'It's a lot of money for a jumping horse but he was my favourite' - Jade De Grugy's brother leads the way at €160,000

A phlegmatic nature may be a useful asset in riding the highs and lows of the sales and racing and, after a near-miss the day before, Tuesday was a good day for William Sangwin and his French-focused team, as they came out on top at €160,000 for the session-topper at the Arqana Autumn Sale in Deauville. 

Standing with regular ally Nathaniel Barnett, the target of Sangwin's big play was a yearling by Doctor Dino already christened Oteuil De Grugy (540). 

Brought to market by Windermere Stud on behalf of l'Ecurie de la Grugerie, the colt is a brother to Grade 1 winner Jade De Grugy, while the pair's dam, Diane De Grugy, is a half-sister to Champion Chase winner Sire De Grugy. 

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Barnett and Sangwin underbid €550,000 buy Merci Mam on Monday evening, but were not to be denied here. 

"He was our favourite lot of the day," said Barnett. "We have a new group of English owners to buy horses over here. Some will be resold as two-year-olds and some will be kept to race. 

Nathaniel Barnett talks to the press after signing at €160,000 for Oteuil De GrugyCredit: ZUZANNA LUPA

"This was the one that they were desperate to race and we've already decided he'll go to Hugo Merienne. He's got a fantastic pedigree and we're very excited to get him."

Sangwin's colours have become increasingly prevalent over jumps and on the Flat in France, with Mon Ricin landing a valuable handicap at Longchamp at the Arc meeting for trainer Tim Donworth.

Barnett said: "It's a lot of money for a jumping horse but he was my favourite and the same went for Hugo and all the team. That was our last bid.

"We've had an amazing first full year and we've had winners all over the place including Arc weekend. Will is a young guy who has become so passionate about French racing and now he's trying to bring other people onboard."

Windermere Stud's Nirvana Du Berlais yearling colt was secured by Nathaniel Barnett for €80,000Credit: ZUZANNA LUPA

Barnett and Sangwin struck again later in the session for an €80,000 Nirvana Du Berlais colt out of a half-sister to Prix Murat winner Ajas (562), also consigned by Windermere Stud.

"Will is giving it a good go," said Barnett. "I think that out of the last five young horses I've bought here, Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm underbid on all of them. We beat them earlier today and it only seems fair that we should send them a horse so this one will go to Noel and Amanda. 

"Further down the pedigree I actually bought Margaret's Legacy to go to England a couple of years and he's still doing well for Warren Greatrex, while Ajas is one of my favourite French horses of recent years. It's a fantastic pedigree and as a model, he's a beautiful horse."

Jet Blue sibling bound for Ireland

Nicolas Bertran de Balanda returned to a pedigree he knows well from his days as a trainer, striking a winning bid of €150,000 for Haras du Buff's yearling son of Doctor Dino (514). 

A Doctor Dino half-brother to Jet Blue made €150,000 at Arqana on TuesdayCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

The colt's half-brother Jet Blue ran second to Losange Bleu in the Grade 1 Grand Prix d'Automne at Auteuil on Sunday, while granddam Hatilade produced both a French champion hurdler in Questarabad and Crystal Beach, who is chiefly remembered as a classy hurdler and chaser for Marcel Rolland, but began his career with Bertan de Balanda before he changed hats from trainer to bloodstock agent. 

"He will probably go to Ireland and he's a gorgeous horse," said Bertan de Balanda. "I know the family well as I trained Crystal Beach. He's a very good mover and he's a good size so he will need a little bit of time.

"He has a great physique, he's from a good family and a very good breeder."

Edwige Le Metayer had more reason to celebrate as Haras du Buff also sold the third-highest price among the yearlings at €90,000 (565), a half-sister to Metronomique, who won a Listed hurdle at Auteuil last month by 20 lengths. 

The filly's sire Ectot enjoyed his biggest winner in the jumping sphere last weekend when Leopard Du Berlais proved himself the best of his generation in the Prix Cambaceres, remaining unbeaten in the process. 

Agent Bertand Le Metayer saw off Barnett at €90,000 and indicated that while the filly will be sent to Ireland for breaking, she may yet return to France for her racing career.

Brother to Jeriko Du Reponet makes €125,000

When Jeriko Du Reponet passed through this ring at the 2021 Summer Sale he was initially unsold before being bought privately for €50,000. 

His exploits - first as a novice hurdler and then in finishing second in last season's Pertemps Final over three miles before going one better at the Punchestown festival – ensured that his brother would be eagerly contested when his turn came.

The already named Northern Voice did not disappoint, with Hubert Barbe winning out at €125,000, making him the most expensive of the day's two-year-old stores. 

Part of the Fairway Consignment draft, the gelded son of Choeur Du Nord was bred by Antoine Gronfier's Haras de la Tour. 

Hubert Barbe struck at €125,000 for a two-year-old son of Choeur Du NordCredit: Zuzanna Lupa

"He's a great looker and he has the page to go with it," said Barbe. "That said, I thought we'd get him for less than that. But when you are in a bidding battle like that, it's already a victory to come away with the horse. He's heading to Britain."

'I want to build quality from the bottom up'

Chester Williams was among the trainers up early chasing future talent among the stores and went to €78,000 for a son of Goliath Du Berlais (460) from Ludovic Picard's Haras de Cordelles. 

Haras de Cordelles' son of Goliath Du Berlais was knocked down for €78,000Credit: ZUZANNA LUPA

The gelding's four-year-old brother Aguellid ran with promise when placed in a novice hurdle for Philip Hobbs and Johnson White on Monday, while the stallion was responsible for the Grade 2 winner Delmegan at Auteuil's major meeting on Sunday.

Further down the page he is from the family of Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Matiara and Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Indonesienne, as well as Unforgotten, who took the Australian Oaks. 

Williams said: "He has the size, the scope and the pedigree. His brother [Aguellid] was third at Exeter on Monday and fourth in the Prix Finot before that having done plenty wrong. 

"There's Flat quality in the damline while Goliath Du Berlais is doing phenomenally well, so this horse has the potential to be a good juvenile and then go on to be a chaser as well."

Chester and Jane Williams at Arqana on TuesdayCredit: ZUZANNA LUPA

Asked about immediate plans, Williams said: "He'll go juvenile hurdling next winter and he's just going to be bigger, stronger and more developed than a lot of the other juveniles. I have an owner lined up within the yard and I'm just delighted to get him.

"I'm only just starting training but to me it's about building quality from the bottom, you have to be patient. You can go to the horses in training sale and buy immediate winners but to get the quality horses, in the long run you need to come here, to buy and break young horses with the potential to be chasers in the future."

With July now the main market for French stores, 50 two-year-olds were catalogued and 40 found new owners for turnover of €914,500, up more than 14 per cent on last year's slightly larger offering.

The yearling section of the sale concludes on Wednesday with selling getting under way at 11am local time. 

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