Share in Zarak set to be the Christmas star for Arqana Online Sale

The final action of the year at Arqana takes place not under the twinkling lights of Deauville but under the hum of servers as the company holds an online auction on Thursday afternoon.

A total of 20 lots have been catalogued for a sale that is strong on breeding rights and shares in stallions.

Possibly the most prized item on offer is a share in France's leading young sire Zarak (Lot 3). During their November online sale, Arqana sold a similar share in the Aga Khan Studs' Group 1 winning son of Dubawi and Zarkava for €460,000 to Bridge Bloodstock.

Previous shares in the sire of nine individual Group winners from his first two crops have achieved prices of €380,000 and €350,000 in sales run through Arqana's online platform.

The nine-year-old, who has sired three Group 1 performers - Purplepay, Times Square and La Parisienne - in that time, has received a fee hike in light of his excellent start to life as a stallion. Next season he will command €60,000, which is five times the fee at which he began his stud career.

Persian King's first foals earned plaudits at the recent round of sales with six-figure sums particularly at Arqana. A share in Haras d'Etreham's triple Group 1 winner from the first crop of Kingman (11) is another potential highlight of Thursday's session.

Bred by Dayton Investments out of a Dylan Thomas sister to Group 1 winner and sire Planteur, by Danehill Dancer, Persian King was a Group 3 winner at two in Newmarket for Andre Fabre. At three he won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains and as a four-year-old was successful in the Prix d'Ispahan and Prix du Moulin. On his only attempt at a mile and a half, he was third to Sottsass and In Swoop in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

On Tuesday, a share in France's best young National Hunt stallion - No Risk At All - was added to the catalogue (20). The chestnut, who stands at Haras du Montaigu, is the sire of luminaries like Punchestown Gold Cup and dual Ryanair Chase victor Allaho and the Champion Hurdle heroine Epatante.

Of the actual horses that will be offered on Thursday, the standout from the horses in training sector is Mathletic (1). A three-year-old son of Kingman he is consigned by trainer Andre Fabre and the 106-rated performer has been second in the Group 3 Prix de Fontainebleau and Listed Prix Tantieme this season.

Twice a winner, he is out of the winning Unbridled's Song mare Manerbe, which makes him a half-brother to Group 3 Seaway Stakes winner Manerbe Rose by Smart Strike and the Listed winners Gidu, a son of Frankel, and the Shamardal filly Aviatress.

Manerbe is closely related to the Grade 1 Selene Stakes winner Zoftig, dam of Grade 1 winners Zo Impressive and Zaftig.

The Wertheimers offer one of a dwindling number of Adlerflug daughters to come on the market. Three-year-old Ondulee (2) has been placed in two Listed contests for Christophe Ferland and her dam is the Listed Prix Coronation winner Wanderina by Manduro.

Second dam Wandering Spirit is a Dashing Blade half-sister to the dams of Group 1 Preis der Diana winner Well Timed and Akeed Mofeed, who was victorious in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup. Their dam is a full-sister to Johann Quatz and a half-sister to Prix du Jockey Club winner and sire Hernando.

The timed auction runs from 3pm - 5pm local time (2pm - 4pm GMT) and the catalogue is available for viewing here.

Catch up with more sales news here

'He's a lovely horse' - Elliott excited by £280,000 stunner What's Up Darling

Classy Concertista added to McGivern's burgeoning band for sale-topping €220,000

'We’ll see if she can win a Group 1' - headline act Malavath brings €3.2 million

A poignant purchase for Juddmonte as Treve's half-sister fetches €675,000