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Rising stars and familiar names among Arqana's Autumn offering

A mixed sale begins in Deauville on Monday

A hatful of recent winning prospects should pique the interest of Europe’s National Hunt buyers when Arqana’s Autumn Sale begins tomorrow.

The company has announced 20 late wildcards in recent days with Fils D’Oudaires, a Saints Des Saints four-year-old, the last one through the door after opening his account over hurdles for David Cottin at Auteuil on Saturday.

Others of obvious interest will be Flip De Vega, who is out of a full-sister to mare-of-a-lifetime Quevega and successful at the same Parisian track in a Listed event last month.


View Autumn Sale catalogue here


Stratagem is a half-brother to the dual Great Yorkshire Chase winner Ziga Boy and made a swift start on his jumping debut, while Fire Dancer is an unbeaten Martaline half-brother to Betfair Hurdle scorer and now novice chaser Al Dancer.

Quel Destin, a Grade 1 winner for Paul Nicholls, is one of the sale's most notable graduates and there are two of his half-sisters to buy, the already-raced Straigt Destiny and a Doctor Dino yearling.

The most recognisable wildcard is last year's French Derby runner-up Patascoy, who is part of the dispersal from the late Roberto Cocheteux Tierno. He has become a dual-purpose operator, finishing fifth on his debut over hurdles at Auteuil.

Around 600 horses are set to be offered through the three days with horses-in-training first under the hammer including a 15-strong draft from the Aga Khan Studs headed by winning filly Sagama, from the family of Japan, and the great stayer Vazirabad’s half-brother Vorashann.

National Hunt stores take centre stage on Tuesday with a welter of recognisable siblings. Those to jump off the page when the catalogue came out were a two-year-old gelding half-brother by Saddler Maker to the incredible Sprinter Sacre, consigned by his breeder Christophe Masle. There is also a Walk In The Park yearling full-brother to comeback kid Douvan.

The final session of Flat yearlings are no afterthought, either. A pair of Le Havre fillies are being offered - a La Motteraye-consigned individual out of Italian Listed winner Rivabella and Haras d’Etreham’s representative from the family of Lope De Vega.
Douvan with Willie Mullins: 'He has been intermittently lame since we started doing more with him during the week'
Douvan's younger brother is among the notable inclusions in the saleCredit: Caroline Norris

ARQANA AUTUMN SALE FACT-FILE

Where Arqana sale complex, Deauville

When Three-day mixed sale from Monday to Wednesday, with the sessions starting at 11am local time

Last year's stats From 554 lots offered, 424 sold (77 per cent) for turnover of €7,750,100 (down ten per cent year-on-year), an average of 18,213 (unchanged) and a median of €9,000 (up 13 per cent)

Notable graduates Quel Destin (sold by Sablonnets to Guy Cherel in 2016 for €12,000); Eglantine Du Seuil (Seror to Harold Kirk in 2017, €85,000); In Front (Wertheimer family to Christophe Lotoux in 2018, €46,000)


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Tom PeacockBloodstock features writer

Published on 17 November 2019inNews

Last updated 14:34, 17 November 2019

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