold at an average of €128,789 (AU$218,900). His initial stud fee was €25,000 (AU$42,500).
The top lot of the overall sale was Lot 214, a filly by Dubawi from the Elusive City mare Frida La Blonde. The filly was offered by Haras d’Etreham and sold to Oliver St Lawrence Bloodstock for €2,400,000 (AU$4.07 million).
Siyouni strikes back
The Arqana August Yearling Sale at Deauville concluded on Sunday with fireworks, from start to finish the sale provided many memorable moments, none more so than on Sunday when within five minutes two lots through the ring made a collected €3 million (AU$5 million).
The Haras de Bonneval super sire Siyouni (Fr) continues his accession up the stallion ranks, the sire of 71 stakes winners has enjoyed a fantastic season. Among those star representatives is the outstanding Aidan O’Brien-trained Paddington (GB).
The colt is raced by Coolmore that includes a partnership with Peter Brant, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Georg von Opel’s Westerberg, and his success likely played no small part when the team combined again to secure Lot 244, a colt by Siyouni for €2.2 million (AU$3.73 million) who was signed by M.V. Magnier and Brant’s White Birch Farm.
The colt is from the Galileo (Ire) mare Hourglass (Ire). She is a half-sister to the outstanding sire Shamardal (USA). Ecurie des Monceaux consigned the colt, and the result capped another fantastic sale for that nursery, as they were crowned the leading vendor for the 12th consecutive time. Ecurie des Monceaux sold 45 yearlings at an average of €451,714 (AU$767,700).
M.V. Magnier and White Birch Farm also signed over €800,000 (AU$1.35 million) for Lot 243, a son of Wootton Bassett (GB) whose yearlings on offer this season are from the first crop conceived in Ireland since the stallion’s purchase by Coolmore.
The colt is from the American Pharoah (USA) mare Holy Roman Empress (Ire) and was consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux.
M.V. Magnier signs the docket for Lot 243 | Image courtesy of Arqana
The progeny of the former French-based stallion has been sought after, with 24 presented over Deauville returning an average of €349,375 (AU$593,800).
Both colts were bred by China Horse Club from mares bred by Coolmore and associates.
“They're two very nice horses and, interestingly enough, we actually sold the two dams a couple of years ago,” said Magnier. “We've come back and bought the progeny because China Horse Club are very good breeders and Monceaux are an incredible farm. They do a very good job raising horses and we're lucky to get the two of them. They'll both go to Ballydoyle.”
“They're (Lot 243 & 244) two very nice horses and, interestingly enough, we actually sold the two dams a couple of years ago. We've come back and bought the progeny because China Horse Club are very good breeders and Monceaux are an incredible farm.” - M.V. Magnier
Monceaux's Henri Bozo said, “It's been a very good sale. As it has got going it has gone from strength to strength and to have sold those two big horses to Coolmore is a great proof of trust from them to us. The Siyouni colt is a lovely horse with the magic cross, he's magnificent, a good mover, and there is plenty to come physically.”
He continued, “I think that we saw from the beginning of the showing days that there were more and more people. A lot of principals were looking at the horses and enjoying the sale and everybody was confident.”
Bozo and some of his partners were also involved in one of the Group 1 contests on the racecourse at Deauville earlier in the day when their Ramatuelle (USA) (Justify {USA}) was collared close home to finish second by a head in the G1 Sumbe Prix Morny.
Lot 243 - Wootton Bassett (GB) x Holy Roman Empress (Ire) (colt) | Image courtesy of Arqana
“I got too excited too early, and I thought she was going to win,” he said. “She's so tough, she's amazing.”
Ramatuelle will be a valued addition to the Monceaux broodmare band in due course, but first we may see her travel to Newmarket for the G1 Cheveley Park S.
Outside of Coolmore and partners, Siyouni found fans with Ramiro Restrepo and JR Ranch signing for Lot 279, a Monceaux-bred Siyouni filly from the unraced Frankel (GB) mare Lucerne (GB).
