Godolphin had proven unbeatable on the first two days of the Arqana August Sale and it looked to be the case again on Monday, until M.V. Magnier and White Birch Farm outbid Sheikh Mohammed’s talent scouts for the sale’s overall top lot at €4,600,000.

The highest-priced yearling ever sold at Arqana became the 10th seven-figure yearling of the sale, compared to eight last year. Five of the millionaires were sold by Ecurie des Monceaux and three were by the late Wootton Bassett, who was responsible for the next highest-priced lot at €2,400,000.

There was an irony to the sales topper’s purchasers, as Coolmore had bred and raced the dam Deadly Nightshade to place three times with Joseph O’Brien. The relation to Giant’s Causeway et al sold to Monceaux for 900,000gns and has since become known as a full-sister to multiple Group 1-winning stayer Scandinavia.

“First of all, congratulations to Écurie des Monceaux and their team, that have done an amazing job,” M.V. Magnier commented.

“They have supported us a lot, especially in their choice of stallions, and I’m very happy for them, because they also bought his dam from us. He’s a very well-made colt with a great pedigree. He ticked all the boxes and we’re delighted.”

The very next lot in the ring was another Monceaux offering by Wootton Bassett, this time a filly out of a Dubawi sister to Talent, the Oaks heroine and dam of Group 1 filly Ambition. At €320,000, it was M.V. Magnier who once again signed the docket – his fourth and final purchase of the day.

Earlier in the day, he and White Birch Farm secured a Kingman colt for €1,400,000 through Oceanic Bloodstock. Consigned by the Sundstroms’ Coulonces Sale on behalf of Jean-Pierre Dubois, the late April foal is a full-brother to Prix de Diane heroine Sparkling Plenty and Jersey Stakes winner Noble Truth.

Back in 2015, Oceanic signed for their dam Speralita at this same sale, but the daughter of Frankel never made it to the track. Never mind, because the fillies in this family have a superb record at stud. Her half-sister Stacelita was a multiple Group 1 winner before producing Soul Stirring, a dual Group 1 winner in Japan.

Stacelita’s other daughter Southern Stars is also a Group 1 producer there, while Stacelita’s half-sister Salicorne is the dam of Prix du Moulin winner Sauterne (Kingman).

“It’s a family that we know well,” M.V. Magnier commented. “We bought Sparkling Plenty a few years ago (for €5,000,000) and she is now in foal to Justify. Kingman works very well with this pedigree, and the Dubois family are very good breeders.”

Even with the top lot, Magnier and co couldn’t get close to Godolphin in the buyers’ table, as Sheikh Mohammed’s operation spent a total of €13,300,000 across the three days. Sackville Donald were another major player with a spend of €2,050,000, while Peter and Ross Doyle Bloodstock signed for €1,726,000 worth of yearlings.

At the lower numbers, there were two other significant stories buyers-wise on Monday, as Amo Racing entered the fray and the Aga Khan Studs made a long-awaited return to the ring.

Kia Joorabchian’s Amo Racing spent €4,950,000 at the 2025 renewal but 12 months on, their sole purchase was a full-sister to their talented two-year-old Pikachu at €615,000. Baroda Stud consigned Yulong Investment’s Frankel filly, whose full-brother finished fifth in the Chesham Stakes, third in the Superlative Stakes and fourth in the Vintage Stakes.

It was the sire which drove the Aga Khan Studs’ participation on Monday, as the team went to €200,000 for a filly from the first crop of their Haras de Bonneval resident Erevann.

The Group 2-winning and Group 1-placed son of Dubawi began his career at €8,000 and three of his first yearlings fetched six-figure prices at Arqana, peaking at €215,000.

Strength in depth

Al Shira'Aa Racing, who spent €2 million 12 months ago, were absent from the buyers’ sheet this time. In an ordinary year, this and Amo’s huge drop in spend might have spelt disaster, but there were plenty of buyers determined not to leave empty handed; 15 buyers spent over €1 million over the three days, compared to 11 last year

This helped to drive turnover by 10% to a record €65,533,000, resulting in an average price of €277,682 (+4%). The clearance rate of 80% was another positive, and while the median price dipped to €160,000, it remained the third highest in the sale’s history.

In a post-sale statement, Arqana’s president Olivier Delloye and managing director Freddy Powell said: “There could be no better way to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Arqana’s creation than with new records for the August Sale.

“These results are a fitting reward for an adventure built since 2006 around a shared passion, with high standards, ambition and enthusiasm. After such a successful edition, above all, we would like to say thank you: to the breeders and vendors for their trust, to the buyers for their continued support, and to everyone who helps bring our sales and our shared passion for horses to life.

“We are proud of the journey we have made over the past twenty years and, even more so, delighted to continue writing this story together with you.”

For much of the day, a Night Of Thunder colt from La Motteraye Consignment led trade, bringing €2,000,000 from Godolphin.

“The whole team really liked him,” Anthony Stroud said of the March-born chesnut is the first foal out of Tagline, who finished third in the Group 3 Dick Poole Stakes.

“He’s a lovely colt by Night Of Thunder, out of a mare by Havana Grey, that was very fast. It’s no surprise that he was very popular. We have had some very good horses by Night Of Thunder in the past and this is a very nice one too.”

Godolphin’s third and final purchase of the day was a Wootton Bassett half-brother to dual group winner and Group 1 runner-up Map Of Stars

Offered by Charles Briere’s Fairway Consignment on behalf of Al Asayl France, who bred the colt out of their homebred Group 1 winner Bateel (Dubawi).