ARQANA hosted the first of two days, of the first edition, of the September Yearling Sale on Thursday, a new event in the European calendar that replaced the v.2 Yearling Sale.

Organised over both days with the same format, the first session brought together 141 lots, of which 72% changed hands for an average price of €20,921, generating a turnover of €2,113,000.

For comparative purposes, the last edition of the v.2 Sale, on one day, saw 129 lots offered, 96 (74%) selling for €2,912,500, generating an average of €30,339 and a median of €24,500.

Benefitting from an important update after the catalogue was published, following his half-brother Hayejohn’s win in the Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles at Vichy, a colt by Toronado was hammered down for €120,000.

Bidding on behalf of Pauline Chehboub’s Yellow Agency, Mathieu Alex had the final say for the colt from the family of Australian Group 1 winner Aqua D’Amore.

The colt was offered by Charles Briére from the Fairway Consignment.

Irish buys

In the consignment from Haras de Grandcamp, a colt from the first crop of Inns Of Court, named Tiger King, was knocked down for €85,000 in favour of Johnny Hassett, and will likely be reoffered at the breeze-up sales next spring from The Bloodstock Connection. The colt, out of a half-sister to dual listed winner Pink Gin, hails from the family of group-winning two-year-olds Armor and Native Khan.

After signing the docket, Hassett said: “He’s a magnificent colt that comes from a good stud. I’m very pleased with this purchase. It’s possible that he might come back to Deauville for the breeze-up next May, but nothing is decided yet.”

A little earlier, Hassett also struck for a son of Shalaa for €68,000. Offered from Haras de Castillon, the colt, a half-brother to a stakes-placed three-time winner, is out of a Galileo half-sister to Mehmas, and is from the family of the dual French classic winner Avenir Certain.

Hammond active

Active throughout the day, John Hammond went to €80,000 for a first-crop son of City Light from Haras d’Haspel. The colt, out of a winning half-sister to the dam of Group 2 Sapphire Stakes winner Ladies Church, will join the stables of Joël Boisnard, who also trains his half-brother Fais Nous Plaisir, a winner on his debut at Deauville this summer.

Hammond also signed the docket at €77,000 for a daughter by the young Coolmore stallion Ten Sovereigns, consigned from Haras de la Haie Neuve. The filly is the third produce of her winning Street Cry dam Melbourne Shuffle, and the first two are both juvenile winners. The yearling’s grandam is an own-sister to Group 1 winners Listen and Sequoyah, the latter being the dam of Henrythenavigator.

“She’s a lovely filly, and is very like her sire,” said Hammond. “I really like her physique and she has a lot of strength. We’ll decide on her future at a later date.”

(A report on Friday’s concluding

session will be carried next week)