The final session of the Breeding Stock Sale, which featured a rare offering of 15 stallions in addition to 156 National Hunt mares and foals, returned a record aggregate of €2,344,500, up a whopping 36% from the same day a year ago. The average also improved by 23% to reach €21,314. However, the larger catalogue for this final day saw the clearance rate retreat from 80% to 70%.
Network and Spanish Moon remain in France after six-figure sales
The session got underway with the sale of 15 stallions, 14 of which sold for a cumulated €650,000. 7 were offered by IFCE, the public body that took over from the former Haras Nationaux and is being dissolved at the end of this year.
Bertrand Le Métayer signed the €67,000 docket for the Kapgarde mare Norita Has on behalf of a women-only partnership. Edwige Le Métayer of Haras du Buff teamed up with Aliette Forien and her daughter Sybille Gibson for the four-year-old mare from the draft of Hamel Stud, who was offered carrying her first foal by Turgeon. Although she remained winless in four starts over jumps, Norita Has boasts a stellar page with the talented jumpers Gamine Royale, Utopie Des Bordes, Victoire Des Bordes all appering under the second dam, as well as Gr.1 Prix du Cadran third Rollex Borget.
There were not many mares that met all our requirements and our budget, but this one really he was our pick of the day, said Edwige Le Metayer. She has a lot of assets, a good temper, a compact conformation, good limbs, and will be very easy to cross.
She will visit Martaline next year, although I forgot to ask our partner!, joked Aliette Forien.
While No News was never asked to jump a fence and gained her best titles at Saint-Cloud, where she won a B conditions race in impressive style, her pedigree is mostly famous for its NH winners. Her second dam N'Avoue Jamais won the Gr.1 Prix Alain du Breil and is a half-sister to four jumps stallions - Nickname, Nom D'Une Pipe, Nom De D'La and No Risk At All. Offered by Haras des Sablonnets carrying her first foal by Saint Des Saints, the five-year-old daughter of Gentlewave was hammered down for €135,000 to Noëlle Hosselet of Haras de la Croix Sonnet.
The is one of the best families around, and breeding is all about getting in the right families, she commented. We are trying to produce good horses so we are looking for quality mares with solid pedigrees and we breed them to the best stallions. I already have Not Lost from this line, and her yearlings have made €115,000 and €150,000 so far. We are commercial breeders. This one is not the tallest, but that is the case with all the fillies in this family.
Richard Venn went to 54,000 for Ardissone, a Martaline half-sister to the evergreen Al Ferof, the impressive winner of the Gr.2 Peterborough Chase last Saturday. Now aged nine, this mare was herself Listed placed over hurdles at Auteuil and was offered in foal to leading NH sire Kapgarde, who was responsible for this year's champion chaser Milord Thomas, who achieved the rare Grande Steeple Chase de Paris-Prix La Haye Jousselin double.
She is for Nigel and Sarah Faulks, stated the agent. She is a gorgeous mare who benefited from a big update with Al Ferof winning the Peterborough Chase. Hopefully he will win the King George! I am also a big fan of Kapgarde. She will head to the UK to foal down but may return to France to be covered.
Lot 892 offered by Ecurie du Faoudel duly attracted a lot of interest around the ring. Named Kalikova, the unraced three-year-old daughter of Irish Wells simply hails from the most distinguished family on the French NH scene. Her dam Kotkita was the Champion hurdler of her generation, winning the Gr.1 Prix Cambacérès at Auteuil, and her year-older half-sister Kotkikova was the best four-year-old filly in the discipline this season, winning the Gr.1 Prix Ferdinand Dufaure and three more Group races at Auteuil. The second dam Kakira is a full sister to the multiple champion chaser Kotkijet, and the top class jumpers Katkovana, Katenko, Kotkieglote and Kobrouk are all descended from her.
Frank Champion had to see off opposition from Herve Bunel of Agence FIPS and Marc-Antoine Berghgracht bidding alongside Haras d'Haspel's José Delmotte. After signing the docket at €120,000 on behalf of Haras d'Etreham, he explained:
This is one of the two finest families in the French NH stud book and we were extremely keen to get into it. She is by a stallion that we know well and she is a beautiful filly in her own right. I don't think she will race, she is more likely th head straight to the paddocks and be covered by Saint Des Saints.
Kalikova was picked up for only €37,000 as a two-year-old store at last year's Summer Sale by Guy Petit on behalf of Ecurie du Trieux.
