THE Arqana Autumn Sale kicked off on a high on Monday as two wildcards offered to dissolve a partnership between Simon Munir, Isaac Souede and Haras de Saint Voir fetched €710,000 and €520,000.

It may have been fair to assume that Highflyer Bloodstock’s Anthony Bromley was acting on behalf of his ‘Double Green’ clients when securing the top lots, but he was joined in Deauville by Dan Skelton, who will train the pair on behalf of Lindy and Mark O’Hare.

At €710,000, the most expensive of Skelton’s new recruits, Mets Ta Ceinture, became the highest-priced National Hunt filly in Europe. His gain is the loss of Anne-Sophie Pacault, who trained the Hunter’s Light three-year-old to finish second in a Grade 2 AQPS flat race before winning a Grade 3 by eight lengths at Lyon.

Hugo Merienne, meanwhile, trained Highflyer’s €520,000 purchase Merci Mam to make a winning debut over hurdles at Lyon last month. The Karaktar gelding is a half-brother to Willie Mullins’ listed-winning chaser Instit, out of a half-sister to dual Grade 1 winner Line Marine.

“I know both of the horses, and I know that they have a lot of potential and a promising future before them,” Bromley commented. “We saw them this morning and they passed all the vet checks. They’re quality horses with good pedigrees, and they are rare commodities on the market. We’re very happy.”

More power to Mullins

Willie Mullins was also busy recruiting through his agents Pierre Boulard and Harold Kirk, with the combination going to €400,000 for Christophe Ferland’s wildcard offering Columbus, whose listed and Group 3 wins came over a mile and seven furlongs.

“He’s a horse made to race,” Pierre Boulard said of the Group 1-placed four-year-old. “His races on the flat are impressive, and we’re very happy.”

Closutton’s dream team later gave €240,000 for Mes Chers Freres as part of the Munir/ Souede/ Saint Voir dispersal. The Patrice Quinton-trained three-year-old won his debut on the level in May and returned last month to finish fourth on hurdle bow at Auteuil.

The ownership dispersal’s promising four-year-old Le Nez Creux is also bound for Ireland, but her trainer was not revealed by Nicolas Bertran de Balanda after he bought the three-time winner with Alex Elliott for €320,000.

“We’re very happy!” the French agent said. “She’s a good filly that I’ve followed since her debut. She’s put up some good runs this autumn with not much time in between. She’ll go to Ireland where we’ll give her a bit of time.”

Trained by Francois Nicolle, the daughter of No Risk At All was pitched at Grade 1 level after gaining her first chase success by 12 lengths at Auteuil last month.

Strong across the board

The Aga Khan Studs’ highly-regarded three-year-old Midak was the highest-priced lot to remain on the flat after bringing €300,000 from Dermot Farrington on behalf of Fitri Hay. Earlier in the session, Farrington gave €230,000 for the Mickael Delzangles-trained three-year-old Chibitty, who progressed to place in a Group 3 when last seen.

The addition of the lots owned by Simon Munir, Isaac Souede and Haras de Saint Voir boosted returns on the first of four days’ trade, with turnover up 69% on last year’s equivalent session. The average price rose by 36% to €42,161, while 21 lots sold for six figures - almost double the number last year. The clearance rate of 85% indicated healthy demand in all areas.

The week’s later offerings of National Hunt two-year-olds and yearlings also posted healthy gains, which saw final figures for the overall sale post gains across the board. Despite a larger offering, the average price was the second highest in the sale’s history at €35,387. The median of €16,000 had only been bettered twice before, having peaked at €20,000 twice previously. The clearance rate ended at 77%, four points above last year.

TUESDAY provided the two highest-priced offerings of young National Hunt stock, with Nat Barnett delivering the top price of €160,000 for a full-brother to Jade De Grugy. Windermere Stud consigned the two-year-old Doctor Dino colt on behalf of Ecurie de la Grugerie.

“For me, he was the horse of the sale,” Barnett stated. “I’ve bought him for some English owners, for whom I buy a lot of horses - some are resold as two-year-olds and others go into training. This one will definitely race for us!

“He’s a magnificent horse, with a great page and pedigree. He’ll stay in France to be trained by Hugo Merienne. We had to fight to get him, but it was worth it. We’re delighted!”

Another Doctor Dino two-year-old brought €150,000 from Nicolas Bertran de Balanda, who signed his name alongside Alex Elliott’s. The French trainer-turned-agent knows the pedigree well, having trained the dam’s Grade 2-winning brother Crystal Beach.

“He’s a lovely horse,” de Balanda said of the half-brother to two graded winners. “He’s got scope and walks well. He was also very well prepped. He’ll go to Ireland in the near future.”

A yearling colt by Doctor Dino shared top lot honours on Wednesday, having been knocked down to Xavier Papot for €135,000. Haras des Sablonnets’ offering is a half-brother to three blacktype horses, including Grade 1 chaser Thrilling.

British agent Dan Astbury matched Papot’s price to secure Winderemere Stud’s colt from the penultimate crop of Saint Des Saints. “He’s a superb horse, and we can see that he’s made to race,” Astbury commented. “He was the one we wanted today, and we’re very happy. He’ll come back to England and be broken first, and then we’ll give him a bit of time following that.”

THE very first lot in the ring at Thursday’s Autumn National Hunt Breeding Stock Sale brought €450,000, a price that was never bettered on the day. Despite the clearance rating falling four points to 64%, the average and median both experienced sizeable growth, rising by 30% (€26,590) and 50% (€15,000) respectively. The turnover grew by 40% from 14% more lots offered.

Haras de la Barbottiere’s promising young sire Chanducoq topped trade, selling to Valentin Adam on behalf of Haras de Cercy, who stood his sire Voix Du Nord until his untimely passing as a 12-year-old.

Jacques Cypres of Haras de Cercy later explained: “We were keen to get some Voix du Nord blood, as he gave us so much. Chanducoq has already produced winners and he’s from a great National Hunt maternal line. We’ll syndicate him and Haras de Cercy will naturally keep a share.”

Voix Du Nord’s best performers included Espoir d’Allen, Defi Du Seuil, Kemboy, Taquin Du Seuil and Vroum Vroum Mag. Chanducoq holds further appeal as a half-brother to Cokoriko, out of a half-sister to the dam of Benie Des Dieux. His first crops feature blacktype hurdlers Kristal Du Seuil and Rooster Crowing.

Rare commodity

At €210,000, Guy Petit had the final say for the Kapgarde mare Verona Du Berlais, carrying a first cover to Goliath Du Berlais. The five-year-old is a half-sister to four graded winners, including Grade 1 winner Nirvana Du Berlais, as well as the dam of Nietsche Has.

“It’s rare to have this kind of mare on the market,” Petit commented.

“Her pedigree page is perfect and she has had two updates since the catalogue was published, including Toscana du Berlais’s win in the Prix de la Haye Jousselin last weekend. She’ll most likely stay in France.”

Paul Basquin of Saubouas Bloodstock later gave €150,000 for Farah, a half-sister to two Grade 3 winners, offered in foal to Doctor Dino. Basquin reflected: “This mare comes from one of the best National Hunt families and she is in foal to a stallion that doesn’t need any introduction. I’ve bought her for a client, and she’ll come back to Haras du Saubouas where her offspring will stay in France.”