A STUNNING renewal of the Arqana Summer Sale, which concluded Friday, produced an outstanding set of results, with the average and aggregate increasing significantly on last year. The clearance rate also improved, while no less than 20 lots sold for €100,000 or more.

DAY ONE

Willie Browne splashed out €150,000 on the first day of the Arqana Summer Sale on Thursday to buy a two-year-old gelding by the hugely fashionable National Hunt sire Walk In The Park. The stallion, who this year moved from France to Coolmore Stud, is the sire of Douvan and Min and is also responsible for a string of recent sales-toppers.

Last month Willie Mullins and Harold Kirk paid €255,000 at the Derby Sale for a three-year-old by the Derby runner-up, while the same buyers spent €165,000 at the Goffs Land Rover Sale for another by the Montjeu stallion.

The top lot, the only store by his sire in the sale, is already named Roll Again and is a half-brother to Grade 3 winner and Grade 1 placed Argentique. “This horse is a real rarity on the market,” said Browne. “He is expensive but this is what you have to pay for such good-looking horses. He will be reoffered next year.” Browne sold Walk In The Park as a two-year-old at a breeze-up sale and plans to send his new purchase to next June’s Derby Sale at Tattersalls Ireland.

Thursday’s session consisted of breeze-up two-year-olds, as well as two and three-year-old National Hunt stores. It saw significant gains, with the aggregate reaching almost €2.8 million, up 8% from 2015, while the average was also up. The clearance was just short of 70%, up from 58% a year ago. Trade was particularly strong in the store section, with major leaps both in the aggregate and average price. The Walk In The Park gelding was one of four six-figure stores, three more than last year.

Two lots shared the second-highest price tag of €145,000 on the opening day. Bertrand Le Métayer gave that sum for a two-year-old gelding by leading sire Saint Des Saints out of the listed chase winner over fences En La Cruz, a half-sister to the Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Voy Por Ustedes. The French agent was acting on behalf of James-Douglas Gordon, who suffered the loss of star hurdler Bonito Du Berlais a few weeks ago.

Le Métayer said: “This horse reminds me of him a lot. He has the same profile and offers similar guarantees, on conformation as well as pedigree. I bought his dam on two occasions and she was a sound, tough racemare. I knew the mating with Saint Des Saints would work. We will keep the horse in France.”

A son of Saddler Maker, the sire of Apple’s Jade and Bristol De Mai, triggered a protracted battle after which Hubert Barbe emerged as the winning bidder at €145,000, standing alongside Charlie Swan. The three-year-old AQPS-bred is from the family of graded-winning chasers Prince De Beauchene and Miko De Beauchene and Rigadin De Beauchene. “He is a good looking and very correct horse who breezed well”, Barbe said. “He looks quite precocious and could run before the end of the year”.

Completing the quartet of six-figure lots on the day was a two-year-old son of Network and he is now the property of Alan Potts following his sale for €120,000 to Jehan Bertrand de Balanda. The son of Sprinter Sacre’s sire is the second offspring out of the listed hurdle winner Quizas Jolie. He is from the family of Cheltenham Gold Cup winner The Fellow and Grade 1 winner Al Capone II.

The flat-bred two-year-old section registered marked improvement in the clearance rate, which reached 70% against 58% a year ago. The highest-priced juvenile at €69,000 was a colt from the first crop of Rajsaman, who has already been represented by his first winner.

Offered by Tom Whitehead’s Powerstown Stud in Goresbridge, who picked him up for €30,000 at last year’s August Sale, the bay is out of the listed performer Macina and was knocked down to Chantilly-based trainer Alessandro Botti on behalf of Gerard Augustin-Normand. A Frankel filly from the family of Imagine, consigned by Willie Browne’s Mocklershill Stables, sold for just €42,000 to English trainer Nigel Tinkler.

DAY TWO

Wild card entry Dance Of Life was the highlight of the second day of the Arqana Summer Sale as the recent Saint-Cloud winner sold to Horse France on behalf of New Zealand trainer Paul Moroney for €400,000. The three-year-old son of Mastercraftsman was trained by Carlos Lerner. He was one of numerous six-figure transactions on a sparkling day of trade.

