Cover image courtesy of Zuzanna Lupa
At A Glance
The opening day of the Arqana August Yearling Sale at Deauville, France, saw Lots 1 to 134 catalogued, of which 101 sold, seven fewer than the 2022 figure. However, the clearance rate sat at an improved 85.6 per cent from 81.20 per cent.
The average for Day 1 sat at €230,842 (AU$390,600), the average was up by 29 per cent from the 2022 opening average figure of €178,657 (AU$303,100) and the aggregate was also up, by 20 per cent at €23,315,000 (AU$39.5 million).
The session's top lot was Lot 21 a colt by Dubawi (Ire) from the Invincible Spirit (Ire) mare Pretty Spirit (Ire) offered by Ecurie des Monceaux. The colt was knocked to Sheikh Mohammed on behalf of the sheikh’s agent Anthony Stroud for €1.25 million (AU$2.12 million). The colt became the first seven-figure yearling sold in Europe this season.
Gabbedy active at Deauville
Many major players descended upon Deauville in France to participate at the Arqana August Yearling Sale among them Sheikh Mohammad, John and Sue Magnier, Sheikh Joaan Al Thani and Kia Joorabchian, and Australia’s Damon Gabbedy of Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA).
Gabbedy is the Australasian representative for Arqana, and went to €120,000 (AU203,600) for Lot 74 a filly by Sea The Moon (Ger) from the Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire) mare Skyron (Fr). She was a winner as a 2-year-old and ran fourth in the Listed Grand Critérium de Bordeaux.
“It's an excellent opportunity to look out for different bloodlines, those staying bloodlines we don't get in Australia and some nice fillies to bring back to Australia,” Gabbedy told TTR AusNZ.
“It's an excellent opportunity to look out for different bloodlines, those staying bloodlines we don't get in Australia and some nice fillies to bring back to Australia.” - Damon Gabbedy
“There is also the option to race these fillies in France. However, Lot 74 will return to Australia and join Tony and Calvin McEvoy.
“I have an adventurous client who purchased a Le Havre filly a couple of years ago, and she won first time out at Ballarat; her name is Cherlinde. So, that client was keen to have another go in France as that filly looks promising.
“He's interested in more staying type pedigrees, and Sea The Moon is an exceptionally good sire; he sired the first three home in the German Oaks.
“He is a stallion that throws more to the staying side of things, but this particular client is patient and was happy to wait.
“We are going to be patient with her and give her the best chance; the client is very excited to provide her with the time and see if he can turn her into a lovely middle-distance staying stakes filly.
“While the pedigree is a little light up front, her dam had a lot of ability winning first-time out before she was retired due to an injury.”
Skyron, the dam of the filly hails from the family of the G1 Sydney Cup winner Mourayan (Ire) and Mourilyan (Ire) who was placed in the G1 Melbourne Cup.
Furthermore, this is the family of Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) a winner of the G1 New Zealand Derby.
Lot 74 is set to join the Ballarat stables of father and son training duo Tony and Calvin McEvoy of McEvoy Mitchell Racing.
Also bringing an Australia connection to Deauville was Lot 126, a filly by Kingman (GB) consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux.
Lot 126 - Kingman (GB) x Zargos (filly) | Image courtesy of Arqana
The filly is from the Shamardal (USA) mare Zargos, who won the G3 Bow Mistress S. in Tasmania, Australia.
She was exported to France and served by Kingman in Great Britain, the result of that mating Lot 123, who sold to Al Shaqab Racing for €500,000 (AU$780,800).
“Gerry Ryan raced a mare named Zargos. She won a Group 3 in Tasmania with the Hayes boys. I sold half of that mare (Zargos) to Ecurie des Monceaux, the leading vendor in France. Gerry retained the other half of Zargos, and we bred her to Kingman, and the first foal was Lot 123, who made 500,000 euros.”
Dubawi progeny sought after
The progeny of Darley, Europe’s flagship stallion Dubawi (Ire) are always well-sought after whenever they pop-up and there was no change at Arqana.
Dubawi had seven yearlings catalogued in the sale of which five were offered within the first 39 lots on Friday and all were, and all were consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux.
Lot 21 a son of the great sire from the Invincible Spirit (Ire) mare Pretty Spirit (Ire) caught the attention of the Ruler of Dubai and founder of the Godolphin operation Sheikh Mohammend who purchased the colt for €1.25 million (AU$2.12 million) with Anthony Stroud bidding on the sheikh’s behalf.
Anthony Stroud | Image courtesy of Zuzanna Lupa
Godolphin also bought Lot 17, a colt out of the G3 Prix de Royaumont winner Pollara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) from Monceaux for €550,000 (AU$930,100), while David Redvers went to €400,000 (AU$680,600) for the grandson of another Group 3 winner, Pacifique (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) (Lot 27). After the session ended, Redvers also privately acquired Lot 5, a son of Group 3 winner Paix (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) herself a daughter of Pacifique, for €500,000 (AU$850,300). The final one to be sold during the session proper, at €390,000 (AU$660,700) to Hubie de Burgh, was the filly out of the Lope De Vega (Ire) mare Right Hand (GB) (Lot 39).
The Wertheimer-bred dam's half-sister Left Hand (GB) is one of Dubawi's many Group 1 winners and is the dam of this season's G3 Prix de Psyche runner-up Left Sea (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
Lot 39 - Dubawi (Ire) x Right Hand (GB) (filly) | Image courtesy of Arqana
The rise of Wootton Bassett
The rise of Wootton Bassett (GB) continues to go from strength to strength, the former French-based stallion who now stands at Coolmore Stud in Ireland and shuttles to the global operations arm in Australia, Jerrys Plains.
