Arqana To Re-Offer Five Online, Purchased By Knight

The latest batch of 2-year-olds bought by Richard Knight for Saleh Al Homaizi as yearlings in 2022, but not paid for, are to be sold online April 12.

The five being reoffered by Arqana went through the ring at the company's Deauville headquarters last August for a combined €1.98 million (US$2,146,498). The quintet are all currently trained in Chantilly, three by Francis Graffard and the other pair by Mikel Delzangles. 

The Graffard trio is headed by a daughter of Wootton Bassett  out of the listed-placed Ambivalence , a half sister to Prix Corrida (G2) winner and group 1-placed Armande . Consigned by Haras de la Louviere last summer, she was hammered down to Knight for €750,000.

Graffard's Siyouni  filly out of listed winner Fig Roll , also dam of group 3 scorer Al Raya , cost €350,000, while the Night of Thunder  filly out of the listed winner and classic-placed Nymeria  was acquired for €200,000. 

The Delzangles duo being reoffered are a filly by the late Adlerflug out of Sylvestra, who cost €360,000, and another by Night of Thunder, this time a colt out of Awe Struck , and therefore a half brother to group 3 winner and group 1-placed Alounak . He fetched €320,000.

The sale takes place from 2-5 p.m. BST, at the end of which a contract will be drawn up between Arqana and the buyer who made the highest offer, the terms of which are set in accordance with an agreement signed between Knight and Arqana, granting the sales house ownership. 

Potential buyers must request prior approval by emailing specialsale@arqana.com. Arqana will then provide a link allowing access to the sale.

The horses will be sold without a reserve, but offers must be higher than the amount of the price indicated on the online platform for each lot.

Knight's spending spree last year took in Tattersalls, Goffs, and Keeneland, as well as Arqana, and amounted to around £20m for 30 or so yearlings. The agent has never disclosed the identity of his client, but the Racing Post revealed it to be Al Homaizi last October.

In similar fashion, Keeneland sold six juveniles online March 1; all were purchased during the Keeneland September Sale as yearlings for nearly $5 million by agent Knight for Kuwait-based businessman Al Homaizi, 61. Tony Lacy, vice president of sales reported to BloodHorse that all 6 horses were resold through the re-offer platform online.