RECORDS tumbled as the four-day Arqana October Yearling Sale came to a conclusion on Friday. While the top price of €260,000, achieved twice, was well short of the record for the sale, all the other measures set new benchmarks.

In just over an hour at the opening session the mark of €260,000 was reached twice, firstly by a son of Lawman and the first produce of the dual German listed winner Sworn Gold. Offered from the Coulonces Consignment he is set to race in Hong Kong following his purchase by Mark Richards on behalf of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Earlier in the day, Richards also signed for Haras de Saint Pair’s son of Shamardal, a half-brother to the Athasi Stakes winner Gossamer Seed. He cost €250,000.

Mandore International signed for six lots on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing during the week and four of these cost in excess of €150,000. Topping their shopping list was Haras des Capucines’ Dansili half-brother to the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Zagora. He sold for a joint sale-topping €260,000.

Within the first hour of the sale Mandore acquired Haras de Saint Pair’s daughter of Iffraaj and the listed winning Sinndar mare Fairly Fair. The first produce of her dam, herself a half-sister to Del Mar Derby winner and sire Fairly Ransom, she was the top-priced filly of the week when selling for €250,000.

Two other fillies purchased by Mandore for Al Shaqab were both daughters of leading French sire Le Havre. Haras du Mezeray’s daughter of Aurore Boreale cost €180,000 and her sale prospects were boosted when her two-year-old half-sister Mydearlaura broke her maiden just before the sale. The second Le Havre bought was Haras de Castillon’s half-sister to three stakes winners. She cost €155,000.

Prime Equestrian made a number of notable purchases at the upper reaches of the market and they were headed by Ecurie des Monceaux’s Shamardal filly from the Dubai Destination mare Truth Beauty, whose grandam was the Irish Oaks winner Helen Street, and who cost €240,000.

Fairway Consignment sent a Rajsaman half-sister to a couple of stakes winners for sale and she cost Prime Equestrian €200,000.

Also on the agency’s shopping list were a pair of fillies by Iffraaj and Camelot. The former was a daughter of the group-placed Montjeu mare Campanillas from Haras de Saint Isidro and she realised €180,000. The Camelot filly from Ecurie des Monceaux is out of the four-time winning Linamix mare Tasharowa and she cost €150,000.

Coulonces consigned a son of Teofilo on behalf of Team Hogdala and this own-brother to the stakes-placed Vaunoise was snapped up by Jeremy Brummitt for €235,000. His dam is a full-sister to Tipperary All Star.

Mandore International added to their list of purchases when paying €200,000 for an Invincible Spirit filly from the draft of the sale’s leading consignor Ecurie des Monceaux. The filly is a half-sister to leading 2016 juvenile filly Baileys Showgirl, a listed winner and group-placed in France. The Irish National stud stallion was also responsible for Haras de la Louviere’s son of the stakes-winning Verglas mare Alpine Snow, who sold to Sun Bloodstock for €200,000, and for Haras du Logis’ daughter of the Group 2 Lowther and Queen Mary Stakes winner Flashy Wings. She cost Federico Barberini €150,000.

The Coulonces Consignment was the second leading vendor of the week and another of their draft to sell well was a daughter of Le Havre, who was the most expensive of Jean-Claude Rouget’s purchases at €190,000. He also signed for a son of Mastercraftsman from Haras de Saint Pair for €150,000.

Coolmore’s Mastercraftsman sired Haras du Quesnay’s half-sister to the multiple group-placed 2016 juvenile Grecian Light, who sold to Suprina for €160,000, and the same vendor received €155,000 from Alain Decrion for a Motivator half-sister to Mark Johnston’s stalwart Fire Fighting. The latter filly, like Treve, is out of an Anabaa mare.

Blandford Bloodstock bought consecutive lots for €160,000 and €150,000. The more expensive was La Motteraye Consignment’s Siyouni half-sister to Group 3 winner Beautiful Heroine and this was immediately followed by Ecurie des Monceaux’s daughter of Redoute’s Choice and granddaughter of the Pretty Polly Stakes winner Hanami.

Brendan Holland’s Grove Stud paid €155,000 for Haras de Saint Pair’s Kendargent half-brother to 2016 two-year-old winner and classic entry holder Dubai Hero. Their dam is the Group 3 juvenile winner Bugie D’Amore. This was one of three Grove Stud purchases.

Other significant Irish purchasers during the week included Powerstown Stud (3 lots; €295,000), Con Marnane (10 lots; €182,000), MC Bloodstock (2 lots; €115,000), Dermot Farrington (3 lots; €110,000) and Thomond O’Mara (2 lots; €103,000).