Siblings to Recent Winners Head Arqana February Sale

If you had been at Arqana's February Sale in 2012 you could have picked up Kruscyna, the dam of Chacun Pour Soi, for just €12,000 (US$15,839). In 2017, Green Bananas, who won four races before producing Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) heroine Audarya, was traded for a mere €2,000 ($2,120), while Dyanamore, dam of subsequent group 1 winner Donjah, was sold at the 2014 edition of the sale for €20,000 ($27,270).

Food for thought then as the latest renewal of the February Sale kicks off Arqana's 2021 season in Deauville Feb. 15 at 10 a.m. local time. The two-day sale looks set to present buyers with a broad range of opportunities as the diverse catalog comprises horses-in-training, broodmares, fillies, 2-year-olds, and yearlings from the flat and National Hunt spheres.

The auction begins with the horses-in-training section, which has been boosted by the addition of some eyecatching wildcard entries. Hardi Du Mesnil, who will be offered by trainer Matthieu Palussiere as Lot 60, is a 4-year-old son of Masterstroke who has two victories to his name having landed an AQPS bumper and a Pau hurdles contest in comfortable fashion.

Hardi Du Mesnil also heads to the Deauville sales ring armed with a significant pedigree update as his half brother, none other than Gaillard Du Mesnil, himself a €250,000 Arqana purchase, was last seen winning the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors Novice Hurdle (G1) at the Dublin Racing Festival.

The Willie Mullins-trained 5-year-old now heads the market for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at next month's Cheltenham Festival at around 5-2.

Other wildcard entries include Meredith (Lot 50), a grade 3-placed daughter of Soldier of Fortune consigned by Francois-Marie Cottin, the listed-winning chaser Laskalin (Lot 70), who is by Martaline and offered by Mikael Mescam, and a 1/50th share in Ladbrokes St. Leger (G1) hero Masked Marvel (Lot 170), who has got his stallion career off to a promising start at Haras de la Tuilerie.

Interestingly, Hardi Du Mesnil is not the only lot to be offered with a group/grade 1 update. Eva Kant (Lot 321), a 15-year-old daughter of Medicean presented by Ecurie d'Auge, is a sister to rags-to-riches performer Royal Performer, who was once bought back by his vendor for a mere £600 ($959) but Feb. 13 won the Herbie Dyke Stakes (G1) in New Zealand after a truly global campaign.

A major pedigree enhancement is not the only thing to recommend Eva Kant, as she was listed placed on two occasions during her juvenile season and has since gone on to produce three winners at paddocks, including the useful eight-time scorer La Fibre.

Other noteworthy entries in the fillies and broodmare section of the catalog include Oh Beautiful (Lot 148), a listed-winning daughter of Galileo from the family of Cassandra Go, Halfway To Heaven, Magical, and Rhododendron. The 12-year-old is offered by Haras du Quesnay and is carrying to Shalaa.

There is also Ingot of Gold (Lot 165), a winning daughter of Dubawi in foal to Almanzor, and Princess Isla (Lot 309), who is by Frankel, shares her page with Peintre Celebre and is in foal to the promising Ten Sovereigns.

Marc Pimbonnet consigns 18 lots from the late Fabrice Petit's dispersal, including an unraced 2-year-old Johnny Barnes half brother to listed scorer Dance in the Park (Lot 21), while Haras du Mont-dit-Mont will also hold a reduction in its breeding interests.

Among the Mont-dit-Mont lots are the listed-winning Akemi (Lot 232), who is in foal to Bated Breath, and Riptide Wave (Lot 328), a daughter of Pivotal carrying to the promising Belardo.

Stallions represented among the yearlings and 2-year-olds include Almanzor, Anodin, Doctor Dino, Iffraaj, Kendargent, Le Havre, and Sioux Nation.

Strict COVID-19 protocols will be in place at Arqana, but those unable to travel to Deauville will be able to bid online or by phone.