Wootton Bassett was represented by eleven members from his first Irish-conceived crop in Deauville on Friday, with them selling for an average of €338,182 (AU$570,800) from his 2021 fee of €100,000 (AU$169,700).
Wootton Bassett has gone some way in justifying Coolmore Stud's faith in him with River Tiber (Ire) winning the G2 Coventry S. for Aidan O'Brien and Bucanero Fuerte (GB) landing the G1 Phoenix S. for Amo Racing this year alone.
Wootton Bassett (GB) | Standing at Coolmore
The results on the racetrack carried over into the sales ring on Friday with Coolmore, from which John and Sue Magnier and their son M.V. were present at the back of the auditorium, going to €720,000 (AU$1.12 million) to secure Monceaux's (Lot 118) colt by the stallion.
M.V. Magnier said, “He (Lot 118) is a very nice Wootton Bassett, and everybody knows that Monceaux does a brilliant job. Listen, he's a very nice horse and thankfully Wootton Bassett is absolutely flying at the moment.”
He added, “It was (a big commitment to bring Wootton Bassett to Coolmore Stud) and, thankfully, it looks like he has worked out. He keeps improving our stock and there are some very good 2-year-olds by him. The future is going to be very bright for him.”
Lot 118 - Wootton Bassett (GB) x White Satin Dancer (Ger) (colt) | Image courtesy of Zuzanna Lupa
Coolmore's River Tiber could harden his reputation as a top-notch 2-year-old in Sunday's G1 Sumbe Prix Morny at Deauville, however, according to Magnier, the colt could struggle to maintain his unbeaten record after suffering an interrupted prep for the race.
He explained, “Aidan will hopefully run River Tiber on Sunday, but he missed a week two weeks ago, so he is a little bit worried about how fit he is coming into the race. Hopefully, if he does run, he can run well.”
Asked about the market, Magnier added, “It's been good and Arqana does a great job in getting everybody here from America, Japan, the Middle East, Australia, Ireland, England and Europe.”
M.V. Magnier signs the docket for Lot 118 | Image courtesy of Zuzanna Lupa
Wootton Bassett's popularity was borne out in the results throughout the day with top American owners snapping up an expensive colt by him, respected bloodstock agent Richard Brown declaring his love for the stallion and even Godolphin shelling out €320,000 (AU$540,900) for a colt by him.
One of the picks was a filly (Lot 33) consigned by Haras d'Etreham, and she made her way to the Bregman Family in America for €550,000 (AU$930,100). The Bregman Family are perhaps best known in Europe for being the owners of classy juvenile No Nay Mets (Ire) (No Nay Never {USA}) and are represented by bloodstock agent Mike Akers.
After signing for the most expensive filly by Wootton Bassett on the day, Akers said, “Lovely filly, very well prepped from a breeder who has been producing nice horses for a long, long time. I bought her for Alex Bregman of the Bregman Family Racing LLC. Alex is racing some nice fillies and hopes to be a significant breeder here and in the US in the future. We are very happy with what we have bought.”
Lot 33 - Wootton Bassett (GB) x Quiet Oasis (Ire) (filly) | Image courtesy of Arqana
Blandford Bloodstock's Richard Brown may not have been able to confirm who his Wootton Bassett filly would be racing for but didn't hold back in his praise for the stallion when going to €410,000 (AU$695,600) to secure Lot 82 from Ballylinch Stud.
Out of a winning Oasis Dream (GB) half-sister to Silasol (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), Brown's purchase hails from a strong Wertheimer family and had the looks to match.
Brown said, “I love the stallion and, obviously, he's having an incredible year. It's a very good pedigree and she comes from an exceptional nursery. Historically, I haven't bought a huge amount of horses from Ballylinch but it hasn't been from a lack of trying. They are a world-class nursery and do an exceptional job. Her dam is a sister to a very good filly (Silasol) and physically, I thought she was right up there with the best fillies that I have seen here. There is a very good selection of horses here. I had to stretch to get her, but I am delighted to have got her.”
“I love the stallion (Wootton Bassett) and, obviously, he's having an incredible year. It's (Lot 82's) a very good pedigree and she comes from an exceptional nursery (Ballylinch).” - Richard Brown
He added, “It looks like Wootton Bassett is going to go from strength to strength. He's one of the leading sires around so you have to take him very seriously.”
Godolphin added a Wootton Bassett to their roster in the shape of Lot 6, a filly consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux who hails from the family of the brilliant Peeping Fawn (USA) (Danehill {USA}), for €320,000 (AU$645,700).
Richard Brown | Image courtesy of Zuzanna Lupa
Cambridge Stud shuttler Hello Youmazain finds fans
Hello Youmzain (Fr) who shuttles to Cambridge Stud in New Zealand, was represented by his first yearlings in his native France at Arqana.
Five members of the first crop of Hello Youmzain were offered on Friday, and all sold at an average price of €127,000 (AU$215,500). These were led by Haras de la Perelle's filly out of the Listed winner Testa (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) (Lot 94) who was bought by Peter Kavanagh of Kildaragh Stud for €210,000 (AU$360,300). It is a family that Kavanagh knows well, as her third dam is Mahalia (Ire) (Danehill {USA}), a smart runner and influential broodmare for Gerry Oldam of Citadel Stud.
Hello Youmzain (Fr) | Standing at Cambridge Stud
The dual Group 1-winning sprinter will shuttle to Cambridge Stud and stand for a fee of NZ$30,000 (plus GST).
