Arqana’s October Yearling Sale ended on a high Wednesday after a barnstorming
final session, in contrast to many of this season’s yearling auctions, took the
overall average past last year’s equivalent. With the session average of
€23,520 representing a massive 33 percent
increase on 2008, and the median of €16,000
up by 7 percent, the overall average for the three-day venue was
€25,659, jumping up by 10 percent.
“The buyers’ list shows a very healthy market, with over 145 individual
investors signing the docket and many of them acting on behalf of several
clients,” Arqana’s General Manager Olivier Delloye said. “It means that the
buying bench at this sale was as broad and diversified as ever, including some
high-profile overseas investors who have not always made the trip to Deauville
for this session.
“It is also encouraging to see that breeders of commercially attractive
yearlings that have not reached their full potential in August have a very
valuable alternative in the October sale. Indeed, none of the well-bred,
well-made individuals that were offered this week slipped through the net, and
several vendors were even positively surprised with what they got for these
youngsters.”
Topping the final day’s proceedings was a daughter of Whipper who sold to
Horse France for €125,000. Out of Group
3-placed Hasanat (Night Shift), Hip No. 348 is a half-sister to 2003 Killavullan
S. (Ire-G3) third Takrice (Cadeaux Genereux) and 2007 Derrinstown Stud One
Thousand Guineas Trial (Ire-G3) fourth Ela Enta (GB) (Royal Applause [GB]). This
is the extended family of Zafonic (Gone West) and Zamindar (Gone West).
“This filly has been bought for Jim Bolger, and it’s the first by the sire
that Jim has purchased,” Horse France’s Robert Nataf said. “She looks strong,
and Whipper’s two-year-olds are all doing very well this year, so hopefully
she’ll be a very nice horse.”
Her tag represented a major increase on the €24,000
paid for her at last year’s Goffs November Foal Sale, and was a notable
highlight for Thierry de Chambord’s Haras de Saint Pair, who also sold a Mr.
Greeley colt for €75,000. Hip 363 is the
first foal out of Indian Maiden (Ire) (Indian Ridge), whose tally included a
remarkable seven listed races and a sole group success in the 2006 renewal of
Deauville’s Prix de Meautry (Fr-G3). From the extended family of Kentucky Derby
(G1)-winning champion Winning Colors (Caro [Ire]) and Japan Cup (Jpn-G1) victor
Tap Dance City (Pleasant Tap), he was knocked down to Paul Nataf, buying for the
“Telesi Group” of Libyan owner Salah El Mabruk.
“The owner had bought a very nice Danehill Dancer colt here last year, and I
bought a filly by Green Tune for him yesterday,” Nataf said. “This looked a real
nice colt and very much a racehorse, so we are delighted to have him.”
Twelve lots earlier, trainer Joel Boisnard paid
€80,000 for Hip 351, a daughter of Kingsalsa from the draft of Haras de
la Haie Neuve. The February-foaled half-sister to smart listed performer Torrid
Hell (Vettori) is out of Heleniade (Entrepreneur). The mare is herself a half to
the top-class Herboriste (GB) (Hernando [Fr]) and Fast and Furious (Fr)
(Singspiel [Ire]) as well as the dam of Ballydoyle’s promising juvenile At First
Sight (Galileo [Ire]).
Full results can be viewed on www.arqana.com.