Ramiro Restrepo | Image courtesy of Arqana
Lucerne is a half-sister to three-time Group 1 winner and Group 1-producing sire Charm Spirit (Ire).
“We've waited three days for this filly,” said Restrepo after signing over €700,000 (AU$1.18 million) for Lot 279.
Restrepo, who acts as Marquee Bloodstock, continued, “She is going to be a cornerstone, hopefully a foundation mare down the line for us. We bought Ocean Vision for the same partner, JR Ranch. He has a lot of passion for Thoroughbred racing and this filly has it all: temperament, class, physique, beautiful pedigree. She's out of a Frankel mare who is a half to Charm Spirit, a major Group 1 winner, and Dream And Do is in the family, who is one of Siyouni's Group 1 winners.”
“We've waited three days for this filly (Lot 279). She is going to be a cornerstone, hopefully a foundation mare down the line for us.” - Ramiro Restrepo
Restrepo added that the filly will be the first to race in France for JR Ranch and that she will be trained in Chantilly by Tim Donworth, who previously trained Ocean Vision (Ire) (U S Navy Flag {USA}).
He said, “I have known Tim since he was on the Flying Start course. We bought Ocean Vision, who was one of the nicest horses in his yard. He brought the horse over to America for a Grade 2 and our partner was super-impressed with how he handled himself and the love that he showed for the horse, so it was only right to replace one in his barn.”
Siyouni, sire of the brilliant Amelia’s Jewel, will be available to Southern Hemisphere breeders at Haras de Bonneval for €60,000 (AU$102,000).
Siyouni (Fr) | Standing at Haras de Bonneval
Kinane scores Starspangledbanner colt
The Australian-bred Starspangledbanner, despite early fertility troubles, has proven to be a rare proposition excelling in both hemispheres. The Coolmore Stud sire was represented by two yearlings at Deauville, among them Lot 236 consigned by Haras du Mont dit Mont selling Michael Kinane for €140,000 (AU$237,900).
The colt is from the Free Eagle (Ire) mare Grudge (Fr), who is a half-sister to the Godolphin-raced Contributer (Ire) who won the G1 Ranvet S. and the G1 Chipping Norton S. in Australia when trained by John O’Shea.
Lot 236 - Starspangledbanner x Grudge (Fr) (colt) | Image courtesy of Arqana
Starspangledbanner is standing at Coolmore, Australia for $33,000 (inc GST).
Yahagi rates Wootton Bassett
On Saturday Anna Sundstrom sold a homebred Sottsass (Fr) colt to Mitsu Nakauchida for €525,000 (AU$892,200) and a day later another Japanese trainer, Yoshito Yahagi, also found favour with Sundstrom's Coulonces Sales draft. He selected a Wootton Bassett colt (Lot 281) out of the G3 Prix Miesque winner Magic America (USA) (High Yield {USA}) for €1,000,000 (AU$1.69 million).
“I was interested in buying a yearling by Wootton Bassett, as I think he has the ability to succeed in Japan as a sire,” said the trainer who has launched successful international raids on the Breeders' Cup and Saudi Cup. “I have been here all three days, and my impression is that this is a very strong market. I was on my final bid for this colt.”
“I was interested in buying a yearling by Wootton Bassett, as I think he has the ability to succeed in Japan as a sire.” - Yoshito Yahagi
Wootton Bassett has made the trek to Coolmore’s Southern Hemisphere base at Jerrys Plains in Australia, New South Wales. He is set to serve mares for a fee of $93,500 (inc GST).
Last year, Yahagi was responsible for buying the sale's top lot, a €2.1 million (AU$3.56 million) brother to the Arc winner Sottsass. This time he signed for two yearlings, including a first-crop son of the 2000 Guineas winner Kameko (USA) for €140,000 (AU$237,900).
Yoshito Yahagi signs the docket for Lot 281 | Image courtesy of Zuzanna Lupa
The Hong Kong Jockey Club was also active and snapped up a colt by the Tweenhills-based Kameko for €310,000 (AU$526,800).
