Cover image courtesy of Arqana
At A Glance
In 2026, 56 yearlings sold for €13,966,000 (AU$22.82 million) on the first day of the Arqana August Yearling Sale, up 20% on the opening session in 2025. Clearance was 79%, up by 9% from last year.
The average of €249,393 (AU$407,508) rose 7% from the equivalent session last year. The median of €200,000 (AU$326,800).
The top lot was a €1.25 million (AU$2.04 million) Justify colt, who sold to Godolphin.
With two sessions still to come, the Arqana August Sale has got off to a positive start, with the first-day turnover of €13,966,000 (AU$22.82 million) being up 20% on the equivalent session last year.
The average of €249,393 (AU$407,508) represented a rise of 7%, while the clearance rate of 79%, for 56 horses sold from 71 offered, was up by 9%. The median was €200,000 (AU$326,800).
Godolphin comes up trumps on Justify colt
It was in Deauville that Joie De Soir did all her best work as a racehorse, winning the Listed Grand Prix de Clairefontaine and Listed Prix du Carrousel, and the trend has continued for the 8-year-old daughter of Fastnet Rock, whose Justify colt (Lot 42) brought the ring to life at Arqana when selling for €1.25 million (AU$2.04 million) to Godolphin.
Bred by Rockhart Trading, the pseudonym of Eddie Irwin's Marlhill House Stud, the colt was bought in utero by the breeder for 750,000gns (AU$1.5 million) at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale.
Standing with Marlhill House Stud's manager Brian McConnon, Irwin said, “We've been upgrading our mares for the last four or five years, and she's the most expensive mare we've bought.
“It was more than I thought we were going to pay for her but I have to thank (the late) Clem Murphy. He pushed me into it and it was good advice. He said to me on the day, 'Of everything you're looking at, she's the one you shouldn't leave behind. She's by Fastnet Rock out of a Galileo mare, which is a fantastic cross. We've had a huge involvement with Fastnet Rock, we were involved in racing, and the Fastnet Rock-Justify cross was working well at the time.”
“He (Clem Murphy) said to me on the day, 'Of everything you're looking at, she's (Joie De Soir) the one you shouldn't leave behind'.” - Eddie Irwin
Joie De Soir is herself out of the unraced mare Highest Ever (Galileo), a daughter of the G1 Prix Jean Romanet winner Alpine Rose (Linamix) who had been bought in the same ring 13 years ago by Coolmore for €1 million (AU$1.63 million).
The colt was consigned for Marlhill House Stud by Charles Briere of Fairway Consignment, which also offers a colt from the first crop of Paddington out of dual Listed winner Thai Haku (Oasis Dream) on Monday as Lot 198.
McConnon said, “It's our first year with him and he runs a very professional operation, they've done a great job. I really have to thank them. And Shane McAleese, who led him up, he's been with us for 10 years now.”
Irwin added, “We've sold a few nice horses here over the years. It depends on what we have from year to year, whether we have one that Brian is happy that we can prep early enough for the August Sale.
“The horse behaved impeccably and all the guys have done a fantastic job, because getting them here with the long boat journey, they don't always arrive in perfect condition, but these two that we brought this year have done. I was delighted that they travelled so well in the middle of a heatwave.”
Anthony Stroud, who bought the colt on behalf of Godolphin – the same team which also combined in the buying and racing of Justify's G1 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court – was full of praise for the individual and for his sire.
Anthony Stroud | Image courtesy of Arqana
“He's an extremely nice horse – beautiful conformation and from an excellent farm,” Stroud said. “And of course, Justify is doing so well. He's a wonderful stallion and we're very grateful to secure him.
“He's (Lot 42) an extremely nice horse – beautiful conformation and from an excellent farm.” - Anthony Stroud
“I think you are going to find strong competition for any horse that you really want. When they have a good pedigree and the conformation to match, the competition can be strong. I thought the market so far looked good.
"It's very difficult to value these horses when they get to a certain level. It's really whether all of the principals (within Godolphin) have seen enough that they want to progress (with their bidding). Ultimately, we want him to be a top-class horse – to be a Group horse, really. That is the intention no matter how much you spend. Whatever price a horse costs, the ultimate aim is for them to be a good horse. It is no different because of the price tag.”
