'He was one of my favourite colts in the sale' - €200,000 son of Kodiac leads the way at Arqana

After experimenting with moving part of their early-season yearling offering to September in 2022, Arqana's decision to revive its popular v2 sale on the back of the August Sale was rewarded with lively bidding during Tuesday's session in Deauville.

The original concept of the v2 was to identify potentially speedy and precocious horses and, while such stock still commands plenty of attention, there is also the chance to buy yearlings by a variety of stallions who might not get much of a look-in during the starry, sire-driven frenzy of the main sale. 

While the catalogue boasted more yearlings than any of its eight predecessors, Arqana will be delighted with record turnover of €5,560,000 at a clearance rate of 84 per cent, while the median price of €30,000 was the third-highest in the sale's history. 

Leading the way from early in the day was Haras de la Louviere's Kodiac colt [lot 328], who went to Authur Hoyeau for €200,000. 

Arthur Hoyeau signs the docket for the Kodiac half-brother to stakes winner Prince LancelotCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

Out of the Moss Vale mare Rainbow Vale, the colt is a half-brother to the consistent sprinter Prince Lancelot, while the speedy pair of Al Jazi and Soffia are among a number of stakes winners under second dam Rainbows For All.

"He’s been bought for a partnership put together to acquire colts," said Hoyeau. "He’ll stay here initially and we’ll decide later whether he's to be trained in France or Britain. 

"He was one of my favourite colts in the sale and it's been hard going over the first three days, so I’m delighted to get him. You have to pay for the nice horses and I think I had Jean-Claude [Rouget] against me, so I knew I'd have to keep going."

'We absolutely had to have her' - Galiway all the way

The market shared its favours around a number of different stallions but Galiway enjoyed a fine day, with three of the top 11 lots being by the Haras de Colleville resident.

Leading the way was a granddaughter of top-class racemare Tamazirte, who was runner-up to Elusive Wave in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and filled the same spot behind Stacelita in the Diane a month later. 

This filly's dam, Bright Pearl, was retired after a single run but her first two foals won five races between them, while she also boasts dual Group winner Chachnak as a half-brother. 

Consigned by Haras de Grandcamp on behalf of Bernard Ducasse and SCEA des Pres Verts, the filly [lot 405] was secured by Nicolas de Watrigant for €180,000.

Haras de Grandcamp's Galiway filly out of Pivotal mare Bright Pearl goes the way of Mandore International Agency for €180,000Credit: Zuzanna Lupa

The Mandore Agency principal said: "She's a magnificent Galiway filly out of a Pivotal dam, and I think there’s plenty of him in this filly. She was the one we really fell for across the whole sale and she really stood out, with a very strong walk. We absolutely had to have her, and so fought very hard to get her. 

"She's for Alain Jathiere, who really loved her and was pushing me to go the extra mile. She'll be trained by Christopher Head."

Pierre Boulard has ensured that a couple of smart Galiways have made their way to Willie Mullins in recent years, notably Vauban and Gala Marceau.

But Boulard has considerably broadened his client base over the last 18 months and struck for a colt [lot 354] by Galiway out of a Dark Angel sister to last season's Poule d'Essai heroine Mangoustine at €105,000.

Entrusted to Fairway Consignment by his breeders, Domaine de Quetieville, the colt boasts another winner of the French Classic under his third dam in Flotilla.

"She’s for an existing client and will go to Jerome Reynier, who we have already had some luck with and is a good trainer," said Boulard.

Asked about what caught his eye, Boulard said: "Galiway first. And then her page, and the filly herself. She was a really good walker and very correct. I just fell in love with her and I love the page. My client and I were hoping to get her for a little bit less, but we had to push."

Big demand for fast starter City Light  

Another stallion to attract a lot of attention was Haras d'Etreham's City Light, who registered his first winner only in mid-June but is already up to nine, including the one-two in a well-contested newcomers' race at Clairefontaine on Monday.

