In France overnight trade was brisk for the opening day of the Arqana October yearling sale with strong trade and a diversified buying bench.  The 90 horses that changed hands returned an aggregate of €2,397,000, marginally down on last year’s corresponding session, but the clearance rate was significantly up, at 77% against 72% a year ago.
57 individual buyers signed the docket, with investors from the UK, Ireland, Spain and Germany joining the solid French squad.
The most attractive lots proved to be:
• Lot 100, a son of Montjeu consigned by Haras d’Etreham was snapped up for €105,000 by
Paul Cole, a regular of the August Yearling sale but not often seen at the October session. This
colt hails from the blue-blooded Aga Khan family that has lifted such stars as DARYABA,
DARAYDALA, DARJINA etc.
• Lot 78, a filly by Dubai Destination from the popular draft of Haras de la Louvière went the way of Laurent Benoît’s Broadhurst Agency for €85,000. She is out of the stakes placed
Shifting Sands and benefited from a significant update as her two-year-old half sister Sandbar
lost her maiden tag since the catalogue was printed.
• Lot 68, also from Haras de la Louvière, was knocked down for €65,000 to the ubiquitous
Sylvain Vidal, who has been busy buying yearlings at all major European sales for owner
Gérard Augustin-Normand, of LE HAVRE’s fame. This Verglas colt is a half-brother to the
smart juvenile SORCIERE, the winner of the Listed Prix Yacowlef and 2nd in the Gr.3 Prix
de Cabourg.
• Lot 8, offered by Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard, took the sale off to a promising start when
selling for €65,000 to Bertrand Le Métayer Bloodstock. This Medicean filly is a
grand daughter of the blue hen WHAKILYRIC, dam of the Gr.1 winning pair HERNANDO
and JOHANN QUATZ and grandam of the ill-fated CURTAIN CALL.
The 30 NH-bred yearlings spread over this session brought particularly positive returns.
• Lot 23, a son of the up and coming Martaline, fetched €62,000 on a bid from Fretless Ltd.
Consigned by Haras des Eclos, he is out of the talented VIE DE REINE, who was a Gr.3
winner at Auteuil.
• Lot 77, a first-crop son of Gentlewave from Haras du Taillis, went the way of George
Mullins for €52,000
• Lot 69, the first foal out of the Gr.1 winning hurdler POLIVALENTE by the young stallion
Bonbon Rose, also fell to Fretless Limited for €50,000. This February-born filly was
consigned by Haras d’Etreham.
The sale continues with a morning session starting at 10:00 am (lots 126 to 195) and an afternoon session starting at 4:00 pm (lots 196 to 320).  For full results and statistics visit www.arqana.com

Permalink| Oct 20, 2009

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