Australia calls for Arqana's €180,000 top-seller as Dante Nonantais heads to the Melbourne Cup-winning McEvoys

Click here to add us to your Google preferred sources or find out more here

There was a distinct antipodean feel to the second and final session of Wednesday's Arqana February Mixed Sale with the top-seller, Dante Nonantais, set to continue his career in Australia after going the way of Narvick, Terry Henderson’s OTI and Melbourne Cup-winning trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy at €180,000. 

The winning bid was placed by Thibault de Seyssel and he said: “He made a very good debut the other day, with excellent times. He’s a good-looking horse who I think will do very well in Australia. 

"I was on the phone with Terry Henderson all day — he was very enthusiastic about buying him. We’re delighted to have secured him. He’s heading straight to Australia. 

"I think he’ll really improve with time and develop into a very good horse. I bought him together with Emmanuel de Seroux, whom I work with a bit."

The three-year-old son of Hunter’s Light was a good return on investment for trainer Florian Bellemere, who purchased him for only €5,500 last September.

Recollect will also head to Australia after Royal Ascot-winning trainer Henry Dwyer teamed up with Amy Murphy to purchase him for €120,000. 

Offered by his now former trainer Gavin Hernon, the son of Recoletos got off the mark at the second time of asking when landing a mile contest at Chantilly this month. 

Amy Murphy: 'He really caught Henry’s [Dwyer] eye'Credit: Zuzanna Lupa

Murphy said: “Henry and I had a very successful partnership this summer with Asfoora [stabled with her during her European campaign]. He really caught Henry’s eye. 

"He came highly recommended to us by Gavin Hernon, who is a good friend. In Australia, we hope he’ll develop into a good staying type. Gavin believes he'll be perfectly suited to that country.”

The three-year-old hails from the one of the Aga Khan’s best families, being out of the Group 3-placed mare Haziyna, a daughter of Athasi Stakes winner Hazariya, the dam of Derby winner Harzand, who is now plying his trade as a National Hunt stallion. The mare also produced Harasiya, winner of the Silver Flash Stakes, and stakes-winning duo Hazarafa and Haripour.

At close of trade, Arqana reported that 240 lots had changed hands at a clearance rate of 70 per cent. The gross finished at The gross finished at €3,299,750, while the average weighed in at €13,710, and the median sat at €5,500. Last year's corresponding sale was held over one day. 

Symonds reaches for Highbourne Karisma

Fresh from saddling Lud’or to win Saturday’s Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock, trainer Tom Symonds got involved in the action when combining with Joffret Huet to secure Highbourne Karisma for €120,000. 

Originally purchased by Edward and Jane James for €50,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Derby Sale in 2024, she made a stylish winning debut for trainer Louisa Carberry – who offered her for sale – at Durtal this month.

Symonds and Huet have enjoyed plenty of success combining to unearth classy French-bred stock, with the agent having sourced many of the trainer's best horses, including three-time Grade 2 winner Song For Someone, talented chasers Hollywoodien and Issam, and Lud’or. 

Huet can also lay claim to discovering the likes of Diego Du Charmil, Cyrname and Sire Du Grugy. 

Highbourne Karisma brought €120,000 from Tom Symonds and Joffret HuetCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

The Herefordshire-based trainer said the daughter of Doctor Dino had been bought for an existing group of clients. 

“I'm delighted to purchase Highbourne Karisma, who came highly recommended by Louisa,” said Symonds. 

“She's by a stallion we all admire. She's got great residual value in terms of pedigree. She won her only start very handsomely in difficult conditions and we were very happy to be able to secure her. 

“She's been bought for an existing group of clients, so fingers crossed she’s lucky for us and can go on to run in novice hurdles next season. Hopefully she can mature and improve with time.”

The five-year-old is a half-sister to Karak De Faust (by Zarak), who was bought by Willie Mullins and his talent scout Harold Kirk for €110,000 at last year’s Goffs Arkle Sale. 

Well-bred Earthlight filly makes €125,000

A well-related yearling filly by Earthlight also proved popular when bringing €125,000 from Mandore International’s Nicolas de Watrigant.  

Offered by Haras des Capucines, the youngster is out of Prince Faisal’s Simple Magic, who has already produced a Group 1 winner in Sajir, who took the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest last August. The daughter of Invincible Spirit is also the dam of First Kingdom, who in turn produced Nahraan, winner of the Listed Glasgow Stakes. 

