THE second and final day of the 2019 Arqana Summer Sale, featuring a number of high-class wild card entries, returned figures very similar to last year, though with a reduced clearance rate, down from 85% to 78% and in contrast to the trend on the first day.

One lot stood head and shoulders above the rest, Fairway Consignment’s Galileo own-sister to stakes winner Cedar Mountain and a half-sister to the six-time Group 1 winner Moonlight Cloud. She sold for €380,000 and the final bid came from Tony Nerses who said: “She’s got the looks as well as the page. It’s still not decided which stallion she will go to. She was the choice of Imad Al Sagar, and she will join the broodmare band at Blue Diamond Stud Farm.”

One other mare sold for six figures, the group-placed Contessa Du Barry, a daughter of Motivator. Eric Feurtet had the last word at €100,000 for the four-year-old who is in foal and due next February to Almanzor.

The top price in the horses-in-training session was paid for the Aga Khan Studs home-bred Belsanndi, a winner on his second start for trainer Alain de Royer Dupre. Toby Jones bought the three-year-old son of Sinndar who will continue his racing career in Ireland. A flat campaign is probable before he has his attention turned to hurdling.

One of the best of the wild card entries was the Jean-Philippe Dubois-trained three-year-old Creachadoir gelding Crealion who won over jumps at the second time of asking at Clairefontaine recently. From the family of A Plus Tard, he cost agent Alex Elliott €150,000, The agent suggested he was more of a chaser than a hurdler and the gelding will be trained by Tom George.

Minutes later another wild card set the ring alight. For Langy also sold for €150.000 to Guy Petit on behalf of David Maxwell. The four-year-old son of Day Flight has won on both his outings over jumps to date.

Famous Wolf was another wild card in demand and this winner of the Listed Prix Maurice Caillault for André Fabre sold for €120,000 to Alessandro Marconi who was standing with Ahmad Bin Harmash. The three-year-old son of Kendargent was third recently in the Swiss Derby and will now race in Dubai.

Presidente Line was offered by trainer Alain Couétil and she was recently placed in a listed race at Auteuil, having been placed at Taunton back in March. She was bought by bloodstock agent Paul Nataf for €100,000 and will stay in training in France.

Arqana chief Eric Hoyeau was pleased with the outcome of the sale. He said: “This mixed sale has perfectly fulfilled its role. We are delighted to see the French and international demands responding adequately to each segment. Thanks to the trust of our vendors and buyers we have achieved a record clearance rate and a dynamic atmosphere. The Summer Sale is an important date in the international sales calendar.”

Sustained demand for jumping stock

The opening session of the 2019 Summer Sale featured National Hunt stores and breeze-up lots and saw a much increased demand for stock, with the clearance rate returning a healthy 79% compared to just 62% a year ago.

The top price of the day was €130,000 for the two-year-old Ballingarry colt Darano, sold to Bertrand Le Métayer from the consignment of Haras de l’Isle Verte. He will start his career with Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé, just as his full-brother Diego du Charmil did. He went on to win the Grade 1 Doom Bar Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree, the Scottish Champion Hurdle and the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham for Paul Nicholls.

The two-year-old own-brother to the Noel Meade-trained 2014 Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle winner Very Wood was purchased by the day’s leading buyer Mags O’Toole for €115,000. She was standing with Roger Marley. The gelding, a son of Martaline, was offered by Haras de l’Hotellerie and, after signing the docket, Marley indicated he will be reoffered at the 2020 Derby Sale.

Nicolas de Lageneste had the final say at €105,000 for Histoire Du Chenet, a two-year-old daughter of No Risk At All offered by Haras des Loges. The filly is the first produce of a four-time winning half-sister to Grade 1 winners Saint Du Chenet and Tanais Du Chenet, Grade 2 winners Galant Moss and Iris Royal, and Grade 3 winner Ma Royale. De Lageneste was acting for trainer Anne-Sophie Pacault.

Haras des Loges ended the day as the session’s leading vendor and two lots earlier they sold a son of Doctor Dino for €77,000 to Paul Basquin from Haras de Saubouas.

Highflyer Bloodstock purchased five lots, the most expensive being in a private transaction. This was for a two-year-old son of Djakadam’s sire Saint Des Saints from The Channel Consignment and he cost €70,000. The Doyle’s Monbeg Stables made their presence felt, purchasing six lots for €212,000. They paid €60,000 each for geldings by No Risk At All and Masked Marvel.

The standout lot in the breeze-up section was a daughter of Siyouni, sire of Laurens and Ervedya, and she sold for €110,000 to Paul Nataf. The filly was sold by Windmill Stables and is out of the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes winner Al Thakhira, a daughter of Dubawi.