Gilles Forien’s FIPS Agency secured the top-priced yearling of day three of
Arqana’s August Yearling Sale on Sunday when paying €205,000 for Hip No. 310, a
son of Peintre Celebre from the Neustrian Associates consignment. Out of the
listed-placed Hayhaat (Irish River [Fr]), the page is replete with black-type
performers from all parts of the globe, including 1993 Belmont S. (G1) hero and
sire Colonial Affair (Pleasant Colony).
For the vendors, it was expected that their representative would prove the
central focus of the day.
“We have raised this colt on our farm at Haras du Buff and have therefore
known him since day one,” Neustrian’s Bertrand le Metayer said. “He is very
sound, vetted great, has never had a problem and is a beautiful individual. He
is strong and well-mannered, so I am not surprised he sold that well. I think it
was a good investment by the buyer and I am delighted.”
It was a fine day for the Forien family, with Gilles responsible for the
purchase of the session topper and his wife, Aliette, celebrating a lucrative
spell of selling. As owner and manager of Haras de la Reboursiere et de Montaigu,
she has a vested interest in the first crop of her resident sire Archange d’Or
(Ire) (Danehill), and it was one of his representatives who sold to Jean-Claude
Rouget for €200,000.
Offered as Hip 259, the gray colt hails from a family interwoven with the Pau-based
stable. Rouget trained the listed-placed half-sister Tadorne (Inchinor [GB]) and
that mare’s finest runner, Pinson (Halling), who took the 2005 Prix Guillaume
d’Ornano (Fr-G2) and Prix Daphnis. Rouget (Fr-G3). Rouget also trained the
yearling’s half-siblings multiple Group 3-placed Welcome Millenium (Fr) (Kendor)
and Ximb (Septieme Ciel), third in a Group 1.
“You look at the page of this pedigree and you can see that I have trained
most of the black-type horses of this family, so I know it quite well,” Rouget
said. “The sire Archange d’Or is a very good-looking horse that produces very
good yearlings, especially this one, so I was keen to have a go.”
Five lots later (Hip 264), Reboursiere’s Sinndar half-brother to Group 2
scorer Kandidate (Kabool), who was third in the 2005 English Two Thousand
Guineas (Eng-G1), and 2004 Prix de Meautry (Fr-G3) winner Star Valley (Starborough)
also sold for €200,000 to Meridian
International.
“I bought this horse for Erik Soderberg, who is a regular client of the
Deauville sale, where he has had quite a lot of success in the past,” Meridian’s
Guilain Bozo said. “This is a lovely, late-maturing horse who will be looking
even better in a few months. He will be trained in Chantilly by one of Mr.
Soderberg’s trainers. After the first two days, you have less choice, but you
can still find some nice horses if mostly colts. The offer is now reduced on
good fillies.”
Lady O’Reilly’s Haras de la Louviere sold well on Saturday, with a son of
Cape Cross (Ire) out of Group 3-placed listed winner Seralia (Royal Academy),
fetching €280,000. That mare featured as the
second dam of Hip 245, who sold for €200,000
to Anthony Stroud on Sunday. By Oasis Dream (GB), the February-foaled colt is
out of Seralia’s Prix de Psyche (Fr-G3)-winning daughter Serisia (Exit to
Nowhere).
“This is a real nice horse by a top sire, and we saw that again at the races
this afternoon in Deauville,” Stroud said. “This yearling is light on his feet
and a fluent walker, and there is a possibility that he will stay in training in
France, as he is eligible for the premiums. It is a very select sale, but there
are still good animals, and I might be tempted again.”
The top-priced filly of the session was Haras du Cadran’s Hip 273, a daughter
of Elusive City from the family of last year’s Grand Prix de Paris (Fr-G1)
winner and stallion Montmartre (Montjeu [Ire]). Out of the winning Aliyeska (Fasliyev),
she sold to Oceanic Bloodstock for €150,000.
While Sunday trade witnessed a 7 percent drop in average and median on last
year, the total of 20 lots fetching €100,000 or more helped the auction compare
favorably with its 2007 equivalent
The sale concludes on Monday. Full results are available on www.arqana.com.