Stall Perlen digs deep for Wootton Bassett colt
Baroda Stud's largest ever draft of horses for Arqana August included Lot 43, a strong colt from the penultimate crop of the late Wootton Bassett out of G3 1000 Guineas Trial winner Just Pretending (Giant's Causeway) who had been widely tipped to play a prominent role on the first day of trade, and this it proved.
The half-brother to the stakes-placed winners Visage and Persia, both by Galileo, eventually went the way of Ross Doyle for €800,000 (AU$1.3 million) after a protracted bidding bout which included Jaber Abdullah.
Doyle said, “I know it's easy to say now, but he was a bit of a standout. Our team has seen every horse in this sale over the last two or three days – that's the way we operate. He was in our top tier. He's by a wonderful stallion and from a good family. Everything just matched up.
“I know it's easy to say now, but he (Lot 43) was a bit of a standout.” - Ross Doyle
Confirming that the colt had been bought for Magne Jordanger of Stall Perlen, one of the largest owners in Scandinavia, Doyle added, “I'm very lucky that I had a chance to buy him and I really appreciate it. Stall Perlen has moved into France now and they have horses with Pia Brandt and I imagine that's where he'll be going.”
Ross Doyle | Image courtesy of Doyle Racing
Baroda Stud's David Cox was delighted with the result for the colt he said had been “grabbing people's attention” since the day he arrived at Arqana.
“They are not making any more Wootton Bassetts,” he added. “I had in my head that he might make €400,000 or €500,000. I knew Jaber Abdullah was interested and, when two buyers lock horns, that's what can happen.”
'Thank God she sold well!' Twomey answers Bozo's prayers
It all boils down to this sale year in, year out for Henri Bozo and the team at Ecurie des Monceaux. Chicquita (Montjeu), Magic Wand (Galileo) and Diamond Necklace (St Mark's Basilica) are just a few of the top-class fillies that Monceaux have sold at this sale down through the years and Paddy Twomey will be hoping that Lot 63, a Frankel filly out of G1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Lightening Pearl (Marju) will be another, having been bought at €800,000 (AU$1.3 million) on behalf of Bond Thoroughbreds.
For Bozo, the transaction generated more of a puff of the cheeks than a fist pump, given it represented one of his first major results of what is expected to be a helter-skelter few days.
Bozo said, “She is a very nice filly – great pedigree, very good temperament and I was confident. Thank God that filly sold well! It is hard to find a Group 1-winning broodmare and then, when you send her to Frankel, it is quite an expensive project. So we are extremely happy. A great result and, on the whole, the sale has been good for us. I am happy and I think the key is to keep your feet on the ground and to be reasonable.”
“She (Lot 63) is a very nice filly – great pedigree, very good temperament and I was confident.” - Henri Bozo
Henri Bozo | Image courtesy of Jour De Galop
Twomey was bidding online and landed the Frankel filly from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.
Confirming that she was purchased on behalf of growing powerhouse owner Charlie Bond, whose Prix de le Foret winner Maranoa Charlie is an exciting addition to Tally-Ho Stud, he said, “I think she makes great appeal for Bond Thoroughbreds being by Frankel and out of a Cheveley Park Stakes winner. It's a very fast family and it has been successful all around the world – there is a strong Japanese aspect to it as well.
“It's (Lot 63) a very fast family and it has been successful all around the world – there is a strong Japanese aspect to it as well.” - Paddy Twomey
“Charlie (Bond) is putting together a nice group of fillies between Stakes performers and well-bred unraced horses. She suited the programme and Charlie is keen to support Maranoa Charlie in a big way, so I am sure she will get her date with him upon the completion of her racing career.”
Robcour owner's son Rob Acheson splashes out for Sea The Stars filly
His father Brian might be one of the biggest National Hunt owners in Ireland, but Rob Acheson is going a different path in racing and, in order to get his new project at Kilnagornan Stud off the ground, spent €480,000 (AU$784,000) on a Sea The Stars filly (Lot 73) consigned by Henri Bozo's Ecurie des Monceaux.
