The ARQANA Breeze Up sale continued to break new grounds with a fifth consecutive year of solid growth and new records across the board. The aggregate for the 92 youngsters who changed hands was €10,373,000, up 28% from 2015 which already represented a 22% leap from the previous renewal. The average exceeded six figures for the first time ever at €122,446, an increase of 22% from 2015. The clearance rate was an outstanding 82.6%.
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A daughter of the red-hot Haras de Bonneval resident Siyouni out of the Efisio mare Acatama, hence a three-parts sister to the dual Group 1 winner Odeliz, was another addition to Charles Gordon-Watson's shopping list on a final bid of €400,000. Simon Crisford was the underbidder. The filly's second dam Tanzania produced the Del mar Oaks heroine Amorama, and the family traces back to the great Treve.
She is for a new client and will eventually go in training with André Fabre, said Gordon-Watson. Since she went through the ring as a yearling, her sister has become a dual Group 1 winner and I like what is under the second dam too. She is not very forward and will be more of three-year-old.
Lot 110 f. by Siyouni x Acatama consigned the The Channel Consignment. ©APRH
Fillies continued to take centre stage with a daughter of three-time Australian Champion sire Redoute's Choice commanding €775,000 from Stephen Hillen, who was bidding alongside Kevin Ryan. The strapping bay is the first foal out of the Listed winner Sunday Nectar and was offered by Mark Dwyer's Oaks Farm Stables. She had been purchased for €75,000 at the ARQANA October Yearling Sale.
We missed out on the Frankel filly and really wanted this one, commented Hillen. She is by a champion sire, from a consignment we've had success with in the past and did the fastest breeze from what I could see. I have bought her on behalf of Mr. Rahman [owner of recent Gr.3 Chartwell Fillies' Stakes winner Ashadihan] and she will go to Kevin Ryan.
Lot 89 f. by Redoute's Choice x Sunday Nectar consigned by Oaks Farm Stables
A smashing filly from the first crop of Frankel and out of the Listed winner Rose Bonheur triggered a spirited battle involving Michel Zerolo, Stephen Hillen and Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore Agency among others. It was the latter who prevailed for the Grove Stud offering with a bid of €800,000 on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing. This is the highest price ever achieved at the ARQANA Breeze Up sale.
She's a queen, said Nicolas de Watrigant. She litterally had everything going for her and is undoubtedly the best filly I've seen at any Breeze Up sale in Europe this year. The reports from trainers have been very upbeat on Frankel's stock and we are confident that he can make it as a stallion.
Lot 70 Frankel x Rose Bonheur consigned by Grove Stud. ©APRH
A strapping colt from the first crop of Golden Slipper hero Sepoy went the way of Blandford Bloodstock's Richard Brown for €300,000. From the family of smart sprinters Zelding, Zipping, Fire Lily, Beauty Is Truth, as well as 2016 Ranvet Stakes scorer The United States, the chesnut had been bought for €30,000 at the Arqana August Sale.
Sepoy was an exptional racehorse who has made a great start to his stud career. He had an impressive winner at Newmarket this week and is going to be a top stallion I think. This colt is all his sire and did a very good breeze so I am delighted to have him, stated Brown.
Lot 34, c. by Sepoy x Kocooning from Haras de Saint-Arnoult ©APRH
Bidding rose to €600,000 for lot 24 from Tanya Browne's Mayfield Stables. The only son of the leading sire Sea The Stars, the bay colt hails from the family of German 1000 Guineas victrix Dakhla Oasis and leading. David Redvers, who was standing alongside Sheikh Fahad Al Thani, was the winning bidder and commented:
He did a great breeze in very good time. We paid €600,000 for him but this is justified by his page and his work on the track. He he had already won his maiden, we wouldn't have been able to afford him. He was prepared by a very good consignor with whom we have been very luck, we notably bought [Gr.2 Temple Stakes winner] Hot Streak from them. This colt will head to our private training centre in Newmarket before we decide on a trainer.
Lot 24, c. by Sea The Stars x Happy Land, consigned by Mayfield Stables. ©APRH
Charles Gordon-Watson got the last word at €275,000 for lot 10, an athletic Galileo colt offered by Jamie Railton and Alban Chevalier du Fau's Channel Consignment. He is out of the Rahy mare Ecoutila, who has already produced three black type horses including the Gr.3 Prix Djebel scorer SURFRIDER. The pedigree goes back to the Wertheimer family of PAS DE REPONSE and DICTON.
He is by the best stallion there has ever been and did a very good breeze considering he is still rather fat, commented Gordon-Watson. These horses are hard to buy. He is for Dr. Johnny Hon and will go into training with Ed Dunlop.
Lot 10, colt by Galileo x Ecoutila from The Channel Consignment ©APRH
The first lot through the ring, a neat Big Bad Bob filly who was the only offspring by the late Irish National Stud resident in the catalogue, commanded a closing bid of €200,000 from Anthony Stroud acting on behalf of an existing client. The dark bay, who produced one of the fastest breezes on Friday, had been picked up for €35,000 by Brendan Holland's Grove Stud at last year's Arqana v.2 Yearling Sale.
She is a very nice filly from a good consignor, and who breezed in a very good time, commented Stroud. I do not know yet where she is going to be trained.
Lot 1, Big Bad Bob x Daidoo filly consigned by Grove Stud, ©APRH