France Alliance, a six-year-old daughter of Poliglote out of the Turgeon mare Alliance Royale, became a prized addition to the broodmare band of Noelle Hosselet's Haras de la Croix Sonnet after selling for €90,000. Trained by Antoine de Watrigant, she won five races over hurdles and fences, and was Listed-placed on two occasions at Enghien. Her full sister Reine Angevine ran 3rd in the Gr.1 Navan Novice Hurdle.
She is a beautiful mare with solid form and a good pedigree. I couldn't ask for much more!, commented Mrs. Hosselet.
The young stallion Spanish Moon, a former winner of the Gr.1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud whose first crop are currently three-year-olds, was hammered down to Nicolo Riva of European Bloodstock Management for €120,000. The son of El Prado was bred and raced by Juddmonte Farms but his future lies as a jumps sire, as revealed Riva.
I have bought him for a syndicate and we need to get together and decide where we stand him. He won't stand at [the Riva family's] Haras du Thenney as he is at 100% a NH sire. It was important that he remained in France as we need some young jumps sires.
Leading National Hunt sire Network, the sire of Sprinter Sacre and Rubi Ball among other luminaries of the jumping game, triggered a spirited bidding battle in a busy Deauville sales ring. Thierry Cyprès, Jean Biraben, Guy Petit, Samuel Blanchard and Bernard Stoffel all made attemps to secure the son of Monsun but it was David Powell who closed the deal with a €290,000 bid. Powell said future plans for the stallion would be disclosed at a later stage.
Figures on the third and penultimate session of the Breeding Stock Sale proved extremely similar to the same day a year earlier, with all key indicators registering variations under 2%. A round 200 horses sold, 7 more than in 2014, for an aggregate of €2,237,900 and an average price of €11,190. The clearance rate lost one point at 74%.
Two foals fetched €50,000 or more, headed by a daughter of the red-hot Siyouni (lot 559) who commanded €52,000 from Hubert Guy and Charles Brière, the duo forming Fairway Partners.
The three-year-old Rima, a daughter of Marju out of a Selkirk half-sister to the Gr.3 scorer Rayeni, was hammered down to MAB Agency for €50,000. She hails from the family of Gr.1 Prix de l'Opéra winners Ridasiyna and Kinnaird.
I have bought her for an Irish client who will get her in foal in Ireland and plans to send her back in this sales ring in 12 months time, commented Berghgracht. She is from a solid Aga Khan family and I like Marju as a broodmare sire.
Picayune (lot 723), a five-year-old daughter of Manduro who was Listed-placed in Germany and was offered by Haras du Petit Tellier with a cover by resident stallion Linngari, commanded €50,000 from Luke Lillingston of Kern Lillingston Bloodstock. Her dam is a half-sister to the multiple Group winner and sire Docksider, while the family traces back to Thong, ancestress of the likes of Thatch, Yeats, Nureyev and Sadler’s Wells.
I have bought her for an existing client who breeds to race, said Lillingston. She is a beautiful mare who was Stakes-placed and I know the family well, having bought the third dam Pump a long time ago. I am also a big supporter of Linngari, whom I regard as an underrated stallion. He produces a lot of winners.
Foals by Haras de Bonneval's Siyouni, currently the leading second crop sire in Europe, are selling like hot buns at Deauville this week. The seven youngsters to have been bought in the ring so far have commanded an average price just short of €50,000 and lot 559 contributed to these solid results when selling to Hubert Guy and Charles Briere's Fairway Partners for €52,000. Offered by Haras d'Engerville, the filly is from the family of Gr.2 Las Palmas H. winner Miatuschka and multiple Group/Grade winner in France and America Musketier.
We were beaten several times yesterday so we stretched our budget a little for this filly, commented Hubert Guy. We are this year again teaming up with Charles [Briere] to buy foals that will be re-offered as yearlings. We thought this one would make in the region of €40,000 but the sire is really on fire. We hope that she can make it to the Deauville August Sale.
Charles Briere's Fairway Consignment was present for the first time in the vendors' column at this season's ARQANA yearling sales and the fledgling operation notably sold a colt by Kendargent for €105,000 at the August session.
On a marathon day of trade in Deauville, 81.7% of the 280 broodmares, fillies and foals on offer sold, a clearance rate improved by more than three points from the same session last year. Turnover for this second session reached €6,028,500, slightly down from last year. The average price slipped 4.6% at €26,325 while the median increased by 5% to reach €21,000. International buyers remained busy alongside their French counterparts, with investments coming from Australia, America, Turkey, Great Britain, Ireland, Eastern and continental Europe as well as Mediterranean countries.
