'He's out of the best I've trained' - heart and head rule for Joel Boisnard as Toronado colt leads the way

The second half of Arqana October's part two saw trade settle down at a notch below Wednesday's prices, though a clearance rate remained buoyant throughout the session, proof of some level of satisfaction for vendors. 

Leading the way was a striking son of Toronado (lot 434) consigned by the Garcon family's Haras de la Hotellerie on behalf of breeder Raymond Luce, and finally secured by trainer Joel Boisnard at €130,000.

Bidding from the restaurant, Boisnard signed for his new purchase before turning his concentration on the screen relaying events across the road at Deauville racecourse. 

"It's done," he said as First Drem held on by a short neck to land the all-weather handicap, though it's possible his mind was also drifting back to Prix de Diane day in 2007, when Boisnard formed part of a full podium for the provinces behind a Frankie Dettori-inspired West Wind for Alex Pantall, and the Francois Rohaut-trained Mrs Lindsay. 

Joel Boisnard signs the docketCredit: Zuzanna LUPA

Boisnard's finest result in a Classic came courtesy of the Ashkalani filly Diyakalanie, none other than the dam of the lot he had just battle so hard to acquire. Not that it was purely sentiment that drove the Senonnes man's determination to have the last word.

"He’s out of the best mare I have ever trained, though I always hope there will be another one  that comes along," said Boisnard, a very fine operator in both codes and one with evidence close at hand that the colt might prove adept over jumps as well as on the Flat.

"He’s out of a very good Flat mare I but I also think I have a son of hers who could turn out to be a great horse at Auteuil," said Boisnard, alluding to Diyashal, a three-year-old by Shalaa that has already clocked up a win over hurdles at French jump racing's HQ, backed up with a winning chase debut at Compiegne earlier this week.

Returning to the Toronado colt, Boisnard added: "I love his model and he vetted very well so all the lights are green, though you can never guarantee anything. It’s his physique that really won me over." 

Gavin Hernon rewarded for patience with Sioux Nation strike

Upwardly-mobile Chantilly-based trainer Gavin Hernon and agent Amanda Skiffington held out until the penultimate lot through the ring, an imposing chestnut colt by Sioux Nation presented by the Fairway Consignment, who was sealed at €90,000. 

He is out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Notion Of Beauty, herself a sister to La Chunga, who was a Group winner at two and three for Sir Robert Ogden and Jeremy Noseda, and the granddam of Buckaroo. 

"We had to stretch for him but we thought he was a standout on the day," said Hernon. "He'll come to us in Chantilly in a couple of weeks, once he's been broken, and he's for an existing client in the yard.

"We've been waiting around quite a while to get him but we're delighted."

Hernon added: "He just looks really athletic and Sioux Nation is doing it so everything fit the bill. We got a nice Mehmas filly yesterday from Haras de Castillon on this fella is for the same client. 

"You'd definitely be hoping he'll be out May or June time. He's a big boy but I think he'd fairly level and he should come to hand pretty quickly."

Waldgeist has enjoyed some notable successes during this yearling sales season and Haras de l'Aumonerie's colt out of the winning Lope De Vega mare Love Vega (lot 504) certainly attracted plenty of attention late in the day before going to FR Bloodstock for €80,000. 

Love Vega was acquired by Aumonerie's Julie Mestrallet following the death of her owner Fabrice Petit, and while her dam Fifth Commandment was Grade 3-placed in the US, the fireworks on the page really start under the third dam Via Milano, herself a winner of the Prix des Reservoirs at two, and whose daughter Via Medici produced Japan champion miler Admire Mars and two more black type fillies in Via Firenze and Via Pisa, all in the colours of Haras de Saint Pair.

Robson and Aguiar and Henry Candy both went to six figures to secure lots by Waldgeist at the recent Tattersalls Book 2 sale, while Richard Ryan paid €360,000 for a colt at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale here in May. 

'Galiway is becoming a very important stallion in Europe'

Galiway continues to make headlines on the Flat and with the few horses he has had to go over jumps and the stallion was responsible for two important lots to change hands on Thursday. 