With Sottsass and St Mark's Basilica already retired to Coolmore, and Paddington set to join them once his brilliant racing career is over, stallion sons of Siyouni are in the news, and City Light looks set to play his part in that unfolding story. 

Haras de Beauvoir's City Light filly sells to Meridian International for €115,000Credit: Zuzanna Lupa

Ghislain Bozo gave €115,000 for Haras de Beaufray's already-named Badiana [lot 403], the second product out of the Sea The Stars mare Boscastle from the family of Juddmonte's Classic-winning pair Nebraska Tornado and Westover. 

"I liked her a lot, she has depth and the stallion seems to have made a very good start," said Bozo. "I’m delighted to get her and, although it’s obvious she'll need some time, the client understands that, while she's a beautiful filly. She’ll go to Christophe Ferland."

City Light's career was guided by Stephane Wattel and Haras de l'Hotellerie's filly by the sire [lot 478] will be joining the Deauville trainer's team after Nicolas de Watrigant signed at €105,000. 

Her Paco Boy dam Marza has produced two winners from three foals and is from the family of Godolphin's Irish and Yorkshire Oaks heroine Blue Bunting. 

The self-deprecating Wattel joked he is the only trainer yet to have a winner by City Light, before adding in a more serious vein: "She’s a filly I’ve been watching since the start of the sale and has a wonderful walk. 

"City Light has started off very well and looks like he could be a quality stallion. Of all the City Light fillies I’ve seen today, she’s the best in my book. She’s for Isabelle Corbani." 

Olympic Glory filly adds to Grandcamp haul

Six of the eight lots to make six figures were fillies and a daughter of Olympic Glory [lot 431] caught the eye of Ghislain Bozo, whose winning bid of €115,000 added to a decent session for Haras de Grandcamp. 

Out of an unraced Pivotal mare, Flag Day - herself a daughter of Cheveley Park and Queen Mary winner Blue Duster - the filly is a half-sister to Prix Saraca runner-up Chili Flag. 

Haras de Grandcamp's Olympic Glory half-sister to the Listed-placed pair of Chili Flag and Flers makes €115,000 to Meridian InternationalCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

"She’s for Carsten Schou, whose horses run under the BS Racing banner and who's a huge racing fan," said Bozo. "He's had horses with Francois Rohaut for a long time and this filly will go to him. 

"She has a lot of quality and a lot of Pivotal in her. She's very athletic and the market for fillies is stronger than was the case last year, so we had to stretch. If you want a filly of her quality you need to give a bit more."

Belardo filly set to be a student of the Royer-Dupre school

Alain de Royer-Dupre has been casting his expert eye over the stock at the Arqana grounds all week and his influence could be seen all over the purchase of Haras d'Etreham's filly [lot 341] by Belardo out of an unraced Pioneerof The Nile filly from the same Louvain/Flotilla family as lot 354. 

Hubert Guy struck the winning bid at €100,000 when acting for owner Olivier du Mottay, who is Royer-Dupre's nephew and already has horses with the erstwhile master of Aiglemont's former assistant, Pierre Groualle. 

"We might take a few partners in the horse so we’ll have to see who trains her," said Guy. "She's a beautiful filly who I loved from the moment she walked out of the box. She walks well and has a super temperament. And there were plenty of people on her. 

Hubert Guy gave €100,000 for a daughter of Belardo at the Arqana v2 sale in Deauville on TuesdayCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

"The stallion might not be as fashionable as he once was, but he gets good ones in many different places." 

Guy added: "I also bought lot 325 for Olivier, who is Alain’s nephew. I did a list and Alain has looked at them all. And why not? He’s won over 300 Graded stakes and nearly 100 Grade 1s, so you value his opinion. They’re two nice fillies."

Guy's earlier purchase for Du Mottay at €60,000 was a Galiway filly out of the Wootton Bassett mare Queen's Grace, consigned by Barbara Moser's Haras du Long Champ. 

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