The young sire posted an average figure of €177,500 (AU$301,700) from a fee of £15,000 (AU$25,500).
David Redvers of Tweenhills said, “Delighted. It's been a great start. There is a mixture of happiness and sadness because, when a horse is sold abroad, it lessens the exposure for the stallion at home. But, wherever he does well, it will be a good thing. I think we have some really exciting yearlings to come. The ones I have seen tend to be really sharp-looking. If they are out of a fast mare, he seems to be putting that strength into them. With the Roaring Lions, I rarely saw one that didn't look as though it would need at least 10 furlongs at three.”
“I think we have some really exciting (Kameko) yearlings to come. The ones I have seen tend to be really sharp-looking.” - David Redvers
He added, “With the Kamekos, we certainly have one going to Book 1 and he is out of a very fast mare and looks very sharp. He could be his first 2-year-old runner. Sheikh Fahad wants to expose Kameko to the market, so he is selling some of his nice ones.”
Stroud: 'It has been great to get the principals here'
Just a few hours after his Craven Breeze-Up purchase Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) confirmed himself one of the best 2-year-olds in Europe when storming to G1 Prix Morny glory for KHK Racing Ltd, Anthony Stroud rounded off a weekend to remember by signing for a Camelot (GB) colt with “a stallion's pedigree” on behalf of Godolphin for €850,000 (AU$1.44 million).
Purchased from Gestüt Ammerland, the Camelot colt brought Godolphin's total spend at Arqana over the past few days to €5,350,000 (AU$9 million) across 10 yearlings, which made the operation the leading buyers at this year's sale.
“Very nice horse from Gestüt Ammerland,” Stroud said of Lot 267. “We bought the half-brother here last year and we like him. This colt obviously has a stallion's pedigree and the team thought he was one of the picks of the sale. He's a nice staying horse.”
Stroud added, “I think it has been a good sale. The main thing is that it has been great to get the principals here like John Magnier, Sheikh Mohammed, Al Shaqab, Amo Racing and now Wathnan Racing. There are many more and you couldn't come to a nicer place than Deauville for a sale, could you?”
Not only was this year's August Sale a hugely successful one for Godolphin with a view towards the number of high-class yearlings added to the system, but the performance of the Darley stallion roster was something that gave the team a lot of satisfaction.
“This colt (Lot 267) obviously has a stallion's pedigree and the (Godolphin) team thought he was one of the picks of the sale. He's a nice staying horse.” - Anthony Stroud
Dubawi was out on his own as the leading stallion at the sale with seven yearlings selling for €5,690,000 (AU$9.6 million) but his sons Night Of Thunder (Ire) and freshman Ghaiyyath (Ire) enjoyed some time in the limelight, with Godolphin snapping up all three offerings by the latter to the tune of €1,365,000 (AU$2.3 million).
Stroud commented, “We all have great faith in Ghaiyyath, including the boss, and the three that were here were a really good representation of the stallion. We've great faith in him so we will see what happens. We're very happy going forward.”
Ghaiyyath, a conqueror of Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) won four Group 1 races including the Juddmonte International and Coronation Cup.
The son of Dubawi is currently preparing for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season shuttling to Darley, Northwood Park, in Victoria, Australia for a fee of $27,500 (inc GST).
Anthony Stroud signs the docket for Lot 267 | Image courtesy of Zuzanna Lupa
Ghaiyyath not only brings exceptional race performance to Southern Hemisphere breeders but also impeccable bloodlines as he is from the Classic-winning Galileo mare Nightime (Ire).
The results and the support shown by Godolphin towards Ghaiyyath should have breeders in the Southern Hemisphere feeling confident who have or will be supporting him.
'We're back': Al Shaqab make a statement with €3.5m spend
Several major players were active across the three days of the sale. However, Al Shaqab who raced the outstanding French heroine Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) a dual victress of the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe made a statement signing for nine yearlings spending a total of €4,135,000 (AUS$7 million).
