Arqana hosts its Arc Sale at Saint-Cloud on Saturday, and if it avoids the raft of
withdrawals it is certain to attract some substantial international players
gathered for the Arc meeting.
This is the auction at which Urban Sea was
sold, as well as Megahertz, Elmhurst and Aube
Indienne. In recent times, the likes of Elusive Wave, Racinger and Eclair de Lune have passed through the ring, and 12 months ago Rajsaman was purchased here before he added the
Group 2 Prix du Muguet to
his tally during this season.
Among the 58-strong catalog this time, there are
offerings from His Highness The Aga Khan, Wertheimer et Frere and a host of
trainers including Andre Fabre, Alain de Royer-Dupre, Elie Lellouche,
Jean-Claude Rouget, Pascal Bary, Robert Collet, Freddy Head and his sister
Criquette, as well as Mario Hofer, Andreas Wohler and Bruno Grizzetti.
With the Dubai Carnival now an established draw, all will have in mind the
various pots of gold offered at glittering Meydan. Only one entry in the book
fails to meet the official rating of 90, which is the minimum level required to
participate in that jamboree as well as Hong Kong’s International races. This
year’s catalog
is as strong as any put together by its previous orchestrator Goffs France.
Now Arqana and the presence of the three-year-old Glorious Sight (Singspiel) is enough to ensure considerable interest. A revelation this season, the Kilfrush Stud homebred followed a first black-type success in Longchamp’s Prix Finlande with a second in that track’s
Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches.
Tough as well as classy, she followed with a fourth in the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary
and a third in Chantilly’s Group 1 Prix de Diane (French Oaks) before being fourth again in
the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at the latter venue. Consigned by trainer Robert Collet as
Lot No. 49, Glorious Sight is foundation mare material as well as having considerable racing
potential still.
Others of note include Lot 2, the Wertheimers’ three-year-old colt Salto
(Pivotal), a half-brother to the sire Silent Name (Sunday Silence), who was
runner-up in last
year’s Group 1 Criterium International at the local track and was a last-out fourth
in Deauville’s Group 3 Prix Quincey; Lot 17, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained
two-year-old Mac Row (Le Vie dei Colori), who was runner-up in the Group 3
Prix la Rochette this month and third in the Group 2 Prix Robert Papin in July;
Lot 56, the three-year-old Havane Smoker (Dubawi), also from the Rouget barn
who was second in this year’s Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains; and Lot 43, another
two-year-old colt in French Fifteen (Turtle Bowl), a Nicolas Clement
trainee who took Craon’s Criterium de l’Ouest earlier this month.
There
are four wild-card entries, including Lot 40, the four-year-old colt Vagabond Shoes
(Beat Hollow), who was successful in the Group 3 Prix Messidor at
Maisons-Laffitte in July.
Selling starts after racing at Longchamp.
Full catalog and updates may be viewed at
www.arqana.com.