IF the Arqana August Sale is anything to go by, we’re set for a continuation of the later 2024 yearling sales and the 2025 breeze-up sales, where Amo Racing, Coolmore and Godolphin go head-to-head for the choicest lots, setting record-breaking figures in their quest to be the best.
Kia Joorabchian was absent from last year’s August Sale, but changed tack with a €4,950,000 spend this week, led by a €3 million top lot - the highest in the sale’s history. Godolphin, meanwhile, went from €400,000 to an eye-watering €8,050,000. Their increases, combined with that of M.V. Magnier, totalled €13,805,000, yet the turnover only rose by €8,832,000 - a difference of €4,973,000.
Those absent from the buyers’ table this week included last year’s leading purchaser Al Shaqab Racing, who spent €4,035,000 12 months ago. Resolute Bloodstock and Oliver St Lawrence were other notable absentees, having spent €2,170,000 and €1.6 million respectively last year.
The above figures suggest that this year’s increased figures relied heavily on Amo, Coolmore and Godolphin, partly supported by the clearance rate just shy of 80%. It was an improvement on 77.4% 12 months ago, but failed to match the demand of 2022 and 2023. This was from the lowest number of horses offered in the sale’s history at 272; down 7% on last year.
The median price is generally considered the most accurate reflection of a sale’s strength in depth and reduced numbers aided this year’s renewal matching 2023’s record median of €170,000. Eight seven-figure lots helped raise the average price to €266,576; a 23% increase on 2024 and 14% increase on the previous best set in 2023.
While many yearling consignors will have been buoyed by the major players’ support of the first European yearling sale, others may question if they have changed strategy in regards of where they spend. Considering their increases at Arqana, can we expect their funds to last until Book 1 and Book 2 at Tattersalls?
Call me negative, but another question to ask is whether these prices at the top end will benefit those pinhookers who drove record-breaking trade at the 2024 foal sales. Arqana is an elite sale, as demonstrated by the sires of the top lots, and demand for these bluebloods cannot be used as a reliable guide for many of the subsequent sales.
Priceless princess
The 2021 and 2023 renewals produced top prices of €2.4 million, but that record was blown out of the water on Monday when Kia Joorabchian stretched to €3 million for a filly with a family history of sales success. Bred by Ecurie des Monceaux in partnership with the late Lady O’Reilly, the Night Of Thunder half-sister to Chicquita and Magic Wand became the eighth foal out of Prudenzia to reach the million mark.
The price spoke volumes about Prudenzia’s record as a broodmare, still producing top lots at the age of 20, which many would consider to be past her prime. Her age may also be what drove Monceaux’s director Henri Bozo to fill the role of underbidder, keen to secure a successor to his Queen of the Ring.
Joorabchian left press duties to agent Alex Elliott, who commented: “She is truly priceless! To build a dynasty, you need to acquire horses like this. She is a splendid filly, and her dam has produced remarkably well. Her sister won the TDN Rising Star last week; it’s a very lively family. We are more than happy.”
The top lot was Amo’s first buy of the sale, but was soon followed by a Lope De Vega colt for €850,000, a Wootton Bassett colt for €200,000 and another Night Of Thunder filly for €900,000.
THE first seven-figure lot of the August Sale came close to matching the sale’s previous high, as M.V. Magnier and Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm went to €2.3 million for a son of Wootton Bassett from Haras des Capucines.
The result continued a profitable period for breeder Jean-Pierre Dubois, who dispersed some of his stock via Auctav earlier in the week, selling 54 horses for a total of €3,432,500.
Sunday’s star lot is out of Dubois’ home-bred Group 3 winner High Celebrity, who finished third in the Cheveley Park Stakes won by Tiggy Wiggy. The Wootton Bassett colt will follow in the footsteps of half-brother Highbury (Galileo), who sold to the same connections for €650,000 and went on to finish second in the Queen’s Vase.
“He’s a very good-looking colt,” M.V. Magnier said after seeing off the attentions of Amo Racing and an online bidder. “Wootton Bassett is a sire that has been very successful. We have his brother at Ballydoyle, and he appears to be a very nice horse. We all liked him very much and are delighted.”
