'All the horses have a price we think we can sell them for' - Aktem prepares for launch with inaugural online sale

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New French sales house Aktem stages its inaugural online sale on Friday, with bidding on 35 lots covering a wide range of sectors getting underway at 6pm French time. 

The catalogue features stallion shares and breeding rights, broodmares and some exciting horses in training, and covers both Flat and jumping codes. Aktem's head of bloodstock Guy Petit is of the opinion that he has "never seen an online sale of this quality and this depth."

Aktem was founded with the aim of offering an alternative to the country's dominant sales house Arqana, with French breeders offered the encouragement of some lucrative bonuses for youngstock sold by the company - either live or in-utero - which go on to score at Group or Graded level. 

• Explore the Aktem's online catalogue

Petit said: "We’ve worked very hard ahead of the sale and we’re ready to go. Honestly speaking, I’ve never seen an online sale of this quality and this depth. We’ve really done a good job in terms of recruitment and I don’t think we could have done better in terms of attracting good horses. 

"There is a bit of everything, with some well-bred and well-covered broodmares, there are horses in training and stallion shares."

Sales veteran Guy Petit heads the Aktem Bloodstock teamCredit: Aktem / APRH / LAÃD ZAHRAOUI

The sale could get off to a fast start with the first lot a share 1/60th share in Haras de Beaumont's unbeaten Prix du Jockey Club and Arc winner Ace Impact (along with stud-mates Sealiway and Puchkine) while other French-based Flat stallions in the catalogue include Wooded, who stands at Haras de Bouqetot and whose first crop son Woodshauna won the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat last July.  

Those looking to get into several of France's leading jumps prospects are also catered for, with breeding rights to Haras de la Tuilerie's Latrobe and Paradiso, as well as Haras de Montaigu's Grade 2-winning son of Zarak, Nietzsche Has and a 1/100th share in Jigme, the leading three-year-old hurdler of 2023 whose is about to commence his third season covering at Haras du Hoguenet. 

Among the breeding prospects catalogued are mares carrying to Walk In The Park, Goliath Du Berlais and No Risk At All, while the horses-in-training offering received a huge boost last week with the announcement that the Andre Fabre-trained Sevenna's Knight would be offered. 

Sevenna's Knight is among 35 lots on offer in Aktem's inaugural online sale on FridayCredit: Racing Post/Burton

Sold privately as a three-year-old to OTI Racing by her breeder, Gestut Ammerland, the son of Camelot has developed into a leading stayer, as well as producing a career best when fifth to Bluestocking in the 2024 Arc. 

Petit said: "The really important thing to underline is that all the horses we have catalogued have a price we think we can sell them for. We have taken account of the market as it is today and every horse has a realistic reserve, so I expect a high clearance rate. 

"It’s something of a point of honour that we have only taken horses that are on the market at a realistic price. These horses are for sale, they are not there to decorate the catalogue, and all the reserves have been agreed by the consignors."

Aktem's first physical thoroughbred sale will take place at Maisons-Laffitte racecourse on June 3, with Petit promising that buyers and vendors will be treated to a very different sales experience at the inaugural Paris Breeze-Up. 

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