Monceaux family on a roll as Parachutiste times his run to perfection ahead of Arqana August Yearling Sale

Ecurie des Monceaux's broodmares could not be in a more purple patch at the perfect moment as the countdown to Arqana's August Yearling Sale enters its final hours in Deauville.

The latest success for a Monceaux-bred horse, who was sold at a previous August Sale, came at Clairefontaine, just down the road from where the current crop of regally-bred yearlings are being inspected ahead of the sale which begins on Saturday.

Parachutiste was an impressive winner of the Listed Grand Prix de Clairefontaine, a first black type victory for the son of Dubawi whose full-sister (Lot 181) will sell on Monday.

Bred by Monceaux and the late Lady O'Reilly's Skymarc Farm, the three-year-old is owned by his breeders in partnership with Qatar Racing and trainer Francis Graffard was pleased that the colt had come good on the promise he had shown on the gallops.

"He’s a good horse I’ve always liked," Graffard said. "He has done that well and will have gained more experience in the process. I won the Prix de Lutece over 3,000 metres [1m7f] with his dam so I had no doubt about his stamina. 

"I think he wants good ground so we’ll see what we do next with him but he will be staying in training with me at four."

Parachutiste was offered two years ago by Monceaux but led out of the ring unsold before David Redvers, on behalf of Qatar Racing, bought into him for €500,000.

He and his younger three-parts sister Skydance, who cost €1m at last year's sale where she was bought by Al Shira'aa, have enhanced this filly's pedigree and value at just the right time.

Ecurie des Monceaux's full-sister to Parachutiste sells at Arqana this weekendCredit: Arqana/Ecurie des Monceaux

Trained by Willie McCreery, the two-year-old Night Of Thunder filly has yet to win but in her last two starts has been placed at Group 2 and Group 3 level respectively.

They are the new generation of a family that regularly produces August Yearling Sale stars for Ecurie des Monceaux. Their dam Paix won the aforementioned Group 3 and the Listed Prix Frederic Delagrange for Monceaux and Skymarc, having been knocked down to Langlais Bloodstock for €250,000 in the ring from the Monceaux draft of 2018.

By Muhaarar she is a half-sister to Psara, who is the dam of this year's Prix Frederic de Lagrange winner Yellow Jersey. Another member of the family to have Qatar Racing involvement in his ownership, although this time as his outright owners, he won the Arqana Series race for three-year-olds at Deauville on Thursday.

Trained by Andre Fabre, he too was bred by Monceaux and Skymarc with Langlais Bloodstock also listed as breeders of the Dubawi colt. He made €400,000 to Redvers in the Deauville ring where his relation will sell in three days' time.

Paix and Yellow Jersey are out of Pacifique, who also tasted success in the Prix Lutece, and she is a Montjeu half-sister to Prudenzia, dam of Irish Oaks winner Chicquita –  herself by Montjeu – and Grade 1 Mackinnon Stakes winner Magic Wand, a daughter of Galileo.

The Dansili mare is also the dam of last year's sale-topper Diamond Necklace who made a winning debut at the Curragh for Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore partners last Saturday.

From the first crop of St Mark's Basilica, Diamond Necklace cost €1.7m and after her impressive win, O'Brien expressed the belief that she could be a Fillies' Mile horse which will no doubt add to the value of her Night Of Thunder half-sister (206), who is due to sell on Monday.

She will be preceded into the ring by a Zarak half-sister to Vespertilio and their dam Prudente is a Dansili full-sister to Prudenzia.

Prior to all those fillies will be a Night Of Thunder daughter of Mulan (166) who is a Kingman half-sister to Prudenzia, Prudente and Pacifique. She is one of the first lots in Monday's third, and final, session.

The 2025 Arqana August Yearling Sale begins on Saturday at 5.30pm local time (6.30pm BST).

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