Buyers approve of new '100 Per Cent NH' sale at Maisons-Laffitte

The new Osarus National Hunt sale was hailed a success by both organisers and a broad range of buyers after a strong day's trade at Maisons-Laffitte racecourse on Friday.

The sales house had brought together a number of different elements from existing sales to create a National Hunt-only catalogue featuring jumping-bred foals, yearlings, two-year-olds and broodmares.

Plenty of British and Irish agents were stocking up on the produce of most of the leading French-based sires, though it is Royan-based Arnaud Chaille-Chaille who will train the sale-topper after Bertrand le Metayer gave €75,000 for a two-year-old son of Fuisse consigned by Haras de Palinges.

Already named Fortenoir, the colt will race for Yorkshire-based Jim Gordon, who has enjoyed notable success with the Chaille-Chaille-trained Bonito Du Berlais.

Le Metayer said: "I have had a lot of luck with this family, notably through Rock Noir, who won a Grade 1 Hurdle at Auteuil in the colours of JP McManus. I also bought an extremely promising horses who doesn't appear on the catalogue page, Crystal Beach."

Trade was brisk at the first Osarus sale to be staged at Maisons-Laffitte racecourseCredit: Zuzanna Lupa / Osarus

Ryan Mahon also struck early during the two-year-old part of the session, securing another product from Palinges, a Coastal Path gelding named Franigane.

"He's a very nice horse by one of the sires of the moment," said Mahon. "He's a very good mover and he will go to a client in Ireland. He will need a bit of time but hopefully he will mature into a nice strong horse. He won’t be sold on, I expect him to run [for my client].

Mahon was one of a number of British and Irish buyers to commend Osarus on their initiative in staging a Paris-based sale on the eve of the major 48 Hours meeting at Auteuil.

Mahon said: "There is good quality stock. There is not a whole pile of room to look at them sometimes but they have done a good job with the space they have got to deal with."

Yearlings by Saints Des Saints and Kapgarde snapped up

A son of Saint Des Saints, Gelino Bello made €50,000 at the inaugural Osarus 100 per cent NH saleCredit: Zuzanna Lupa / Osarus

Ben Halsall signed on behalf of LKF Bloodstock at €50,000 for an AQPS Saints Des Saints colt that proved to be the top lot among the yearlings.

From the family of Vladimir and Eudipe, Gelino Bello was consigned by Domaine de l'Etang on behalf of Remi Boucret.

Tom Malone was another to be active in the yearling market and was also pleased with the way the new sale was presented.

"You can’t have a 100 great animals but they have a fair selection for every market and every angle," said Malone. "For a first attempt I think it is a very good sale."

Malone was speaking after giving €30,000 for Gentleman Valley, a gelded yearling by Kapgarde out of the winning Lando mare Richona, another well bought horse from the Palinges draft.

Malone said: "I’ve bought him on behalf of people who like to produce theirs as three-year-olds to sell so hopefully that’s where he will end up. Kapgarde has been good for me. As De Mee is a horse with Paul Nicholls who has won over the National fences for us and there have been a few others."

Williamson makes a splash with foal purchases

Seamus Murphy paid €40,000 for Tyre Kicker, a son of Network that made the top price in the foal section of the Osarus Maisons-Laffitte saleCredit: Zuzanna Lupa / Osarus

Norman Williamson and Seamus Murphy combined for a pair of highly-contested lots at the tail end of the session, acquiring foals by No Risk At All and Network.

Speaking after Murphy had signed at €32,000 for an un-named son of Haras de Montaigu's No Risk At All, Williamson said of the sale: "I think it’s very good. I think trade is good - I obviously would have liked to have got this foal for a little less - but the horses are quite nice and everyone is here so it’s a great concept."

Osarus director general Emmanuel Viaud expressed satisfaction at the conclusion of a day when private sales contributed to a clearance rate which fell just shy of 70 per cent.

"We've seen horses make good money across the different sectors of the market and the vendors are satisfied," said Viaud. "The organisation of the event has also been well received. We will work on trying to up the clearance rate but to turnover virtually €1,400,000 is satisfactory and I think this is a sale which can grow from this good start.

"It was a first for Maisons-Laffitte and I think we have a good basis to go forward next year and my impression is that the British and Irish buyers who were here in such numbers were very pleased with what they found."

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