Bloodstock agent Tom Malone, with trainer Kerry Lee, went to €280,000 for the three-year-old colt Mahari, a son of Duke Of Marmalade sold from Andre Fabre’s yard. Winner of four of his seven starts and listed-placed, he should be a top-class recruit to hurdling next season.

Earlier in the session the winning Cape Cross mare Wadyhatta, in foal to Derby winner Authorized, realised €275,000 and was another high-profile purchase by Horse France. Sold by Haras de Mezeray on behalf of Shadwell, the four-year-old’s third dam is a half-sister to Urban Sea, the dam of Sea The Stars and Galileo.

Hubert Barbe’s Horse Racing Advisory brought their spend to more than €1 million when they signed for Manamite, a three-year-old son of Kentucky Dynamite who won both his starts for Nicolas Clement. From the family of Epervier Bleu, a dual Group 1 winner and sire, and the multiple black type National Hunt winner Mon Villez, he is the fifth foal and winner for his dam.

Barbe made a number of purchases over the two days and they included the three-year-old Sageburg filly Magie Du Ma who was runner-up in a Grade 3 hurdle at Auteuil. From a female line noted for producing the American wonder mare Zenyatta, she cost the agent €210,000.

That price was twice matched by consecutive lots, King’s Socks and Ibleo, the former also being purchased by Horse Racing Advisory. The four-year-old son of King’s Best is a listed winner over hurdles and runner-up in the Grade 1 Prix Alain du Breil at Auteuil. The three-year-old gelding Ibleo, a son of Dick Turpin, won his latest start over jumps and was purchased by Guy Petit.

Another wild card to make a mark was the four-year-old Saddler Maker gelding Cepage, a winner of two races to date from Emmanuel Clayeux’s yard. Out of a half-sister to the Champion Hurdle runner-up Osana and to the dam of the Grade 1 Punchestown Gold Cup winner Notre Pere, Cepage cost Guy Petit €160,000.

Ecurie de Chene acquired one of the best performed and bred National Hunt mares when they paid €130,000 for the seven-year-old Victoire Des Borde. The daughter of Antarctique won eight races and nearly €500,000 over jumps, including the Grade 2 Prix Jean Stern and she is a full-sister to the Grade 1 winner Utopie Des Bordes. She is also a half-sister to listed winners over jumps, including Belle Du Berry who won the Grand Steeple Chase de Lyon this year.

Another notable sale to Horse Racing Advisory was Full, a late entry to the sale. The four-year-old son of Mr Sidney is a half-brother to Group 1 winners Full Of Gold and Fuisse and their dam and grandam were both listed winners over jumps in France. He cost €130,000. The same purchasers paid €100,000 for the winning four-year-old Montmartre filly Shaama Grise.

Hugo Merry struck for the German stakes winner Majestic Jasmine, a six-year-old daughter of New Approach and carrying her first foal by Youmzain. The mare’s Makfi half-brother Noor Al Hawa was placed in this year’s German 2000 Guineas. She cost €120,000.

The Aga Khan Studs sold a couple of lots for six-figure sums. The four-year-old High Chaparral colt Karaktar, a stallion prospect, cost Winning Bloodstock Agency €110,000, while Barhanpour, a three-year-old Raven’s Pass half-brother to Grade 1 winner Bayrir, sold for €100,000 to Ecurie du Chene.

Ryan Mahon’s bid of €110,000 secured the listed wining gelding Optimus Prime. The four-year-old by Deportivo is the best winner from his winning Kaldoun dam Diluvienne.

Late on Friday Hubert Barbe went to €140,000 for the maiden Great Tempo who has shown useful form on his three starts over jumps to date. This wild card entry is a son of Great Pretender.

The final figures show that the aggregate grew to €7,093,000, up 29% on 2015, while the average of €31,524 is up 22% on last year.