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From the draft of Haras du Bois Roussel, the Monsun mare Sureyya had a lot going for her and duly attracted a lot of interest. A multiple Listed performer herself, she is a half-sister to four black type horses in Germany and has produced three winners from three runners so far. They are headed by the consistent Soriano (Halling), the winner of four races and 5th in the Listed Prix Max Sicard just a couple of hours before his dam went through the ring. This is the family of Arc winner Sagace.
Benoit Jeffroy, who operates Haras de Castillon with his partner Anabelle Aimé, signed the docket at €90,000 and explained:
We were underbidder on Hestia [lot 429, also in foal to Le Havre] and really wanted this mare. Her form was very solid and she has already proven herself a good producer. She is also in foal to a proven sire. She is for Haras de Castillon and partners, a group of 6 young people in the industry setting up a breeding operation with the aim to sell the progeny. We have bought 8 mares so far.
Haras de Meautry homebred Hestia, a daughter of High Chaparral out of the winning Mark Of Esteem mare Perruche Grise, was hammered down for €115,000 to Anna Drion of Coulonces Consignment acting on behalf of British breeder Chris Stedman, with Henri-François Devin among the underbidders. The four-year-old is from the family of Gr.2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano winner Pinson, and Gr.3 Solario Stakes scorer Native Khan, and was offered in foal to Le Havre.
I have bought her on behalf of Chris Stedman, who loved the pedigree, commented Drion. The covering makes sense as Hestia is out of a Mark Of Esteem mare, who is the broodmare sire of Avenir Certain, so the foal she is carrying will be bred on the same lines as the dual Classic winner.
Haras du Bois Roussel's Bright Sky was the Champion three-year-old filly of 2002, winning the Gr.1 Prix de Diane and Gr.1 Prix de l'Opera in the colours of Ecurie Wildenstein. A daughter of Wolfhound, she is also a half-sister to the dual Group 3 winner and Group 1 performer Board Meeting, who has produced this year's exciting stayer Big Blue. Bright Sky herself has failed to produced a black type horse so far but she was offered in foal to Coolmore's dual Derby winner Australia, a cover that appealed to Gerard Larrieu of Chantilly Bloodstock Agency, who signed the docket at €150,000.
I have bought her for Amelie Ehrnrooth's Haras de Bourgeauville, said the agent. She is a champion racemare with an exciting cover so we will hope that she can produce a good horse. I was reaching the limit of my budget.
Wertheimer et Frere homebred Underway boasts an oustanding American pedigree, being by Giant's Causeway out of the Affirmed Stakes victrix Alchemilla, hence closely related to the likes of Bertolini, Bayern and further back to Arch and Green Desert. Such stellar bloodlines didn't go unnoticed and the three-year-old filly, who was placed twice from three starts this season in the care of Freddy Head, is set for a return trip across the Pond after Robert Nataf of Horse France prevailed over BBA Ireland at €130,000.
She is for an existing client and will probably be covered in France before being exported back to America, commented the agent.
Having already been busy on Saturday, John McCormack was back in business early on Tuesday morning and placed the winning bid of €160,000 for a Redoute's Choice foal from Hubert Honore's Haras d'Omméel. The filly is descended from a stellar Aga Khan family, as her dam Zamid is a half-sister to Zarkasha, the dam of Champion filly Zarkava.
She is a real athlete, commented McCormack. I have bought her for an existing client who already has horses in training in France and will be kept to race. Redoute's Choice has been so successful in Australia and I hope that he can do as well over here. The dam side also offers some solid guarantees.
A solid first session of the 2015 Breeding Stock Sale saw a wide range of buyers from Australia, America, Japan, the Middle East and all around Europe gather around the Deauville sales ring in an attempt to secure some fillies, mares and foals carrying the finest French bloodlines. With a catalogue featuring 17 lots less than last year for the same session, turnover for the 148 horses to change hands reached €15,349,000, 5% down from 2014, but the average price of €103,709 was marginally up and the clearance rate progressed by 2 points to 78.3%. The median remained virtually stable at €69,000.
A compact colt by red-hot sire Dark Angel out of the Listed winner Trip To The Moon, who has already produced Gr.3 Prix Vanteaux heroine Trois Lunes, was the centre of a lot of attention and it took a €230,000 bid from Philip von Stauffenberg to outbid Matt Coleman. Stauffenberg was bidding in company with Jaimie Railton for the Haras du Cadran offering, and the duo explained:
We have bought this colt in partnership and he will go to Ecurie des Monceaux to be prepared for next year's sales. We have started buying foals together this year and already have several purchases. This is a lovely foal by a sire that all buyers seem to love! We expected him to make that sort of money.
