Timing is everything in life and in horses and wins by quality Arqana purchased imports Hosier at Flemington and Kingsheir at Royal Randwick last Saturday has cast the spotlight firmly on the upcoming 2021 Arqana Yearling Sales to be held this coming weekend August 14-16 in gorgeous Deauville.
In an amazing result, both these highly promising gallopers were purchased at the Arqana Yearling Sale in 2018 for the same price of €110,000. What would the odds be of that?!
We have been saying for years that the bloodstock world has gotten smaller and these results highlight that. In an increasingly common trend, Australian owners and trainers have been looking to Europe to buy high quality bloodstock, in particular – staying types.
With the amount of information available online via photos, videos, x-rays, scopes and online bidding, it is just as easy to buy at an international sale as it is to be there in the flesh.
Arqana hosts the first European yearling sale of 2021 and an outstanding book of horses has been assembled. The strength of any sale is assessed by the stallions represented and this year sees a corker of a line up!
Cambridge Stud’s Almanzor has 18 on offer and we know just how well they sold down here in the southern hemisphere.
Australia has 8 lots catalogued, Camelot – whose progeny just love our conditions; think Russian Camelot, Sir Dragonet, Downdraft and Hosier – has 8 lots, the legend Frankel who is currently the hottest stallion in the world also has 8 lots, Kingman; who is punching at 12% stakes winners to runners and is the sire of Kingsheir has 17 on offer, whilst leading French sire Le Havre has 9 catalogued, Lope De Vega 11, Sea the Stars 12 and French superstar Siyouni who’s progeny also relish the Australian weather has 22 catalogued.
Coolmore’s recent acquisition and serious upgrader Wootton Bassett will have 18 lots catalogued and Widden’s dual hemisphere shuttler Zoustar who is making his first season sire European debut with 6 yearlings on offer.
Last year Kingstar’s Mathew Sandblom logged on to purchase online, securing a filly by Dabirsim for €30,000. He named her Sunday Best and she is already a 2yo winner at Deauville and has been set for some serious stakes races.
Peter Maher, Gerry Ryan, Doctor Chris Lawler and Tony Santic combined to buy El Campeon, a Teofilo colt for €85,000 that they brought straight out to Australia and is now with Danny O’Brien showing plenty of staying promise.
As buyers we have many options these days – all at our finger tips! So jump online to arqana.com and have a look at this weekend’s catalogue. If you need any more information or assistance, please contact Arqana’s Australian representative Damon Gabbedy on 0408 007 786.
