Larissa Kneip remembered as Arqana Summer Sale commences

Beyond the cross-section of thoroughbreds which even includes a European Classic winner, one draft at this week's Arqana Summer Sale will be in the thoughts of many in attendance at Deauville.

Thirteen horses will go through the ring consigned by Haras de Saint Arnoult as part of the estate of Larissa Kneip, who died at the age of just 51 a month ago. The Luxembourg native stood stallions, trained and bred from her Normandy farm and was held in great regard throughout the European industry.

Among those to be offered is Al Khamsa (lot 345b), a two-year-old Dubawi filly out of globetrotter Blond Me and five youngsters by Seabhac, Kneip's resident stallion who sired his first winner earlier this week.

"Larissa was an absolutely passionate person and obviously it was a shock for us all when she passed," said Freddy Powell, Arqana's executive director.

"Her estate is selling some horses and as soon as they asked us if we would take some horses to sell, we did everything we could to help. There'll be some more horses later in the year for sale as well. She was a real figure here at Arqana, everyone knew her very well, and she loved racing and horses. We will miss her a lot."

View the Arqana catalogue here

There really is something for everyone at the two sessions, starting at 11am CET on Thursday and Friday.

A final clutch of breeze-up horses come under the hammer on day one after showing their form on Wednesday afternoon, followed by a selection of stores. Among those are Game Of Storm (101), a Motivator brother to Grade 1 hurdle winner Stormy Ireland from Haras des Cordelles, and Haras du Ma's Milan sister to Grand National hero One For Arthur (119).

Friday begins with breeding stock followed by a fascinating selection of horses in training. Leading the way is Txope (421), a Listed winner at two who was second to Mangoustine in the Group 3 Prix Miesque. Following some fine efforts this term, the Siyouni filly landed the German 1,000 Guineas for trainer Philippe Decouz and her illustrious French international footballer owner Antoine Griezmann.

One lot after her is Royal Lea, who has proved herself as a leading Italian two-year-old talent for her connections with victory in a Listed event at Milan. Among other notable inclusions are the Aga Khan's dual Group winner and one-time Classic hope Makaloun (236a) and Mathieu Pitart's Najima Star (490), a Prince Gibraltar filly who won the Listed Prix Wild Monarch, a respected launchpad for French National Hunt prospects.

"A lot of British and Irish clients have been here to check the stores, obviously the store sales have been pretty good in England and Ireland in the spring and summer so lots of people are looking to reinvest in some French stock and it's nice to see them," Powell continued.

"There's real variety, horses of various profiles and we do expect Txope, winner of the German Guineas, to sell pretty well."

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