The final major event of the year in Deauville, the ARQANA Vente d’Élevage began with Part I of the catalogue that offered an exceptional selection of mares, fillies and foals.
The results from the first day were extremely solid and recorded very good results with 83% (+11pts) of the 191 lots that went under the hammer changing hands for a record average of €264.145€, up 16% from the same day last year. The final turnover for the session reached €41,999,000, just underneath that of the excellent 2022 edition.
Underlining the strength of the market, 16 fillies and mares made €500,000 or more, with five of them sold for €1 million upwards. They were led by this year’s Prix de Diane (Gr.1) heroine SPARKLING PLENTY, that made the top price of €5 million, a record price in the history of the Deauville auction house.
Classic winner SPARKLING PLENTY sets an historic top price of €5 million
The auditorium was buzzing with the entrance of Prix de Diane (Gr.1) heroine SPARKLING PLENTY (lot 200) into the ring. Consigned by Haras de Bouquetot, the filly was unbeaten in two starts at two before recording impressive wins in the Prix Sandringham (Gr.2) and then in the Prix de Diane Longines (Gr.1) at three this year, beating the excellent TAMFANA and the talented AVENTURE. Capable of running over a range of distances, she most recently finished third in the Prix de l’Opéra (Gr.1) Longines.
It was Michel Zerolo (Oceanic Bloodstock) that had the final say at €5 million for the daughter of Kingman from the family of STACELITA and SAUTERNE when signing the docket on behalf of M.V. Magnier and partners.
“She’s an exceptional filly,” said M.V. Magnier. “She’ll go to Chad Brown in the United States and run out there before being covered by Justify. It’s very rare to be able to buy Classic winning fillies. We’ve bought her with some new partners.”
€1,8 million for Group winner CLASSIC FLOWER
Buyers were also crowded around the ring for the eagerly awaited CLASSIC FLOWER (lot 191) to go under the hammer, with the Haras de Beaumont consigned filly being knocked down for €1,8 million in favour of Alex Elliott bidding on behalf of M.V Magnier and White Birch Farm. The winner of the Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte (Gr.2) at two for Gousserie Racing and Jean-Etienne Dubois, she had been twice Group placed this season.
“I’ve bought her for a partnership between M.V. Magnier and Peter Brant,” said Alex Elliott. “She’s a lovely filly. She’ll be trained by Chad Brown. It looks like she will be well suited to running in the United States and we’re crossing our fingers that she can get her Group 1.”
John Stewart buys EXCELLENT TRUTH for €1,6 million
A little earlier, Prix de Psyché (Gr.3) winner and Prix Rothschild (Gr.1) runner-up EXCELLENT TRUTH (lot 171) was subject to a long bidding war around the ring. It was Francis-Henri Graffard (Stamford Bloodstock), Ghislain Bozo (Meridian International) and John Stewart (Resolute Bloodstock) that had the final say for the Mauricio Delcher Sanchez trained filly. The four-year-old, with a rating of 112, hails from the family of Group 1 winner ZAFISIO and Group scorers SPYCATCHER and SHANDY.
“She was at the top of my list”, said John Stewart. “She’s a superb filly with a great pedigree. I’m looking for fillies to run in the United States on the turf. The track at Keeneland is unique, as it is usually soft or sometimes heavy ground, which doesn’t always suit American horses. For the horses that have already run on heavy ground it’s different – they adapt well and are very good. I haven’t won a race there yet, so that’s my main aim next year!”
€1,4 million for the dam of Group 1 winner TAMFANA
Consigned by Gestüt Etzean and in foal to Soldier Hollow, TRES MAGNIFIQUE (lot 188), the dam of the very talented TAMFANA, herself by the late Gestüt Park Wiedingen sire and the recent winner of the Sun Chariot Stakes (Gr.1), was subject to interest from a lot of different buyers around the ring. It was M.V. Magnier that had the final say at €1,4 million for the daughter of Zoffany out of TICANA, herself a halfsister to three-black-type horses including Group 1 heroine SEA CALISI and dual Group scorer TARENO.
Group 1 placed SPANISH EYES makes €1,3 million
Runner-up in the du Preis der Diana - German Oaks (Gr.1), the Andreas Wohler trained SPANISH EYES, that was added to the catalogue as a Wild Card, was knocked down for €1,3 million in favour of David Redvers. Consigned by Ecurie des Monceaux, the daughter of Zarak out of Group 1 scorer SORTILEGE is a sister to Group winner SIRJAN. The well-bred filly hails from the family of Grand Prix de Paris (Gr.1) scorer SOSIE and the excellent maternal family of SACARINA, SCHIAPARELLI, SAMUM, SALVE REGINA and SEA THE MOON.
€900,000 for the dam of UNQUESTIONABLE
Offered in foal to Wootton Bassett by Normandie Breeding, STRAWBERRY LACE (lot 144), the dam of Grade 1 winner UNQUESTIONABLE, himself a son of the Coolmore sire, was knocked down for €900,000 in favour of Willingham. A daughter of Sea The Stars, she is out of Listed scorer CRYING LIGHTENING from the family of Group 1 winners CITYSCAPE, LOGICIAN and WHITEBEAM as well as Group scorers BATED BREATH, DIDINA and SUFFUSED among others.
