'Competition is always fierce at Arqana' - Longways Stables back for more with exciting breeze-up team

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The Arqana Breeze-Up Sale has been a lucky place for Longways Stables and the County Waterford operation is bound for Deauville with another spring in its step. 

Gewan, the ill-fated Dewhurst winner and champion two-year-old, made a comparatively modest €80,000 from Longways' draft in 2025, especially when compared to fellow catalogue star Ruling Court. The 2,000 Guineas hero sold to Godolphin for €2.3 million at the 2024 running of the auction.

For Longways Stables' Mick Murphy and Sarah O'Connell, hopes will be high that their 2026 team can carry on from the success of their Group 1 star, and they should have an idea about what the buyers will be looking for.

O'Connell said: "All season I thought we had as good a bunch of physicals as we’ve ever had. A couple of them need to furnish a bit, but they have pedigrees and a bit of sire power. 

"Competition is always fierce at Arqana, so you need a horse with size, scope and a pedigree."

The Arqana sale takes place under tougher economic circumstances than 12 months ago, when subsequent Group 3 winner and recent 2,000 Guineas third Distant Storm topped trade at €1.9m. The conflict in the Middle East has significantly impacted the global economy and trade at recent auctions has proved more selective. 

"Sales have been extremely tough this year, possibly the worst since I got into the breezing game," said O'Connell. "However, we’ve sold everything that’s gone through the ring so far and I think if a horse leaves profit in this market, you're having a good day."

The first into the ring for Longways is a filly by St Mark's Basilica (lot 32), a half-sister to Group 3-winning juvenile Glounthaune. 

There is plenty of quality on the page as her relatives also include Dubai Turf winner Facteur Cheval and Prix Jacques le Marois winner Tamayuz, as well as Urban Sea. 

The filly sold for 140,000gns from Tally-Ho Stud at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale. 

O'Connell said of the bay: "The St Mark's Basilica filly is straightforward and very typical of the sire. Like most of ours this week, she’s more of a seven furlong-mile type. 

"She’s a great girl and just puts her head down and tries. She’s very genuine and gives you 100 per cent every time."

Longways' St Mark's Basilica filly from the family of Facteur Cheval and many other star performersCredit: Arqana

The operation knows plenty about Night Of Thunder's progeny, with Gewan having passed through their system. Longways will offer another by the reigning British and Irish champion sire, a filly out of stakes-placed Dexter Belle (199). 

"She's the belle of the ball; she’s a gorgeous physical and is also very sweet and straightforward," said O'Connell.

"The sire's just exceptional and is only going to get better, so I’d have high hopes for this filly." 

The 150,000gns Tattersalls Book 1 buy is from the family of Breeders' Cup winner Line Of Duty.

The team also offers a pair by Whitsbury Manor Stud's stalwart Showcasing. The first of those to sell is a three-parts brother to last year's Oh So Sharp Stakes winner Calendar Girl (80), a colt whose further family includes Oppenheimer-bred stars Courage Mon Ami, Bronze Cannon and Across The Stars. 

He sold from Hascombe and Valiant Stud's draft for 120,000gns at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. 

Their filly (166) is out of the Listed-winning Holy Roman Emperor mare An Ghalanta, making her a half-sister to black-type winners or performers, including Miaharris and Time Scale. She was bought for 140,000gns from Tweenhills at Tattersalls Book 1 and clocked the quickest breeze, according to times seen by the Racing Post.

O'Connell said: "He's as good looking a colt as we’ve ever had. He really fills the eye and is smashing physical. He's a proud horse who shows himself really well, while his sister is very promising, so there could be big updates to come. 

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"The filly has loads of size and scope, and is well able to gallop for a big girl. She’ll make a gorgeous broodmare in time given her strong fillies' page."

The Lope De Vega half-brother (154) to the Grade 2-placed Editor At Large was a 200,000gns Book 1 purchase by the team. 

By one of the world's leading sires and out of a Galileo sister to dual top-level winner Bolshoi Ballet, his price tag was not a surprise to O'Connell. 

"He cost plenty but we’re delighted to have him," she said. "He’s had a few days away at the Curragh, and anyone who sits on him loves him."

Longways' six-strong draft is completed by a Blue Point colt (163) out of a granddaughter of Hamdan Al Maktoum's 1,000 Guineas and Prix Marcel Boussac winner Shadayid. He sold for 98,000gns from WH Bloodstock at Tattersalls Book 2. 

"He's been my pick of the colts all season," O'Connell said of the late-April-born bay. "He’s a big, raw baby who will make a smashing three-year-old. 

"He's only just two but everything comes remarkably easy to him, even with his date of birth. He’s a dude to do anything with and in my mind he’s a star."

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