Diego Du Charmil brother brings leading price on day one of the Summer Sale

A host of well-related lots changed hands during day one of the Arqana Summer Sale in Deauville on Tuesday, and it was the Ballingarry brother to Maghull Novices' Chase winner Diego Du Charmil who proved the most in demand, as Bertrand Le Metayer struck the winning bid of €130,000.

Active bidders were stationed across the Arqana auditorium, but it was Le Metayer, hidden away in a dimly lit corner at the top of the stairs to the left of the rostrum, who proved the most determined to land the youngster, already named Darano.

"He'll go into training with Arnaud Chaille-Chaille who trained his brother Diego Du Charmil before he was exported to the Paul Nicholls yard," said Le Metayer.

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"It's a pretty solid family and he's out of a very good mare, you have to respect the fact she's produced so well with so few foals. He's a lovely big, scopey horse with a lovely action – when he came into the ring he behaved like a gentleman."

The two-year-old gelding was bred by Guilhaine Le Borgne and offered by her family's Haras de l'Isle Verte He is the fourth foal out of the Anabaa Blue mare Daramour, and is also a half-brother to the Dovecote Novices' Hurdle scorer Days Of Heaven.

The pedigree received a further enhancement this year when Klassical Dream, who is out of a half-sister to Daramour, landed a trio of Grade 1s headed by the Supreme Novices' Hurdle.

The sale capped a productive few days for the Le Borgnes, as they also bred the top lot at the second edition of the Lumet Show, the Falco gelding Polarnys bought by Christian Scandella for €39,000.

"When our graduates succeed on the track or in the ring, it's very rewarding and it compensates for the more difficult periods of a breeder's life," said Guilhaine Le Borgne.

"Daramour gave us a foal by Masked Marvel but she is not in foal at present, though the plan is that she will be covered by Goliath Du Berlais next year. This horse sold for a price higher than our expectations, and it's also good news that he will remain in France, especially with Arnaud Chaille-Chaille who did so well with his brother."

Shortly before the brother to Diego Du Charmil entered the ring, another of the day's expected highlights, a Buck's Boum brother to Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo, came under the hammer.

However, after a prolonged round of bidding the well-bred youngster was retained by his breeder, trainer Emmanuel Clayeux, at €150,000.

Marley's Martaline

Another of the day's talking horses duly brought the session's second-highest price, as Church Farm Stables' Roger Marley spent €115,000 on the two-year-old Martaline brother to Grade 1-winning hurdler Very Wood.

"I thought he was the best two-year-old in the sale and was the one I wanted to buy," said Marley. "For me, he was the most athletic horse here. I thought we'd get him a little bit cheaper but I didn't want to leave him behind. He's likely to be offered at the Derby Sale next year."

The gelding, already named Hard Wood, is the fifth foal out of the Cadoudal mare Ball Of Wood and is the most expensive progeny of the mare to sell at public auction.

Very Wood, winner of the 2014 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, failed to sell at just €14,000 when offered as a yearling, while another sibling, Easy Wood, was retained by his vendor at €75,000 when offered in 2017.

This colt's Authorized half-sister, named In Wood, was bought for Ballyogue Stud by Cathy Grassick of Brian Grassick Bloodstock for €18,000 at Arqana's February Sale earlier this year.

Roger Marley: 'There's some nice horses here but there's a bit of value to be found too'Credit: Zuzanna Lupa

"There's some nice horses here but there's a bit of value to be found too," continued Marley. "He's the one we were going to have a good go at but if you stay away from the obvious ones there's value to be had. We buy plenty here, be it Flat yearlings or National Hunt horses, and it's a place we love coming to as we've had plenty of success here."

It stands to reason that Marley has already identified next year's Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale as his purchase's next port of call, as the most recent edition of that auction was topped by a son of Martaline bought by Ronnie O'Leary for €220,000.

"I don't buy National Hunt foals, they just take too long," added Marley. "They take two and a half years, whereas this is an 11-month turnaround."

By the close of trade 130 of 165 offered lots had sold for a clearance rate of 79 per cent. Turnover hit €3,598,500 (up seven per cent on the corresponding session 12 months ago), the average stood at €27,680 (down four per cent), and the median was €21,000 – compared to €20,000 in 2018.

The Arqana Summer Sale concludes on Wednesday, with a session featuring breeding prospects and horses in training starting at 11am local time (10am BST).

More sales news:

Regally bred Siyouni filly tops Summer Sale breeze-up session

Turnover and clearance rate up at second Arqana Lumet Show Sale

O'Leary is king of the ring at Derby Sale as son of Martaline tops trade