Day Three Deauville Session Sees Continued Momentum

Although many of the British and Irish faces had departed Deauville by Dec. 6, including some whose exit had been hastened by changing COVID-19 restrictions, the leading light on day three of the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale is also destined for a journey across the Channel. 

Up-and-coming operation Haras de Castillon enjoyed a red-letter day Dec. 4 when selling group 1 winner Grand Glory  (Lot 192) to Anne-Sophie Yoh's Yohea Bloodstock at €2.5 million (US$2,825,030), and also supplied day three's headline act when a Fastnet Rock  colt (Lot 675) foal made €60,000 ($67,834). 

The April-born youngster was knocked down to Castillon's Benoit Jeffroy, who revealed he was acting on behalf of Luke Barry of Manister House Stud in County Limerick. 

Jeffroy said: "He's been purchased by Manister House Stud to resell as a yearling. What can I say? He was a very good foal, and probably the best foal of the day so far." 

Bred by Framont Limited, the colt is out of Purple Magic, a Rip Van Winkle  half sister to 2009 Weatherbys Bank Cheshire Oaks runner-up Phillipina  who won four times while in training with Michael Bell for Lady Bamford. 

The dam, who was bought by Stephen Hillen for 12,000 guineas ($16,983) at the 2017 Tattersalls December Mares Sale, has also bred a Kodiac  filly named Enchantment, now 2 and in training with Nicolas Perrett, and a colt by Le Havre , now a yearling. 

Reflecting on a memorable few days in the Deauville sales ring, Jeffroy said: "There was a great level of trade on Saturday, and even on Sunday, and we had very good sales for the mares we had. 

"A lot of nice mares made a lot of money across the board, and it shows there's a lot of activity going on in the bloodstock world at the moment. We're here at the right time. It's a good time to sell, but I think it's also a good time to buy. There are a lot of excellent opportunities to get into some very nice families." 

Later in the season, Jeffroy struck at €45,000 ($50,876) for Anjella  (Lot 782), a 15-year-old daughter of Monsun offered in foal to Zarak  by Haras de Cercy. The group 3-placed sister to listed scorer Ambria has already bred four winners and Jeffroy indicated her next date would be with Haras du Hoguenet's new recruit Magic Dream. 

Six Of Us Snares Geneva Spur 

Haras du Buff offered Geneva Spur (Lot 644), a 5-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor , and were rewarded when Eric Lhermite of Haras de Grandcamp, who signed as Six Of Us, struck a winning bid of €42,000 ($47,484). 

Geneva Spur ran ten times without success for Roger Varian, but she has plenty to recommend her on pedigree as she is a Merry Fox Stud homebred half sister to group 1 winner Second Step , whose finest hour came in the 2015 Grosser Preis von Berlin (G1) while in training with Luca Cumani. 

She was offered in foal to Kingman 's three-time group 1-winning son Persian King , who stood his first season at Haras d'Etreham at a fee of €30,000 (approx. $33,917). 

"She has been bought for a client who wants to remain anonymous," said Lhermite. "I like the pedigree and she has a good physique, and the guy who bought her wanted to have something by Persian King. We will probably sell the foal if everything is okay. At this time I'm not sure who she will be covered by next year. It may be Dabirsim  but he's not sure yet." 

Haras de Grandcamp stands a six-strong roster of stallions, with leading light Dabirsim joined by Chemical Charge , Lawman , Martinborough , Shamalgan , and Van Beethoven . 

The stud also stood Dream Ahead  for four seasons from 2017, but the sire of group 1 winners Al Wukair , Donjuan Triumphant , Dream of Dreams , and Glass Slippers  has been transferred to Bearstone Stud for 2022. 

The Arqana Breeding Stock Sale concludes Dec. 7 with a fourth session starting at 11 a.m. local time.