Up-and-coming sires Shalaa and The Gurkha make a splash at Arqana

Colts by two first-crop sires made a sizeable impact during day two of the Arqana August Sale in Deauville on Sunday, with Emmanuel de Seroux going to €600,000 for a son of Shalaa and Coolmore's MV Magnier stretching to €525,000 for a member of The Gurkha's debut crop.

The Shalaa colt was signed for in conjunction with the Satomi Horse Company, and De Seroux confirmed the well-related youngster would race in Japan for owner Hajime Satomi.

"He's a beautiful horse with a lot of class," said the Narvick International agent. "We think Shalaa can be a very good stallion, this horse has a great pedigree and is a beautiful mover so we think he has a lot of potential.

"He will go to race in Japan but no decision has been made about who will train him, the owner, Mr Satomi, will make that decision in due course."

Offered by Charles Briere's Fairway Consignment, the colt is out of Maiden Tower, a daughter of Groom Dancer who won the Group 2 Prix de Sandringham for Sheikh Mohammed and Henri-Alex Pantall.

The dam has also enjoyed a fruitful broodmare career, having produced smart stayer and talented hurdler Penglai Pavilion and the Listed-placed Picture Hat.

Seven yearlings by Shalaa, who stood his first season at €27,500, sold across the first two days of the August Sale for an aggregate of €1,695,000 and for an average of €242,145.

MV Magnier: 'The Gurkha was an exceptionally tough horse'Credit: Patrick McCann

Earlier in the session Coolmore paid a huge compliment to their first-crop yearling sire The Gurkha by stretching to €525,000 for a half-brother to Lancashire Oaks heroine The Black Princess by the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Sussex Stakes-winning son of Galileo.

The colt, bred by Chryss O’Reilly’s Petra Bloodstock Agency and presented by her Haras de la Louviere, is out of Larceny, a Cape Cross half-sister to French Classic-winning siblings Lawman and Latice.

"He's a very nice horse and looks like he could be a good two-year-old," said Coolmore’s MV Magnier. "We like buying from the best nurseries like Lady O'Reilly's.

"The Gurkha was an exceptionally tough horse. He was pretty unwell during his racing career but what he did on the track showed what a remarkably tough horse he was. That day in the French Guineas he was very impressive."

Two lots by The Gurkha sold at Arqana for an average of €387,500 and an aggregate €775,000. His debut crop were conceived at a fee of €25,000.

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Brilliantly bred Galileo colts top the bill in Arqana August opener