Top dollar
Between lots bought through agents or in partnership with White Birch Farm, M.V. Magnier’s name appeared alongside six lots totalling €4,990,000 across the three days. All six were by Coolmore sires, of which two were by Camelot, including a colt in partnership with White Birch for €1.2 million. The January-born bay is the first foal out of Peinture Secrete, herself a half-sister to Camelot’s dual group winner Pensee Du Jour, and hails from the family of Peintre Celebre.
It marked a quick return for breeder and consignor Haras de la Perelle, who bought Peinture Secrete carrying the Camelot colt through Chantilly Bloodstock for 600,000gns at the 2023 Tattersalls December Sale.
The other millionaire on Monday was shrouded in mystery, as an online buyer signed as American Racing Corp for Tweenhills’ Siyouni colt out of Group 1 heroine Lightening Pearl. Described as a group of American owners by Arqana, the buyer is a new name in racing circles, in contrast with the colt’s breeder, Sheikh Fahad of Qatar Bloodstock.
Like the sale’s record-breaker, this yearling paid tribute to the late Lady O’Reilly, who bred her dam Lightening Pearl, winner of the Cheveley Park Stakes for Qatar and Ger Lyons. The daughter of Marju has since produced a Group 3 winner and stakes performer, but this was her first produce to be offered as a yearling.
GODOLPHIN topped the buyers’ table by some way, their €8,050,000 outlay on eight yearlings setting them over €3 million clear of their nearest rival, Amo Racing. Sheikh Mohammed’s chief talent spotters, Anthony Stroud and David Loder, made their greatest impact on Monday, when securing a Dubawi filly for €2 million, three lots after giving €2,250,000 for a Frankel colt.
“Some very nice horses have gone through the ring today, and this colt is one of them,” Anthony Stroud said of their most expensive purchase. “He’s a superb yearling that walks very well with good conformation. He’s by Frankel out of a dam by Siyouni, which is a top-class cross. He was one of our favourites today and he’s a horse that we can dream of Derbies with.”
Juddmonte and Ed Sackville also made a play for the colt with a Derby-winning pedigree. Bred by Madame Gilles Forien, the grandson of Galileo is the second foal out of listed winner Orendina, herself a half-sister to Epsom hero Wings Of Eagles.
Classic success is also presumably the dream for Godolphin’s other prize purchase, who shares her page with the sale’s record-breaking top lot; that of Ecurie des Monceaux’s ‘P’ family. Bred by Ecurie des Monceaux and Skymarc Farm out of dual stakes winner Paix, the daughter of Dubawi is a full-sister to recent listed winner Parachutiste and also benefited from two group-placed updates, courtesy of Willie McCreery and Al Shira’aa Racing’s juvenile filly Skydance (Night Of Thunder).
What’s rare is wonderful
On the relation of Magic Wand and Chicquita, Stroud commented: “Dubawi is an extraordinary stallion for our operation. It’s rare to see fillies of this quality go under the hammer, and we had to seize the opportunity. We’re very lucky to have been able to get her.”
New connections
Sire power was evident on Godolphin’s shopping list, also featuring yearlings by Lope De Vega, Sea The Stars, Siyouni, Too Darn Hot and two by Wootton Bassett. The Wootton Bassett colt out of Hidden Breeze, herself an own-sister to Lily’s Angel, cost new connections €900,000, and continued Haras d’Etreham’s love affair with the sire, who they previously stood.
After securing the colt, Stroud noted: “The stallion speaks for himself. He’s been remarkably successful and is a first-class sire. He’ll be trained by Charlie Appleby for Godolphin.”
Appleby will also take charge of Ecurie des Monceaux’s Lope De Vega colt out of the listed-winning Teofilo mare Eliade, which cost Godolphin €800,000. Described by Stroud as ‘a lovely colt that walks very well’, Saturday’s joint session topper hails from the family of Call The Wind, Friendly Soul, We Are and With You.
He was one of many highlights for Ecurie des Monceaux, who ended the sale as leading vendor with a turnover of €17,455,000; a distance clear of their nearest rival Haras des Capucines at €6,466,000.