Letthemusictakeus, a two-time winner who was offered carrying her first foal by leading sire of two-year-olds Kendargent, commanded a final bid of €300,000 from Patricia Boutin's Suprina. The four-year-old hails from a blue-blooded family as she is a half-sister to the Gr.1 Prix Jacques le Marois heroine Immortal Verse, with top milers Last Tycoon, Valentine Waltz and Tie Black all appearing under the second dam. Gerard Larrieu of Chantilly Bloodstock Agency was the underbidder.
I have bought her for Ecurie de Meautry, stated Boutin. This is a family I like a lot, I had already bought Game Zone [out of Letthemusictakeus' sister Go Lovely Rose] for Skymarc Farm in partnership with Ecurie des Monceaux and she went on to place at Group 3 level. We haven't decided on a mating for her yet.
Secretina, an unraced three-year-old daughter of Galileo and half-sister to two high class Wertheimer fillies in Plumania and Balladeuse, went the way of Gregor Baum's Gestüt Brümmerhof for €350,000. The filly's second dam is the prolific Featherhill, who is the ancestress of Groom Dancer, Legerete, Falco, Pieds de Plume etc. Her third dam is the taproot mare Lady Berry, who is also the great granddam of Arc-winning filly Danedream, who was bred by Brummerhof.
It is a beautiful line, the family of Danedream of course, commented Baum. We were keen to come back in the family but I have to say that we weren't expecting to have to pay so much for her!
Ballylinch Stud manager John O'Connor was once again the winning bidder for the Galileo mare Embellishment, a daughter of Sophisticat offered in foal to first season sire Kingman. The beautiful bay remained unraced but she boasts a stellar page, with four black type horses under the first dam and Champion three-year-old filly Serena's Song as second dam. Steve Young, Hubie de Burgh and James Delahooke were among the underbidders.
She is for Bridlewood Farm, Ballylinch's sister farm in Florida, which developed this whole family, explained O'Connor. The Kingman cover is a nice plus but it is definitely the female line that appealed to us. John Malone is extremely keen on this family, he already bought a very nice Tapit to get back into it. The Kingman foal will probably come back to Europe and may be sold.
Wild Card entry Moi Meme, a daughter of Teofilo who won this year's Prix de Liancourt (Listed) at Longchamp for Pascal Bary and owner-breeder Francesca Vittadini, proved in high demand and Newmarket-based trainer Stuart Williams had to go to €440,000 to have the last word. A half-sister to another Listed winner, the three-year-old is from a solid Italian family.
I have bought her for David Shekells' Old Mill Stud in Chippenham, stated Williams. She is a black type winner from a good family in which there are still plenty of active daughter so hopefully she will become a foundation mare for them. I was underbidder on Abilene (lot 138) earlier on and this was my final bid so I am happy to take her home.
L'Amour De Ma Vie offered a range of exciting credentials as a Group 2 winner rated 114 and offered in foal to perennial Champion sire Galileo - the only mare with such a cover to sell at auction in Europe this year. Raced by MD Bloodstock and trained by Pia Brandt, the grey was offered by Coulonces Consignment.
Bidding quickly reached €500,000 and it was John O'Connor of Ballylinch Stud, standing alongside John McCormack, who ultimately prevailed.
This is typically the kind of mares we are looking for, a top racemare who will surely become a great produced, commented O'Connor. She will go to one of our stallions, probably Make Believe. She is from a lovely family, that of our stallion Lawman.
Haras de Saint-Pair's Fairly Fair, a Listed winner on the track and carrying her second foal by the oustanding miler Kingman, was knocked down for €400,000 to Ecurie des Monceaux. She is a Sinndar half-sister to the Gr.2 Del Mar Derby winner Fairly Ransom, from the 'Lagardere' family of Fair Mix.
She was a very good racemare, commented Bozo, and is in foal to a promising stallion. I also particularly like the Sinndar x Linamix cross. She is for Ecurie des Monceaux and partners, including a group of young breeders who are starting out in the industry.
Naohiro Osoda acting on behalf of Shadai Farm got the last word at €220,000 for the three-year-old Lady Sybil, a Listed winner at Maisons-Laffitte this season for trainer Henri-Alex Pantall. The daughter of Siyouni was rated 97.
We are very fond of Siyouni, who is now a proven sire, stated Osoda, and this was a very good race filly. I will need to speak to Mr. Yoshida regarding future plans for her.
Shadai earlier spent €170,000 on Pearlside (lot 129), a Group 3 performer from the family of Kalanisi.
