ALBAN Chevalier de Fau’s Channel Consignment enjoyed a perfect start to the Arqana Summer Sale, selling the two highest-priced lots at Tuesday’s opening session, which largely consisted of two-year-olds from both codes.
Tuesday’s top price of €180,000 didn’t match last year’s top price on the opening day, but there was plenty of strength in depth to the market. Nine lots sold for six-figure sums, marking a 50% increase on last year, while the average rose marginally to €33,902 and the median grew by 4% to €24,000.
The clearance rate experienced the greatest improvement at 80.39%, up from a worrying 61.57% 12 months ago. That figure was helped by reducing the number offered on the opening day by 20%.
Tuesday’s highlight was knocked down to Guy Petit, who had sourced dual graded winner and Grade 1 runner-up Nietzsche Has from the same consignment two years ago. The agent’s latest acquisition is a No Risk At All half-brother to two Grade 3 winners, for whom he stretched to €180,000.
“Pedigree, physique, attitude - he’s a horse that has everything going for him,” Petit said of his purchase. “I’ve bought him for David Maxwell and he’ll go into training with Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm.”
Coolmore add to French team
George and Zetterholm will also train the second highest-priced lot of the sale, a Walk In The Park colt bought by Coolmore’s Gerry Aherne for €160,000. The training partnership made a smart start for Mrs Sue Magnier this year, with a pair of Walk In The Park three-year-olds winning on debut, before one won a listed race at Auteuil, while the other later earned blacktype.
Both were bred and sourced in Ireland, whereas Aherne’s latest purchase was bred by Earl Champ Gignoux and is the first foal out of Willie Mullins and M.L. Bloodstock’s Grade 1 winner Statuaire, herself a half-sister to State Man.
After seeing off strong competition, Aherne commented: “We’ve been looking for a while for colts that are as good-looking as he is with a pedigree as good as he has. He’s a great looking colt that is a little finer than some of Walk In The Park’s progeny. I think that would be an advantage in France. We had to have him.”
Nicholas Bertran de Balanda gave €48,000 for a Walk In The Park filly from Ballyreddin & Busherstown, who adopted the role of buyer when it came to a Tunis gelding from the family of Sadler’s Wells. John Dwan and Katie Rudd’s operation paid €72,000 for the grey consigned by Jean-Marie Callier, who bred him with Meryl Militon.
One to watch
The Channel Consignment’s good fortune continued when selling a Doctor Dino colt for €120,000 to Nathaniel Barnett, who runs syndicate Pimlico Racing in Britain and Ireland, and Chantilly Thoroughbreds in France.
Mags O’Toole was another familiar name on the buyers’ sheet, securing five for between €1,500 and €135,000. Her most expensive purchase was a Doctor Dino gelding out of the Saint des Saints mare Novadame.
The mare’s four-year-old brother Heldam (Doctor Dino), fetched €85,000 at the 2023 renewal, resold at the Derby Sale for €110,000 and subsequently won on debut at Punchestown for Matty Flynn O’Connor. The Wexford handler selected him as ‘one to watch’ in a recent feature in this publication.
Doctor Dino sired three of the top five lots on Tuesday, one being Nathaniel Barnett’s purchase mentioned earlier, while another cost Highflyer Bloodstock €130,000.
After securing him on behalf of Dai Walters, Highflyer’s Anthony Bromley reflected: “He’s a lovely horse that is very athletic and we like him a lot. He’s a son of Doctor Dino, one of the best National Hunt stallions, and comes from a great family. He’ll most likely be trained by Sam Thomas.”
Highflyer Bloodstock also gave €110,000 for another Doctor Dino colt and €95,000 for a gelded half-brother to Grade 1 winner Roll On Has, by Moises Has. Completing Highflyer’s shopping basket was a Spanish Moon gelding out of a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner El Fabiolo (Spanish Moon), who was bought by Highflyer’s Anthony Bromley after placing in a listed hurdle at Auteuil. Named Sawyer, the two-year-old cost €35,000.
Bound for Ireland?
It is perhaps safe to presume that Norwich, a Goliath du Berlais gelding offered by Pierres Follets, will travel to Irish shores after being signed for by George Mullins at €100,000. Bertrand le Metayer matched that price for another gelding by the exciting young sire, this time consigned by Haras des Loges.
Nicolas Bertran de Balanda co-signed with Ed Bailey and Nathan Verge for a Cokoriko half-brother to Grade 1 winner Gardons Le Sourire. Haras de Saint Voir’s offering cost €110,000.
Last year’s opening session was topped by a breeze-up horse at €210,000, but the highest price fetched by the latest flat two-year-olds was €80,000. Thomond O’Mara’s Knockanglass Stables sold the Sea The Stars colt in question to OTI, De Burgh Equine and Narvick.
A late April foal, the son of Italian listed winner Bridge Royal Game was picked up by Paragon Bloodstock as a yearling for 60,000gns.