Brian Acheson, who has owned some brilliant jumpers like Bob Olinger (Sholokhov) and Teahupoo (Masked Marvel), acquired a stake in Monceaux last year. He was on the ground bidding alongside bloodstock agent Mags O'Toole on behalf of his son Rob.
O'Toole said, “We had very strong competition from all of the right people. Where she goes into training is still to be decided. She has been bought on behalf of Rob Acheson, who has recently purchased Kilnagornan Stud in Kildare. The hope is that she will be good enough to retire to his stud. The plan is to try and buy a few more fillies over the coming weeks and months so that is exciting.”
“She (Lot 73) has been bought on behalf of Rob Acheson... The hope is that she will be good enough to retire to his stud.” - Mags O'Toole
Ballylinch Stud negotiates sticky slot with aplomb
Striking early is never a bad idea, especially at a select sale where first-night jitters can play a part, and Hugo Merry wasted no time in striking for a partnership for which he has been lucky in the past when buying the first lot through the ring for €420,000 (AU$686,000). The daughter of the Fastnet Rock mare Fairy Dancer will race for Andrew Rosen and Antony Beck and was bought by Merry alongside Gainesway's bloodstock manager Ben Gowans.
Sold by her breeder Ballylinch Stud, the Lope De Vega filly offers plenty of residual value whatever her eventual racing career entails as she hails from a family laced with black-type which has been active at Ballylinch for generations through her third dam, the G1 Phoenix Stakes winner Pharaoh's Delight (Fairy King). Among the luminaries on the page is the Breeders' Cup Turf winner Red Rocks (Galileo).
John O'Connor, who under the Ballylinch Stud banner has sold brilliant horses like Blue Bolt (Blue Point), Place Du Carrousel (Lope De Vega) and Expensive Queen (Lope De Vega) at this sale, commented on the Lope De Vega filly, “Lot 1 can be a tough stall to navigate and you need a good horse to sell well, which she did. She is a very nice filly – had a pile of vets on her so we did think that she would sell well.
“Lot 1 can be a tough stall to navigate and you need a good horse to sell well, which she did.” - John O'Connor
“It is a family that we have developed for generations at Ballylinch and this could be a very nice filly to carry it on.”
China Horse Club on both sides of the deal
It has been a few years since China Horse Club principal Teo Ah Khing has been present at a yearling sale in Europe but he was on hand at Arqana to oversee transactions both as a vendor and buyer alongside agent Matt Houldsworth and China Horse Cub's Michael Smith.
The team combined to buy Lot 70, a Zarak half-sister to Listed winner Manisha (Lope De Vega) for €430,000 (AU$702,600) from the draft of Coulonces.
“We had to stretch pretty far, but I think the good ones often cost more than you'd expect, so we're thrilled to get her,” Houldsworth said. “She's for the China Horse Club, so she'll stay in Europe, and hopefully she's another Rose Bloom, who we had some fun with a few years ago.”
“We had to stretch pretty far, but I think the good ones often cost more than you'd expect, so we're thrilled to get her (Lot 70).” - Matt Houldsworth
He added, “Teo is a busy man so it is great to have him here. We've sold a few really well this evening. He always likes to try to buy a couple of fillies to put in training, and eventually come back to the broodmare band.”
Thought for the day
It's hard to say the Golden Ticket idea didn't work. Arqana was surely tactical with some of the lots they attached the vouchers to, with some of the horses by sires that maybe aren't in vogue right now or else horses that weren't standouts physically.
And it seemed to work as breeze-up handler Cormac Farrell admitted to have bid much stronger than he had planned on Lot 30, a Galiway filly consigned by Capucines that was knocked down to Equos Racing and trainer Henri Devin at €85,000 (AU$139,000).
Farrell, who filled the role as underbidder, simply said, “It's obviously a good idea because I wouldn't have been as strong had she not had the voucher. I had €50,000 in my head for her and I was subtracting the voucher when I was bidding.”
Owner Stall Perlen will surely reinvest over the coming days given he scooped a €30,000 (AU$49,000) voucher when landing the Wootton Bassett (Lot 43), while NBA star Tony Parker of Infinity Thoroughbreds was another recipient of a Golden Ticket when striking late in the sale for Lot 79, a first-crop Vadeni filly from La Motteraye Consignment, who was knocked down at €105,000 (AU$171,600).
