Rudd Goes to €120,000 for Vazzana at Arqana Day 3

Another day, another market frontrunner offered by the Aga Khan Studs as Day 3 of the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale Dec. 5, was topped by the well-related Vazzana at €120,000 (US$126,468).

Having opened at just €2,000 before hanging around the €8,000 mark for some time, a whole host of bidders began to warm to the task. Eventually matters boiled down to a match between Katie Rudd of Busherstown, sitting in the seats to the right of the rostrum, and bloodstock agent Crispin de Moubray, who was on the phone on the upper tier of the auditorium behind his rival.

At various points throughout the duel it seemed as though de Moubray had done enough. However, when Rudd threw in a final €5,000 increase to push the price to €120,000 he turned and disappeared into the shadows in the dimly lit top deck and the gavel came down.

"She's the nicest mare here so I thought she made a lot of sense," Rudd said. "She's from a nice Aga Khan family and she'll come back to Ireland and we'll make a plan. She'll be covered by a flat stallion but nothing has been decided yet. That's the first I've bought (this sale), trade has been very strong."

The 3-year-old Vazzana (Lot 716) did not make the track for Francis-Henri Graffard, but she certainly boasts the pedigree to succeed at stud as she is from a superb Aga Khan family. She is the fourth foal out of Vazira , who was promoted to first in the 2014 Pour Moi Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary (G1) after We Are 's disqualification. In turn, Vazira is out of Vadaza, making her a sibling to four black-type performers, including her half sister Vadawina , who also won the Prix Saint-Alary (G1).

Vadawina has done plenty to enhance the family's fortunes as she has bred five black-type performers of her own, including Prix du Conseil de Paris (G2) winner Vadamar  and the ill-fated JRA Tyros Stakes (G3) scorer The Pentagon , who also finished third behind Saxon Warrior  and Roaring Lion  in the Racing Post Trophy Stakes (G1).

Another of Vadawina's offspring is the winning Monsun mare Vaderana, who has been in the headlines this year as the dam of Qatar Prix du Jockey Club (G1) and Coral-Eclipse Stakes (G1) hero Vadeni . Being by Galileo's son Teofilo  and out of a mare by his half brother Sea The Stars  means Vazzana is inbred 3x3 to the influential Urban Sea.

Day 3 Results 

Zied Romdhane was the top buyer for Day 3 with a gross of €145,000 ($152,816) and at an average price of €9,700 ($10,222) from 15 purchases. In second was Turquoise Bloodstock, who bought six horses for a gross of €121,000 ($127,522) and at an average of €20,167 ($21,254). The leading consignor was La Motteraye Consignment, with 23 Lots sold, which produced a gross of €256,000 ($269,798) and an average of €11,130 ($11,729) per head.

For Day 3, 217 of 273 Lots on offer were sold for an increase of 79.49% from 73.65% in 2021. An average price of €11,705 ($12,335), median of €8,500 ($8,958), and a gross of €2,540,000 ($2,676,906. These numbers increased all around from last year which saw an average of €10,380 ($10,939), median of €7,000 ($7,377), and a gross of €2,117,500 ($2,231,633).