AL Shira’aa Racing, who have a permanent base at Meadowcourt Stud near the Curragh, have become regular players at the top end at Arqana, and reinstated their intent by securing Saturday’s joint session topper for €800,000. Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s operation may have been spurred on by homebred Leinster winning the Group 3 Irish St Leger Trial that same afternoon, with manager Kieran Lalor and team roaring Joseph O’Brien’s charge home from the sales ground.
“I’d confidently say the whole town thought someone was being murdered with the noise of us shouting him home. Plenty of ‘Country Roads’ that night!” Lalor reported. Reflecting on the sale overall, Lalor continued: “It was an incredible sale and I am delighted for the French breeders who were well rewarded for using the top stallions around Europe with their elite mares.
“It’s a great reflection once again of what the market is demanding and you have to be brace to get the top ones. As a smarter man than I once said, quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.”
Al Shira’aa have enjoyed great success this season with their Arqana buys, led by a listed win by their Group 2 winner and 1 performer Vespertilio, as well as two group placings by juvenile filly Skydance. They underbid siblings of both fillies this time round, but Lalor remained pleased with their haul, a pair of fillies from Ecurie des Monceaux - consignor of the aforementioned blacktype performers.
“We loved the two we got and were second on another two, but in fairness they made great money and if we didn’t already have Skydance and Vespertilio, we may have kicked on for those two,” Lalor said.
Quality over quantity
First to join their string was a Baeed half-sister to multiple group winner and Prix Vermeille third The Juliet Rose, who at €800,000, shared top billing at Saturday’s opening session. “We really fell in love with this filly,” Lalor commented. “She’s a lovely individual, very athletic with a superb pedigree and from one of the best French studs.
“We’ve had a lot of success with Écurie des Monceaux over the years and, fingers crossed, we’ll be back in a little while to speak about the Guineas and the classics for this filly. With Baaeed as her sire and a maternal line of this calibre, anything is possible.”
The same comments could apply to the Wootton Bassett filly the operation bought for €1.2 million at Monday’s blockbuster session. A half-sister to listed winner and Group 2 runner-up Audubon Park, she is out of a half-sister to Prix Vermeille winner Left Hand.
The future trainer of Vespertilio’s half-sister is also unconfirmed, after selling to the Harris family for €1.1 million. Signing as One Agency, the Lordship Stud owners have made significant investments in a small number of well-bred mares and race fillies in recent years, most notably Group 3 winner Ville de Grace for 2,000,000gns at Tattersalls in 2022. More recent buys include Joseph O’Brien’s dual stakes winner Thunder Roll for 500,000gns last December.
Irish interest
Paddy Twomey made an early impact at Arqana, spending €975,000 on two fillies on Saturday. The in-form trainer warmed up with a winning bid of €300,000 on behalf of Bond Thoroughbreds for a Mehmas half-sister to Aidan O’Brien’s well-regarded Galway maiden winner Constitution River. The result justified Haras du Cadran’s decision to retain the filly for €140,000 last December.
Later in the session, Twomey stretched to €675,000 for a Sea The Stars filly out of the listed-winning Dubawi mare Everest Rose. Sold by Ecurie des Monceaux, the chesnut shares her page with Al Shira’aa Racing’s Baeed filly that shared top billing on the day.
On his most expensive purchase, Twomey commented: “I’ve bought her for a new partnership that are looking for well-bred fillies, and this one has a classic one! We’re very happy.”
BBA Ireland also made their presence felt, purchasing three lots for a total of €730,000, while fellow Irish agent J.D. Moore secured a New Bay filly from Ecurie des Monceaux for €180,000.
Hubie de Burgh bought three fillies for a combined €1,260,000 in partnership with Craig Bernick’s Glen Hill Farm, who is best known here for his success with Fozzy Stack. While the trainer of two remains a mystery, the €420,000 Sea The Stars filly will go into training with Francis-Henri Graffard.
Cormac Farrell, who enjoyed a career-best result when selling a Night Of Thunder colt for €1.9 million at the venue’s breeze-up sale in May, reinvested €365,000 in three yearlings across the three days. Paddy Vaughan’s Ballybush Stables, Johnny Hassett’s The Bloodstock Connection, Mick Murphy and Sarah O’Connell’s Longways Stables and Brendan Holland’s Grove Stud were other Irish breeze-up consignors to get on the score sheet.