PRIX de Diane fourth Habibi is among the wildcards added to the Arqana Summer Sale which kicks off in Deauville next week.
Runner-up in a listed race on her seasonal return, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained bay finished fourth on soft ground in the Prix Saint-Alary last month and appeared to appreciate the firmer ground at Chantilly, where she finished three and a quarter lengths behind Diamond Necklace.
On the Le Brivido filly’s latest performance, co-owner Jan Romel commented: “Habibi registered the highest top speed out of any of the field, reaching 68.90 km/h. She also covered the last 400 metres in 23.88 seconds, with a remarkable fraction of 11.67 seconds from 400 to 200 metres - one of the best times registered in the Diane.”
Miss Wood is another exciting late addition to the catalogue, with Sourdeau de Beauregard’s mare boasting Grade 3 and listed wins over hurdles. Katie Rudd’s Busherstown will offer the five-year-old, who is a full-sister to Henry de Bromhead’s Ryanair Chase victor Heart Wood.
Her Grade 1 placing came behind It’s Win O’Clock, a graduate of the Summer Sale, along with the likes of Haiti Couleurs, Kalypso’chance and French Dynamite. Graduates to have conquered the highest level on the flat include Chez Pierre, Lord Glitters, Mondialiste and The Right Man.
Jean-Daniel Manceau and Eric Lecoiffier picked up Mgheera for just €5,000 at the Summer Sale and after winning a listed sprint and placing in group races, resold her for €250,000.
Ed Walker’s recruit went on to land back-to-back group wins, most notably in the Temple Stakes.
Pinhookers and end users from both codes will be on the ground next week, as the sale returns to its two-day format on Tuesday, June 30th and Wednesday, July 1st, with the 31 flat-bred juveniles catalogued due to breeze at Deauville Racecourse on Monday.
The breeze-up horses, along with breeding stock and two-year-old stores will go under the hammer from 10am on Tuesday, followed by horses in training from 2pm on Wednesday.
Catalogue highlights
Breeze up horses
Lot 2: Blue Point brother to a stakes horse, out of a listed winner
Lot 10: Lope De Vega colt out of multiple stakes winner and Prix de Diane second Sarandia
Stores
Lot 106: Cokoriko gelding is the first foal out of dual Grade 1 AQ winner Hollee
Lot 120: Bathyron half-brother to Grade 1 winners Kalif Du Berlais and Kivala Du Berlais
Lot 153: Ivanhowe half-brother to Grade 1 winner Gardons Le Sourire
Lot 155: Buck’s Boum half-brother to three-time Grade 1 winner Fastorslow
Lot 164: Doctor Dino colt out of Prix Alain du Breil heroine Roll On Has
Lot 180: Kapgarde filly out of Royal Bond Hurdle winner Statuaire
Lot 183: Beaumac De Houelle (Martaline) sister to We Have A Dream (Martaline)
Horses in training
Lot 351: Beautifully-bred three-year-old Cheerio scored by two lengths on debut at Le Mans for Francis Graffard
Lot 398: Croquis won a listed race over a mile and a half on heavy ground last season
Lot 409: Le Citadin won his last two starts over a mile and a half, including a Class 2 at Nantes
Lot 411: AQPS three-year-old Noble Sea, by Latrobe and out of a graded-placed mare, made a winning debut earlier this month
Lot 419: Isfahan three-year-old Ghost Warrior may appeal to both codes as he won his second start over a mile and a half
Breeding stock
Lot 65: Lasca De Thaix won a second listed hurdle at Auteuil since the catalogue was printed