Record Gross, Average Increase at Arqana Sale
Description:
Topped by two colts selling for €260,000 (about $285,644 in U.S. currency) each, the Arqana yearling sale got underway Oct. 18 in Deauville, France with record gross and a double-digit increase in average price.
With a greater number of offerings on the day when compared with the same session a year ago, the sales company reported 170 head sold for €12,055,000 ($13,244,000), compared with the €8,286,500 for 134 sold on Day 1 in 2015. The average of €70,912 ($77,906) represented a gain of 14.7% and the median rose from €45,000 to €50,000 ($54,931).
This year's session turnover rate was 82.5%, compared with 76.2% in 2015.
The first of the session toppers to go through the ring was a colt by Lawman out of the German listed stakes winner Sworn Sold, for which the Hong Kong Jockey Club's Mark Richards signed the ticket. Bred by Sven and Carina Hanson's Fair Salinia and offered by the Coulonces consignment, he hails from a solid German family featuring classic victress Salomina, Serienholde, and champion 2-year-old Sworn Pro.
Richards, who was accompanied by racing consultant Nick Columb, was paying his first visit to the October yearling sale.
"To me he was the very best horse on the complex and when we come to a sale like this, we try to buy the very best available," Richards said. "He is extremely athletic and has a beautiful walk, there is just nothing to dislike about him. Perhaps the only worry is that there is not much speed on his page but he himself looks like he has some speed and I am prepared to take that risk."
Earlier in the sale, Richards went to €250,000 ($274,658) to buy a half brother to Athasi Stakes winner Gossamer Seed (Hip 59). From the offerings of Haras de Saint-Pair, the roan colt is by Shamardal, whose progeny has proved to adapt extremely well to Hong Kong.
"I'm always in good form when we manage to pick up a horse by Shamardal," the buyer said. 'They're incredibly hard to buy these days. We're having huge success with the last Shamardal we bought here, Pakistan Star, who is obviously a different color but let's hope this one goes half as well we'll be more than happy. With Gossamer Seed, the mare has showed that she's got speed in her if you put speed on top, and with Shamardal you get the quality as well. That really got us attracted to the horse: the fact that you've already got a black type horse on the page and it's a sprinting black type horse."
The joint-top lot of the day was secured by Nicolas de Watrigant on behalf of Al Shaqab Racing. The colt is a Dansili half-brother to the multiple group I-winning mare Zagora, winner of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (gr. IT) in the colors of Martin Schwartz. The dark brown colt from Haras des Capucines attracted interest from all around the ring but Watrigant, who was bidding alongside Jean-Claude Rouget, was not to be denied.
Al Shaqab Racing bought a total of six yearlings via Watrigant for €1,050,000 ($1,153,560).
The sale continues Wednesday, Oct. 19.