LAST year’s Arqana Arc Sale had two lots that realised an aggregate of €3.4 million – almost exactly the amount by which trade fell this year. The lack of standout stars therefore had a substantial effect on the final figures, while trade was still strong for the right lots.

Even with some immediate post-sale private sales added, Arqana returned a disappointing clearance rate of 57%, a much improved median figure and sales of some €6 million for a couple of hours work. Matching vendor and buyers expectations was difficult at times, no more so than with the Peter Schiergen-trained Ashiana, a German Group 2 winning daughter of Mastercraftsman.

She was unsold at €1.2 million and this triple stakes winner was offered with an engagement in the following afternoon’s Group 1 Prix de l’Opera. She ran with credit in the race, finishing sixth to Rhododendron and beaten just over three lengths.

Nonetheless it was another winner from that country, the Group 2 German 2000 Guineas hero Poetic Dream, from the Andreas Wohler stable, who ended the evening as the top lot, selling to Louis Le Metayer’s Astute Bloodstock on behalf of Lindsay Park for €900,000. The colt will now race for the David Hayes yard in Australia and will have the Group 1 Cox Plate as his main target.

On the afternoon of the sale the Aga Khan’s Darbuzan ran third in the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay, having already added to his sale appeal with a post-catalogue win in the Group 3 Prix de Lutece. A three-year-old son of Zamindar and out of a half-sister to the brilliant Darjina, the colt cost Gerard Larrieu’s Chantilly Bloodstock €630,000 and will continue to race in Qatar from Jassim Ghazali’s stable.

Silverware sold on the eve of his appearance in the Arc de Triomphe and cost Michel Zerolo’s Oceanic Bloodstock €500,000 on behalf of Martin Schwartz. A Group 1 winner last year and runner-up in the same race, the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud this year, Silverware now leaves Pascal Bary and will race in the USA for trainer Chad Brown.

Carlos Laffon-Parias sent the three-year-old African Ride out to win a listed race at Chantilly this year and be placed in a couple of group races subsequently. The son of Candy Ride fitted the profile for Dubai perfectly and Anthony Stroud revealed that his €460,000 purchase will race out there at the Carnival.

Astute Bloodstock bought a second significant lot on the night and this was also consigned from Andreas Wohler’s yard. Empire Of The Star was third to his stablemate Poetic Dream in the German 2000 Guineas and sold for exactly half the price of the sale topper, costing €450,000. The colt has yet to record a stakes victory but new connections will hope he does so in Hong Kong.

Chantilly Bloodstock bought five lots and were easily the busiest purchasers, spending more than €1.4 million for clients. They also acquired Mario Hofer’s Group 3 winning three-year-old Real Value for €400,000, and later added the listed-placed Anima Rock to their shopping list for €210,000.

Wild card entry Miss Melbourne was the most expensive filly on the night, the Antoine de Watrigant trained three-year-old trading for €370,000 to Oceanic Bloodstock, again for Martin Schwartz, The filly won a listed race at Bordeaux in early September and appears to be a progressive sort. She will join Silverware at Chad Brown’s stables.

Andreas Wohler trained the Japanese-bred Promise Of Peace to win at Krefeld back in May and the colt was offered as part of the Jamie Railton consignment. He will head back to the trainer who acquired him for €300,000.

Badgers Bloodstock and BSW Bloodstock combined to secure the 2016 Italian Group 3 winner and this year’s French listed winner Silver Step for €225,000.

The dual winner and listed-placed Dark Angel three-year-old Berbidek was trained by Mikel Delzangles for the Aga Khan but he will race for new connections after he sold to Broadhurst Agency for €220,000.

This was €10,000 more than the price paid by Harold Kirk for another dual winner, the three-year-old Montmartre gelding who won for trainer Joel Boisnard.