A SLUGGISH start to the Arqana October Yearling Sale saw figures fall on the opening day of trade, but consignors enjoyed an upturn on Wednesday as returns improved to better last year’s corresponding statistics.
Tuesday’s clearance rate of 70% - down from 86% at 2024’s opening session - was a clear indicator of a patchy market, as was the 12% drop in the average price to €92,790. However, the median’s decline was less pronounced, dropping by under 5% to €70,000.
The opener supplied the top five lots, as well as one vendored at €390,000. The €450,000 top lot continued the ascent of Night Of Thunder, as well as the more recent rise of Janine Gandy and Pierre-Hugues Henry’s young operation, Windermere Stud, which made its sales debut in July.
The couple’s fine start has not gone unnoticed, given that Al Shaqab entrusted them with Tuesday’s highlight, a colt out of dual listed winner Katara. Nurlan Bizakov’s Sumbe secured the February-born chesnut, with Sumbe’s racing and nominations manager Mario Gussago commenting: “He’s the one we really loved and wanted today.
“He’s been very well prepped and is perfect physically and walks very well. He’s a son of Night Of Thunder from a good family, and is a good stallion prospect for the future.”
Night Of Thunder’s only other yearling in the sale, a colt from Haras de l’Etre, brought €170,000 from BBA Ireland’s Michael Donohoe, who was bidding online. It brought the Kildangan Stud sire’s yearling average to €549,536, for a crop bred off a fee of €100,000. Now the sire of nine Group 1 winners, his fee for 2026 is yet to be announced, having commanded €150,000 this season.
Rare and wonderful
The regrettably rarified nature of Wootton Bassett’s stock may have added to their already high appeal, with Coolmore’s late stallion responsible for two of the top three lots. While his sons, Camille Pissarro and Henri Matisse, retire to Coolmore Stud, the operation’s quest to find a successor remains in full gear, as Mandore Agency’s Nicolas de Watrigant secured a Wootton Bassett colt on behalf of MV Magnier for €400,000.
On Haras du Mont dit Mont’s homebred, the agent commented: “He’s a lovely colt, that looks a lot like his sire. We hope he’ll be a worthy representative of his sire.”
The April foal is out of a listed-winning Shamardal mare - the same cross as last month’s Middle Park Stakes runner-up Brussels. Shamardal himself features further down the page, along with Street Cry, Territories and Victor Ludorum.
It’s rare that €350,000 can be described as good value, but considering the prices paid earlier in the year, it doesn’t look like Al Shira’aa Racing overpaid for a full-sister to Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Zellie, offered by La Motteraye Consignment.
Based at Meadow Court Stud, with horses in training in Ireland and France, the operation focuses on purchasing well-bred fillies that will hopefully add to their value on the track, but hold residual value regardless, which is surely the case with their latest recruit.
After signing the docket, Al Shira’aa’s racing and bloodstock manager Kieran Lalor said: “She’s a lovely filly with good size and strength. She is by Wootton Bassett, who I think is the best sire of our time, and a sister to a Group 1 winner. It was obvious for us that we had to get her, and we’re delighted.”
Group 1 pedigrees
Anthony Stroud set the early pace when stretching to €320,000 for Lot 40, a Siyouni colt out of a winning daughter of Cheveley Park Stakes winner Vorda. Offered by the Channel Consignment as part of a dispersal by Al Shahania, the bay was one of six to sell for over €300,000, compared to 10 in 2024. The number of six-figure sales over the first two days fell by the same number.
Later in the day, a Baaeed filly from Haras de Colleville brought €320,000 from Jérémy Para, who signed as SAS Le Marais. The bay was bred by Guy Pariente out of the dual group winner and Diamond Jubilee Stakes third Restiadargent, also the dam of two stakes winners.
Baaeed’s other two offerings sold for €270,000 and €70,000, bringing his current yearling average to £193,149, from a debut covering fee of £80,000.
Fast fillies
Wednesday’s top lot represented a trade of sorts for trainer Andreas Schutz, who was acting on behalf of Jaber Abdullah when giving €305,000 for a daughter of Mehmas. The half-sister to three stakes horses was consigned by Haras de Castillon, where Schutz’s French 2000 Guineas victor Marhaba Ya Sanafi has retired to for stallion duties.
“She’s a superb filly,” said the Chantilly trainer. “She walks very well and is from a great maternal line. We like her a lot, and are delighted to get her. She’ll go to Ireland for a bit for a break and then come to Chantilly at the start of next year.”
The highlight on the second day of trade was bred by Khalifa Al Attiya out of the Danehill Dancer mare Lamorlaye, who hails from the family of Dylan Thomas and Serpentine. The mare’s three blacktype horses include Wasmya, herself the dam of last month’s Prix du Moulin winner Sahlan.
Later in trade, a Havana Grey filly from the Fairway Consignment brought €290,000 from an online buyer signing as Lady M Partners. The name was presumably a nod to the filly’s two-year-old half-sister Lady Mara, who made a winning debut at Marseille nine days prior. The pair were bred by Stephen Hillen’s Framont Ltd out of listed-winning home-bred Charm Appeal.