Paul Basquin of Haras du Saubouas the key player on day two of Autumn Sale

Leading breeze-up consignor Paul Basquin of Haras du Saubouas was the key player on day two of the Arqana Autumn Sale in Deauville on Tuesday, having signed for four of the top five lots as the session entered its final stages.

His most expensive purchase was the €150,000 Kapgarde yearling colt Paradiso, a half-brother to the unbeaten Grade 3 Prix Sagan hurdle scorer Messagere from the draft of Haras de la Croix Sonnet.

"He's a very nice yearling, by a great sire in Kapgarde," said Basquin. "His sister was a very good filly, winning both her starts before she was injured, and she looked like something special. It's one of the best National Hunt pedigrees in France. It's a stallion's pedigree. He will stay an entire, and we can dream with him."

Saubouas stocks up

Basquin also signalled a winning bid of €105,000 for Kovas Has, a Ballingarry half-brother to the Grade 1 Prix Cambaceres hurdle runner-up Kool Has.

"He's a good-looking colt," said Basquin of the March-foaled youngster. "He's from the final crops of Ballingarry, a top National Hunt sire. It's a wonderful family – he's the brother to a very good horse. He will go back to Saubouas to be gelded. All options are open to him, so we will have to wait and see where he'll go from here."

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Magistrato was another Kapgarde yearling colt to capture the attention of Basquin, who stretched to €92,000 to May-foaled youngster.

Sent into the ring by Haras de la Croix Sonnet, the colt is out of the talented hurdler Franche Alliance, a Poliglote half-sister to the top-class novice chase filly La Bague Au Roi.

"The dam is by Poliglote, who for me is one of the best damsires in the world," noted Basquin.

"She's a young mare and the second dam was a very good filly in England. He's a lovely colt, who was born late and should have lots of improvement in him. He has everything to be a good horse. He'll come back to the stud, probably to be gelded and we'll wait until the spring before making any decisions."

Doctor Dino in demand

Demand for Doctor Dino's progeny also fed through to the second session, as Highflyer Bloodstock and Walters Plant Hire went to €130,000 for an April-foaled colt by the sire out of the Turgeon mare Sweet Nano.

Bred by Antonia Devin and already named Vincenzo, the youngster was sent into the ring by the Channel Consignment and is a full-brother to the dual hurdle winner Nanosecond, while Sweet Nano also has a two-year-old filly by the same sire.

"He's a beautiful specimen," said Sarah Llewellyn of Walters Plant Hire. "We love the sire as his stock are constantly proving their worth. He looks like a very good horse and we hope he'll follow in the footsteps of Al Dancer and Whisper, both of whom we bought at Deauville."

Other sons of Doctor Dino to sell well winner include Monday's session-topper Master Dino, an accomplished hurdler who found favour with Herve Bunel of Agence BHB at €420,000, and the three-year-old gelding Gloire D'Athon, a Cholet maiden winner who went the way of Alex Elliott for €200,000.

Toby Jones on target

The late, great Saddler Maker is held in the highest regard as a National Hunt stallion, with his son Bristol De Mai a short-priced favourite to record a third consecutive win in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.

Saddler Maker's final crops are now like gold dust for buyers, with Hgranca De Thaix catching the eye of agent Toby Jones at €85,000 on Tuesday.

The two-year-old gelding is a half-brother to Guernica De Thaix, who became the eighth winner out of the Kadalko mare Kapica De Thaix when landing a hurdle at Lyon Parilly at the start of November.

"He has a really strong page, is by a fantastic sire and a proven dam," said Jones. "The page is very live, with a winner just the other day. We've bought him to race, but no trainer has been decided as yet."

Jones previously sourced top-class chaser Anibale Fly in the same sales ring, with the son of Assessor having subsequently placed twice in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Figures

Of the 208 lots offered during the second session, 157 changed hands for total receipts of €4,188,000 and a healthy 75 per cent clearance rate. That trade came at an average spend of €26,675 and a median price of €20,000.

More sales news:

Master Dino makes €420,000 as Autumn Sale gets off to flying start

Norman Williamson stretches to six figures for son of Doctor Dino

Smart broodmare Wahgah the pick of the Derrinstown draft