A BUSY week of sales in Deauville starts today [Saturday] with the Arqana November Yearling Sale which will see 220 flat-bred yearlings offered for sale.

This is followed by the two-day Autumn Sale on Monday and Tuesday, which starts on Monday [15th] when just over 200 horses in training are due to be sold, along with 44 two-year-old stores. Tuesday is devoted to 185 National Hunt-bred yearlings.

Then on Wednesday it’s the National Hunt breeding stock in the spotlight, with almost 300 mares and foals on offer.

German Derby winner Sisfahan was bought at the Arqana Autumn Sale as a yearling. National Hunt graduates include the Willie Mullins-trained Gaillard Du Mesnil and Easy Game, plus the Paul Nicholls-trained Greaneteen and the Venetia Williams-trained Royale Pagaille.

There are a number of flat blacktype horses for sale, including Kergrist, Darzan and Angel. Kergrist finished third in Group 3 company as a juvenile and won his most recent start over 12 furlongs.

Darzan is rated 98 and won his first two starts before finishing third in a listed race at Deauville. Angel is a three-year-old gelding who was a winner of his second start over nine furlongs.

Numerous wildcards were added in recent days including a few AQPS geldings who were impressive winners of ‘French bumpers’.

The National Hunt breeding stock sale is where Gavin Cromwell’s Grade 1 winner Vanillier was sold as a foal by Haras des Marais to Seamus Murphy in 2015. Broodmares to have graduated from this sale have included the dams of Roncal, Coko Beach, Tea Clipper and Tronador.

Two stallions are also catalogued. Kitkou is a son of Martaline out of the excellent Kotkita, making him a brother to Kotkikova. The other stallion is the group-placed Desinvolte, who retired to stud in 2019.

This year’s catalogue includes mares in foal to established sires such as Buck’s Boum, Doctor Dino, Kapgarde, Great Pretender, Masked Marvel, Montmartre and No Risk At All.

Buyers will have the opportunity to buy broodmares with excellent catalogue pages including Utopia Jem, the dam of Grade 1 Prix Cambacérès winner Theleme, offered in foal to Doctor Dino.

One familiar name is Missy Tata, winner of the Grade 3 Fishery Lane Hurdle at Naas a few years ago. She is offered in foal to Zarak.

Martinstown Stud is offering Gerboise Borget, a winning half-sister by Martaline to Gemix.

Among the foals, Lot 859 catches the eye. This is a colt foal by Goliath Du Berlais out of a half-sister to Tiger Roll.

Looking further ahead, Arqana Online will hold a sale of breeding rights and stallion shares on Tuesday, November 23rd. Buyers will have the opportunity of buying breeding rights or shares in Siyouni, Zarak, Zelzal, Al Wukair, Territories, Masked Marvel, No Risk At All, Showcasing and Havana Gold.