The smile on Benoit Jeffroy's face said it all after Al Shaqab signed €575,000 (AU$977,200) for the ninth yearling purchased at this year's August Sale, a Wootton Bassett (Lot 235) colt from Haras du Mont dit Mont. “It's great to be back,” Jeffroy beamed, as Al Shaqab set the foundations of a rebuilding process at Arqana over the past three days that saw the operation sign for yearlings by some of the most sought-after stallions in the world, including Siyouni, Kingman (GB) and No Nay Never (USA).
Lot 235 - Wootton Bassett (GB) x Green Diamond Lady (USA) (colt) | Image courtesy of Zuzanna Lupa
Jeffroy said, “Listen, it has been good to be investing in these yearlings and nice to get some yearlings that we liked and into fillies and new families. We have really enjoyed going around selecting them with Sheikh Joaan, who has been really involved throughout the past week and was here. He said, 'Let's go and find some nice horses for next year'. Hopefully we have found some good ones.”
Elaborating on the reasoning behind the strongest spend at a yearling auction for many years by the operation, he said, “We spoke in May about trying to regroup and select more with a view towards the broodmare band. It's very tough to breed the (good) horses. We have 60 mares now compared to the big operations that have a lot more mares and access to all of the big stallions.
“We just thought that we would stay a little more selective on the breeding side of things and to try and buy some more nice horses at the sales. That's the plan.”
“We just thought that we would stay a little more selective on the breeding side of things and to try and buy some more nice horses at the sales. That's the plan.” - Benoit Jeffroy
That's not to say that it was all plain sailing. The strength of the market in Deauville meant that even the reinvigorated Al Shaqab operation struggled to land every punch but emerged from the 12 rounds at Arqana in better shape than it began.
“First day was good but the second day we got beaten quite a few times. Today, we got beaten twice, but got one we really liked–the Wootton Bassett. It's been a really good market and, to be honest, the guys at Arqana have done a great job. There have been a lot of horses with good physicals and good pedigrees and we are lucky to have bought nine now.”
He added, “Last year we bought six or seven horses at Book 2, including Baheer, who is quite exciting for Richard Hannon. We also bought some horses here in Deauville but not to this level. That's why I said to Sheikh Joaan, it's good to keep going with higher quality and the horses by the big stallions because, if you want to keep a mare, it's good to have one by a big stallion. Also, if you become a good racehorse and stallion, you want to be by a good sire. We are just trying to upgrade.”
Benoit Jeffroy | Image courtesy of Zuzanna Lupa
Al Shaqab went on to sign for another Wootton Bassett Lot 287 for €675,000 (AU$1.1 million). Interestingly, Amo Racing bought into Lot 235, the Wootton Bassett representing a new partnership.
As well as recruiting runners for next year and beyond, Al Shaqab offered prospective buyers the first glimpse of progeny by the Haras de Bouquetot-based stallions Wooded (Ire) and Romanised (Ire), and Jeffroy described himself as pleased by the start the freshman sires have made.
He said, “Wooded has been very well-received. His first yearling made €140,000. Personally, I find him quite exciting. They have great depth and are nice horses. I think we will see more from him in October, and we are also pleased with Romanised.
“Wooded has been very well-received. His first yearling made €140,000. Personally, I find him quite exciting. They have great depth and are nice horses.” - Benoit Jeffroy
“We stand him on behalf of Mr Ho and the filly was very well sold here on Saturday. Romanised has some nice yearlings selling at V.2 so we are happy. Yes, they are on the cheaper side, but who knows? They might be the ones.”
Al Shaqab also shuttle Wooded to Adam Sangster's Swettenham Stud in Victoria, Australia where his first foals born are catching the eye of plenty.
The Group 1-winning son of Wootton Bassett stands for $22,000 (inc GST).
Satisfying results
Arqana's Chairman Eric Hoyeau and Executive Director Freddy Powell 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 of sales.
Eric Hoyeau | Image courtesy of Zuzanna Lupa
“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 and we look forward to seeing you next Tuesday for the V.2 Yearling Sale.”