A colt presented by Antoine Bellanger's Arcadia Elevage (lot 471) was knocked down to Laurent Benoit for €70,000. Out of the Siyouni mare Hadeel - a sister to the very smart Prix Miesque winner, Ameenah - the February-born son of Galiway already has a winning sibling in Magic Sound, and is the mare's third foal. 

"I think Galiway has gone to the next level and is becoming a very important stallion, not just in France but in Europe," said Benoit. "I like the mating with a Siyouni mare and we've all seen that Galileo and Pivotal can be a very powerful cross." 

Antoine Bellanger of Arcadia Elevage and Laurent Benoit pictured after the agent bought lot 471, a colt by GaliwayCredit: Zuzanna LUPA

Benoit added: ""The colt is very mature, is well muscled and moves well. So I hope he will come to hand early and show some speed. He will be trained by Philippe Decouz and will race in the colours of an owner that loves Galiway."

In describing black silks with pink epaulettes, Benoit confirmed that his new buy was for France and Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann. 

Much earlier in what is the longest session of the week, Galiway was also the stallion responsible for the already-named Hamilton Air (lot 382), a €72,000 purchase by Chauvigny Global Equine's Sebastien Desmontils. 

Consigned by Haras des Capucines on behalf of Louis Baudron's Haras des Rouges Terres, the colt is out of the winning Hurricane Run mare Arizona Air, whose full sister Arizona Run won the Derby du Languedoc and La Coupe de Marseille during a remarkable career that spanned nine seasons.

The family descends from Lady O'Reilly's smart mare Absurde - not to be confused with this year's Ebor hero - a winner of the Prix de la Grotte and beaten only a length and a half by Culture Vulture in the 1992 Poule d'Essai. 

Lot 382, Haras des Rouges Terres' son of Galiway, was sold for €72,000Credit: Zuzanna LUPA

Desmontils said: "He's a strong, good-looking colt who moves very well. The dam was rated 92 and could run a bit. He is by a good sire and a good damsire, while he will certainly stay in time. 

"He could end up as a dual-purpose prospect and will go into training with Mathieu Brasme."

Kendargent filly highlights depth of Haras de la Perelle breeding

The longtime axis of agent Marc-Antoine Berghgracht, trainer Mauricio Delcher-Sanchez and owner Ahmed Mouknass were the winning combination at €72,000 for a Kendargent sister to Lever Du Soleil (lot 525)

Bred by Jurgen Winter's Haras de la Perelle, Monsun and Brametot both feature under her blue hen third dam, Mosella. 

"She hails from a well-established breeder and Kendargent fillies are always something you're happy to buy," said Berghgract. "The breeder recommended het to me and she ticks a lot of boxes. 

Following on from Galiway and Kendargent, yet another Colleville resident, Goken, found himself high on the buyers' board thanks to a filly from the Capucines draft which made €71,000 (lot 365)

Henri-Francois Devin struck the winning bid for the filly, who is out of Africa, a dual-winning daughter of Dabirsim who was placed in the Listed Criterium du Becquet at two. 

And Barbara Moser's Haras du Long Champ - the Normandy farm where Arc hero Ace Impact was raised - sold a colt by Intello out of the Cape Cross mare Xcape To Victory to agent Hubert Guy for €70,000 (lot 355).

The colt is a half-brother to Listed scorer Ice Love, the best of five winners from the mare to date and herself a triple black type producer. 

By the end of business the clearance rate had risen from a respectable 80 per cent halfway through the session to finish just shy of 90 per cent - only 18 of the 176 failed to find a buyer - evidence that trainers in France and further afield were extremely active across the day. 

Taking the two days of part two together, the average price compared to 2021 - the last time the sale was configured this way - fell 12 per cent to €30,447, while the median also declined from €28,000 to €23,000. 

More Arqana news:

'The standout today' - €160,000 Without Parole filly heads the way of Mandore and Madaket Stables at Arqana

'I hope he's as good as Paddington' - history repeats itself as €420,000 Siyouni colt shares top billing at Arqana