The Oasis Dream mare Baby Houseman, a Wild Card addition to the catalogue, will head to Lodge Park Stud and is set for a date with New Approach after selling for €200,000.The ten-year-old mare has already produced two black type horses, including the highly promising, ill-fated Baby Foot, and she was offered by Haras du Cadran with a cover from leading French sire Le Havre.
Damian Burns commented on his purchase:
We know the family well as we bred [Royal Ascot 2yo Listed winner] Tha'ir, who is by New Approach. We are big fans of the sire and this mare will be visiting him next year.
John O'Connor, bidding in company with agent John McCormack, had to fight hard to secure Abilene, a young daughter of Samum who gained black type on the track and was covered by the first time by Poet's Voice. Her three-year-old Shamardal half-sister Akatea had an outstanding season for Alain de Royer-Dupré, winning the Listed Prix Finlande and placing three times at Group level including a runner-up effort to Ervedya in the Gr.1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp.
She is for Ballylinch Stud, confirmed O'Connor. She is a beautiful mare with an outstanding pedigree, and her half-sister by Shamardal is a very good filly.
Abilene's dam Altamira (Peintre Celebre) was Listed-placed and descends from the fabulous 'A' Wildenstein family, which includes luminaries such as Angara, Arcangues and Aquarelliste. Abilene was bought at this sale two years ago by Meridian International on behalf of Capital Pur Sang, a fund that is being dissolved this year under the consignment of Haras d'Etreham.
A chesnut colt from the first crop of Darley's four-time Group 1 winner Dawn Approach was bought by the same entity for €190,000. He is a half-brother to this year's dual Group 1 heroine Odeliz, from a stellar family that traces back to Triptych.
Mark McStay signed the docket on behalf of Richard O'Gorman and commented:
Dick O'Gorman saw him this week and really liked him. He is a half-brother to an extremely tough Group 1 winner and by a very exciting sire who looks like he can produce racehorses.
The Stakes-placed Matauri Pearl, a full sister to this year's Gr.3 Prix Chloe victrix Wekeela and the only mare in the catalogue to carry a foal by Golden Horn's sire Cape Cross, proved in high demand and Ballylinch Stud's manager John O'Connor, standing in company with Ghislain Bozo of Meridian International, had to go to €400,000 to outbid Jacob West.
She is a gorgeous mare with a fantastic walk, commented O'Connor. Her sister Wekeela is very good and she is from the family of Monsun. The Cape Cross cover is another plus as he is such a good sire.
Luke Lillingston shelled out €210,000 for the three-year-old winning filly LUNESQUE, a half-sister by Azamour to the dual Group 3 winner Celimene and to Listed-winning juvenile Lunaska. Offered as a filly out of training by Haras de la Louvière, she hails from the family of Group 1 scorers Alterite and Ask For The Moon.
I have bought her for an Irish company and she will head there to be covered, said Lillingston. Future plans are undecided as yet. This is a very prolific family, there are a lot of winners under the first dam, and I thought this was a very good price.
A colt from the first crop of Gestüt Fährhof's Maxios caused a spirited bidding battle that ended in favour of BBA Ireland, with Eamon Reilly signing the docket at €150,000. The brown colt offered by Haras d'Ombreville is out of the German Stakes-placed Hernando mare La Hermana, who has already produced two black type winners. The family traced back to La Colorada, the dam of Champion three-year-old Lomitas.
He is for an Irish owner who will retain him to race, explained Reilly. Jim Bolger will probably end up training him. We like the sire, and liked the foal as an individual.
Damon Gabbedy of Belmont Bloodstock was delighted to have the last word at €180,000 for the Oasis Dream mare DISPEL, a close relative to the Group 1 winner and producer Grey Lilas, who was offered carrying her first foal by dual Derby winner Australia. From the draft of Anna and Etienne Drion's Coulonces Consignment, the grey was a winner over a mile and her half-sister Iromea scored at Listed level this season.
I really loved her, declared Gabbedy. She is for Rifa Mustang, a new Chinese company that started investing in Australia this season. They currently have eight mares down there. They also want to set up a European division and this is the foundation purchase. My clients are very fond of French pedigrees, we love this family and Australia is an exciting sire. Dispel will now stay in Europe and her progeny will race over here.
John Clarke acting on behalf of Ling Tsui's Sunderland Holding had to go to €200,000 to secure a good-walking foal by Sea The Stars, the first offspring of the Listed-winning Anabaa mare Gotlandia, offered by Haras du Logis Saint-Germain.
He is a well-balanced colt and a great walker, a good advertisement for the stallion, commented Clarke. We'll take him to Ireland and make plans from there.