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'It’s a big buzz for everyone' - blue-blooded Siyouni colt proves a €1.2 million home run at Arqana Breeze-Up Sale

The Siyouni colt out of Isabel De Urbina who soared into seven-figure territory
The Siyouni colt out of Isabel De Urbina who soared into seven-figure territoryCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

Big things were expected from the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale and big things duly arrived around three quarters of the way through Saturday's session in Deauville. Grove Stud’s blue-blooded Siyouni colt was among a whole stack of highly touted juveniles to come under the hammer but sprinted clear at the head of the market at €1,200,000. 

A crowd of rival bidders made their interest known during the opening stages, but once the half-million mark had been passed matters rested between Nicolas de Watrigant, stood in the shadows on the top deck of the auditorium with Coolmore’s Paul Shanahan, and Oliver St Lawrence, accompanied by Fawzi Nass and Roger Varian by the bustling gangway. 

St Lawrence signalled an increase of €100,000 that took the bid board from €900,000 into seven-figure territory, but the play was immediately returned in kind. However, St Lawrence’s next €100,000 raise proved much more decisive as the gavel fell in the agent’s favour at a cool €1.2m.

“He’s a lovely colt and was our pick of the sale,” said St Lawrence. “He breezed very nicely, on our clock he was the 38th fastest and did it in a lovely style. He’s by a proper stallion in Siyouni and he’s got a lovely, deep pedigree. He vetted cleanly. There just wasn’t anything to dislike about him. He’s a lovely horse. 

Oliver St Lawrence signs for the €1.2 million colt by Siyouni at Arqana
Oliver St Lawrence signs for the €1.2 million colt by Siyouni at ArqanaCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

"To me he looks like a two-year-old who could debut in August or September and hopefully he can run in a proper race at the end of the year.” 

The colt is out of Isabel De Urbina, a daughter of Lope De Vega who carried the Merriebelle Stables silks to victory in a brace of Listed events during her time with Ralph Beckett, who was among those watching on during the seven-figure showdown. 

In turn, Isabel De Urbina is a sister to five winners, including her full-siblings Manuela De Vega, successful in the Lancashire Oaks, and Hero Look, a Group 2 scorer in Italy. Further back the pedigree includes Kilfrush Stud-bred celebrities like Josr Algarhoud and his half-brother Sainte Marine. 

St Lawrence also secured the top lot at last year’s Arqana Breeze-Up Sale, albeit for significantly less, with the €550,000 Zoffany colt Sakheer going on to win the Mill Reef Stakes for Varian and KHK Racing. The Newmarket trainer is also set to take charge of the Siyouni colt and a Sioux Nation filly secured from the Bloodstock Connection for €450,000 earlier in the day. 

“Sakheer turned out okay so hopefully this horse is as good, if not better,” added St Lawrence. “He’s definitely as nice a horse as we’ve seen all season, in my opinion. It’s a very strong market. We always knew we’d have to pay seven figures for him, we probably hoped we had to pay only seven figures, rather than a little bit more.” 

The Siyouni colt: 'Definitely as nice a horse as we’ve seen all season'
The Siyouni colt: 'Definitely as nice a horse as we’ve seen all season'Credit: Zuzanna Lupa

The seven-figure transaction rewarded a typically bold pinhook by Grove Stud’s Brendan Holland, who picked up the youngster for €200,000 when he was offered by Mount Coote Stud at last year’s Goffs Orby Sale. 

“I knew I had a special horse,” said Holland. “It’s extremely hard to buy into a family like that. That’s one of the most well-known families that’s been developed for years by Monsieur [Jean Pierre] Binet of Kilfrush Stud. So to get a horse of that quality, by that sire and from that family, it’s a difficult thing to do.” 

This price betters Grove Stud’s previous best at this sale, as the team topped the 2019 renewal with the €1.1m American Pharoah colt Ocean Atlantique. 

Reflecting on his latest pinhooking triumph, Holland said: “From day one he was number one. He’s just so classy. You never dream about what they could make but I knew he’d do something good because he was the clear number one all year. 

Brendan Holland: 'He’s just so classy'
Brendan Holland: 'He’s just so classy'Credit: Laura Green

"It’s a great feeling when you’re on a home run and you’re watching it unfold after all that’s gone into it. It’s a great feeling for all the team involved because everyone is invested, so it’s a big buzz for everyone. It’s amazing really. 

“All the lads have been with me for a long time so they’ve ridden all the good horses that we’ve sold before. They’re adamant that he’s equal to those. Now he has to go and prove that on the track, but the feeling we had at home was that he was equal to any good horse we’ve had before.”

The top lot led a market that posted some record-breaking results, with new high marks set for aggregate and median prices. Turnover hit €21,085,500, a 58 per cent increase on last year’s figure, when 37 fewer lots changed hands. The average was up 16 per cent at €151,694 and the median was €110,000, a ten per cent gain. The clearance rate was a very solid 83 per cent as 139 juveniles sold from 167 offered. 

Godolphin on the Dubawi trail 

The seven-figure mark looked to be under threat for a second time later in the session but bidding on Oak Tree Farm’s Dubawi colt ultimately stopped just short, with Godolphin playing the winning hand at €800,000. 

Anthony Stroud, bidding to the right of the rostrum with David Loder and Charlie Appleby, explained the team had seen the colt at the yearling sales but took him off their list, which left the way clear for Norman Williamson and Mags O’Toole to sign the ticket at €150,000 at the Arqana October Yearling Sale. 