Simple Magic is a daughter of Cephalonie, also dam of Arctic Gyr, winner of the Listed Prix de Saint-Patrick for Andre Fabre who was renamed Invincible Dragon when sold to Hong Kong; Tell, who was placed in the Joel Stakes; and Festivale, who won the Sandringham at Royal Ascot. 

Another of her daughters, Moon Mountain, produced last season’s Aston Park Stakes winner Eydon. 

De Watrigant fought off fierce competition to secure the filly and he revealed she was purchased on behalf of prominent owner Alain Jathiere. 

A filly by Earthlight was secured by Mandore International’s Nicolas de Watrigan for €125,000Credit: Zuzanna Lupa

“I don’t think she was really intended to be offered here, but there were particular circumstances, notably a dissolution between the various owners,” said De Watrigant. “We could clearly see that Eric Puerari was keen to keep her. 

“She's magnificent physically and, above all, she has presence. And that little extra something I'm always looking for, which others don’t necessarily see. She's physically stunning. Her pedigree is good, but it was really her physique that caught my eye. She looks very mature for her age and will certainly be precocious.

“We're very happy to have been able to buy this filly. It’s a superb Niarchos family, a great one."

He added: “She’s not a filly to resell, but to race. For now, I’ve bought her for Mr Jathiere. We’ll see what happens next — the door remains open; perhaps the former partners will wish to retain a share. I need to discuss it with them.”

The Wild Grazer headed to Whistlejacket

Prix Morny winner Whistlejacket will begin covering his first mares at Haras de Grandcamp this season and US Grade 3 placegetter The Wild Grazer will feature among his debut book after she sold for €85,000. 

Jean-Daniel Manceau, who signed the ticket alongside Jean-Philippe Dubois, said: “This is a mare we've bought to support Whistlejacket. She was a top-class race filly in the United States, a winner at two. 

“She was the right type of mare to cross with Whistlejacket and give him every chance to succeed at stud. I watched all of her races in the US; she had a really good turn of foot and was a very tough little mare.”

As well as winning as a juvenile, the daughter of Gustav Klimt finished third in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at three last May, before just missing the podium when fourth in the Grade 2 San Clemente Stakes on her next start. She was then picked up by Pasadena Farm for $20,000 at the Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale in November. 

US Grade 3 performer The Wild Grazer will be covered by WhistlejacketCredit: Zuzanna Zupa

The Wild Grazer’s dam is a sister to the talented two-year-old Plainchant, winner of the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte and the Prix Eclipse. 

“She comes from the family of Ag Bullet, who won the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes, and it’s the family of Plainchant, so there's plenty of speed," said Manceau.

“I believe she's the 17th mare we’ve bought to support Whistlejacket this winter. We’re continuing with that approach.”

Manceau was active again when he paid €50,000 for Silimeri, a Dansili half-sister to Group 1 scorer Silasol, who is already the dam of Group-placed winner Inside Matters. 

Mary Gold headed to Ireland

The action heated up early when stakes-placed mare Mary Gold sold to Equos Racing International’s Nicolas Lefevre for €75,000. She will continue her career as a broodmare in Ireland. 

Offered in foal to leading stallion Dark Angel, the daughter of Penny’s Picnic won two races from eight starts at two. The following season she finished second in a conditions race at Chantilly, before finishing runner-up in Listed company in Milan. 

Lefevre said: “There was a lot of interest in her. I think that, in a slightly more normal market, she might have made a little less. But today, she was the only mare of that level in the catalogue and well covered. So naturally, all the buyers were on her. That’s also why she made that price. 

“She’s a beautiful mare, well bred, athletic, in foal to a very good, proven stallion. She'll go to Ireland. The fact that she has black type is, of course, a plus. But we didn’t buy her solely for her racing career. 

"Above all, it’s because she's a good-looking mare, in foal to a good stallion, with a strong pedigree. She has an engine and was bought for Irish breeders.”

Mary Gold brought €75,000 from Equos Racing International’s Nicolas LefevreCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

Out of the Listed-placed Revedargent, Mary Gold is a half-sister to Galik, whose nine wins were headed by a triumph in the Listed Prix Omnium II. 

Revedargent is out of Listed scorer Matwan, who is also the dam of several other good performers, notably Batwan, winner of the Group 3 Prix de Saint-Georges, and stakes winner Wanaway, who in turn produced Campacite, runner-up in the Group 1 Criterium International.

Read more:

Beauty in a bargain: Martin Stevens with ten humbly bred performers who excelled on the track in 2025 

Leading sire Zarak to miss start of covering season after stable accident 

Darley's Palace Pier gets off the mark in Australia as Wolf Gap pounces at Warwick Farm