“Norman Williamson is an outstanding consignor,” said Stroud. “We bought Native Trail off him and he does a fantastic job. Obviously this horse is by Dubawi. We were actually interested in him last year but didn’t go ahead with it. It’s good to see him after nine months of training so we could review him again. He pleased us in his breeze and it goes back to a wonderful family. He’ll be trained by Charlie.” 

The colt was pinhooked from Ecurie des Monceaux and hails from the farm’s signature family. He is out of Mulan, a Kingman half-sister to Prudenzia, dam of Chicquita and Magic Wand, Pacifique and English King. 

The Dubawi colt out of Mulan who will be joining Charlie Appleby's stable
The Dubawi colt out of Mulan who will be joining Charlie Appleby's stableCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

Explaining how he came to source such a well-bred youngster for such a value sum, Williamson said: “He was in the October Sale and people were probably wondering why he wasn’t here in August or if there was something wrong with him. Anyway, I said I was going to buy him and I didn’t think I’d get him for the money I got him at. 

“He’s a horse who’s just kept improving. He’s a beautifully bred horse, the way he’s bred he could be anything. The way he breezed adds up to him being a good horse as he shouldn’t be able to do what he did on the clock. Obviously I’d had luck with Eldar Eldarov and I thought I’d love to have another Dubawi because they’re just different. Temperament wise they’re different. They’re all sizes and shapes but they’re proper racehorses.”  

Godolphin also bought the other Dubawi in the catalogue, going to €400,000 for the colt out of Fadhayyil from Yeomanstown Stud. The half-brother to Grade 2 scorer Turaath was pinhooked at 180,000gns. 

Uncle Mo makes Stateside move

Powerstown Stud’s strapping Uncle Mo colt was another of the big eyecatchers on the sales ground and interested parties duly appeared from all angles when he took to the ring. After a significant six-figure tussle it was Jamie McCalmont, flanked by Michael Tabor and Shanahan, who brought the hammer down at €600,000. 

The colt was pinhooked by Tom Whitehead's Powerstown operation for $165,000 at last year’s Keeneland September Sale and McCalmont revealed the muscular youngster would head back across the Atlantic to begin his racing career. 

“Uncle Mo is one of the best stallions in America,” said McCalmont. “I was involved in a horse called Nyquist from his first crop and he was a champion two-year-old and won the Kentucky Derby. Coolmore have bought this horse to go to America, where he’ll be trained by Todd Pletcher. 

The Uncle Mo colt out of Summer Applause who is heading west
The Uncle Mo colt out of Summer Applause who is heading westCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

“It would be a shame to see this horse winning a big race in America in someone else’s colours. He breezed well on the turf but you’d hope he’ll go better on the dirt, that’s why he’s going to America. Only time will tell though.” 

The colt is out of Summer Applause, a daughter of Harlan’s Holiday who won the Grade 2 Top Flight Handicap Stakes and finished second to Emollient in the Grade 1 Spinster Stakes. 

Red-hot run continues for Blue Point

With six European winners on the board already and a slew of six-figure sales at the breeze-ups, the stud career of Darley’s first-crop sire Blue Point continues to gather momentum. 

The Kildangan resident had another big result at Arqana on Saturday when Nicky Bertran de Balanda went to €500,000 for the filly out of Shimmering Moment from Grove Stud. 

There are plenty of high-achievers close up in the pedigree as the dam was a three-length winner of the Listed Carlingford Stakes and is an Afleet Alex half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint scorer Stormy Liberal. Another of her siblings, Leinster, won a brace of Grade 2s at Keeneland, while Shimmering Moment’s second foal is the Listed-placed and Queen Mary Stakes fourth Artos. Plans now call for the filly to head across the Atlantic. 

“Blue Point’s progeny are very impressive,” said De Balanda. “His youngstock looked good at the sales last year and the year before and obviously the first two-year-olds are flying. Shamardal is an amazing sire of sires. 

“She’s a very good-looking filly. She’s strong, she’s going to need a bit of time because she’s a tall filly, but she’s from a good family, the dam was good, the dam’s sister was a Breeders’ Cup winner so we thought she could be very nice for America. She’s been bought for Lael Stables and will go to Arnaud Delacour, who has trained Chez Pierre brilliantly. We focussed on her and I’m delighted we got her.” 

The Blue Point filly out of Shimmering Moment who fetched €500,000
The Blue Point filly out of Shimmering Moment who fetched €500,000Credit: Zuzanna Lupa

The filly was bred by Mark Gittins of Castlefarm Stud, for whom she generated a 135,000gns receipt at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale in 2021. She was due to be offered through Baroda Stud at Book 1 of the October Yearling Sale but was withdrawn. 

The €500,000 mark was hit for a second time later in the session when Stroud secured the Kodiac filly out of Leyburn from Glending Stables. The agent said: “She’s athletic and a really typical two-year-old. I’m not sure who’ll train her yet but she’s for a long established client.” 

The filly, a €90,000 Goffs November Foal Sale pinhook, was retained by her vendor at 100,000gns when she was offered at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale. The filly is a sister to the three-time all-weather scorer Murbih.

Check out some of the other big hits at Arqana on Saturday

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James ThomasSales correspondent

Published on 13 May 2023inSales reports

Last updated 19:10, 13 May 2023

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