Summer Sales Preview

Deauville becomes the centre of the bloodstock universe when the Arqana August Sale raises the curtain on the European yearling auction circuit.

The catalogue for the three-day event, which begins on August 16, contains 325 blue chip lots from some of France’s biggest and best breeders, as well as a select few from further afield in Britain, Germany and Ireland.

Ecurie des Monceaux, which is situated approximately 35 kilometres away from the sales ring, is very much the dominant force at this sale.

The farm reached the pinnacle of thoroughbred breeding in 2020 when the homebred Sottsass claimed the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. The purple patch has continued in the years since with Monceaux’s Group 1-winning roll of honour receiving additions such as Ancient Wisdom, Angel Bleu, Feed The Flame, Mangoustine, Paddington and Sea La Rosa.

That racecourse success has translated into some sensational results in the Arqana ring. At last year’s August Sale, Monceaux sold 34 yearlings for receipts totalling €15,590,000 and an average price of €458,530. Not only are they personal bests for Monceaux, but to illustrate the farm’s influence on the sale, those statistics meant the draft accounted for a massive 28 per cent of turnover from 14 per cent of sold lots.

Moreover, Monceaux has been the leading consignor by aggregate sales each of the 12 years since 2012. The pedigrees within this year’s consignment not only makes it seem highly likely they will maintain that market leading status, but that further Group 1 success looks a distinct possibility.

Monceaux director Henri Bozo rates one of the coolest customers on the sales ground, but admits the pressure to deliver is most firmly on.

“Obviously for us breeders it’s a unique situation to think that you’re doing 80 per cent of your annual turnover within three days of sales,” he says. “Of course there’s a bit of stress for everyone involved, including the staff, but we’re getting used to it and it’s always something we look forward to. It’s a bit like an exam to see if you have worked well during the year. Deauville is a special place and it’s close by for us; everybody enjoys going there, so it’s a nice area to hopefully pass your exams!”

Bozo stresses that the sales ring is just one step in the process of producing racehorses. Despite the challenges involved in raising and preparing young thoroughbreds for sale, he says the pressure he feels at auction pales in comparison to what he experiences on the racecourse.

“It would be a lie to say there is no stress, but you just manage it as best you can,” he says. “We’re dealing with very lively animals so we have to cope with that every day and make sure we keep our horses safe. But it’s not only about keeping them safe, but letting them live life in a natural environment. That’s because the goal is not the sales, the goal is to perform after the sales. That is what’s important if you want clients to come back each year.

“I take the pressure of the sales much better than I do at the races. At the sales you know you have done all you can so then it is up to the buyers whether they like your horses or not. But there’s not much you can do as a breeder during those big race days. You’re just a spectator.”

Siyouni has been an amazing asset for France

Monceaux’s draft contains 39 blue-blooded yearlings, the vast majority of which are by elite level stallions, including four of the ten most expensive sires standing in 2024. There are four lots by Dubawi, three by Frankel, ten by Siyouni and six by Wootton Bassett.

“Our draft is mainly proven stallions,” says Bozo. “Between Wootton Bassett, Justify, Dubawi, Frankel, Starspangledbanner, Night Of Thunder, New Bay, Zarak, Too Darn Hot and Dark Angel, we try to use proven stallions as much as we can. It’s mainly proven mares too. We’ve got 12 mares in the catalogue who have produced stakes winners, Group winners or Group 1 winners.

“We also have some exciting young mares. Every year we try to buy five or six from the best possible families – at Monceaux we trust in pedigrees – and I’m a big believer that quality always comes back. Even if it’s under the third dam.”

Among the eye-catchers on paper is Lot 144, the Dubawi colt out of Prix Minerve winner Golden Valentine. The youngster is a sibling to three winners, most notably his full-brother Ancient Wisdom, who sold to Godolphin for €2,000,000 in 2022 before winning the following year’s Group 1 Futurity Trophy. The May foal has one notable difference to his brother, as he has inherited his dam’s grey colouring.

“They have the same quality but this colt was born late so he’s still a baby,” says Bozo. “But he’s still got a lot of quality and a lot of power, and you know he’s going to be a strong individual when the time comes. Dubawi has been amazing and we’re fortunate to have been able to use him so often. He has been an outstanding stallion so to have four of his yearlings is a privilege.”

Siyouni also figures prominently in the draft, and there is little wonder that Monceaux are so firmly behind the Haras de Bonneval stallion. They bred Arc hero Sottsass by sending the star-crossed Starlet’s Sister to Siyouni in 2015, and repeated the mating in 2020 to breed Shin Emperor, who won the Grade 3 Kyoto Nisai Stakes at two and also finished third in this year’s Japanese Derby for trainer Yoshito Yahagi.

Monceaux also raised and sold Siyouni’s four-time Group 1-winning son Paddington, as well as breeding the stallion’s most expensive offspring, Seattle, who sold to MV Magnier and White Birch Farm for €2.2 million at last year’s August Sale. The full-sister to Seattle is among this year’s draft (162).

“Siyouni has been an amazing asset for France,” says Bozo. “He’s an outstanding stallion and he’s able to throw a lot of class, a lot of power and a turn of foot into his progeny. He has a lot of quality and muscle, so he suits our mares, which are mainly Classic types. He’s a stallion that we have a lot of trust in and respect for, so we haven’t been shy about using him.”

The Monceaux draft also contains three members of St Mark’s Basilica’s debut crop, including a particularly well-bred filly from Monceaux’s signature family.

“I was very impressed with the stallion himself,” says Bozo. “He’s a beautiful individual, he was a champion at two and three, won the French Derby, which is a stallion making race, he’s by Siyouni and out of a Galileo mare. There’s plenty in his profile that we really appreciate. We sent him some very good mares and I think we’ve been rewarded because we have some very nice yearlings.”

The filly out of Prudenzia (270) is a half-sister to eight winners, with her five black-type siblings including Irish Oaks heroine Chicquita, now the dam of Group 2 winner Emily Dickinson, Mackinnon Stakes scorer Magic Wand and Prix Penelope winner Philomene. The filly was bred in partnership with Skymarc Farm, the banner under which the late Lady O’Reilly operated.

“It’s special to sell her as Prudenzia has been the mare that made Monceaux,” says Bozo. “She was bought in partnership with Patricia Boutin and Lady O’Reilly. She means a lot to us and she’s really the example of what has worked for us. It has been such an enjoyable collaboration between Chryss and Monceaux, so it’s sentimental and special to sell this filly.

“If Lady O’Reilly was still with us, and with the mare being old, she would’ve definitely been under consideration to be retained. But the death of Lady O’Reilly means the situation is a bit different.”

Predicting the state of the market will be an ongoing topic of discussion, at least until the industry has more concrete evidence. However, Bozo says his confidence in Monceaux’s draft, as well as Deauville’s unique charms, gives plenty of cause for optimism.

“The results of the yearling sales in Deauville in the last ten years have been very strong,” he says. “People got value for money, even at the highest level, so I think Deauville has made a name for itself internationally. And Arqana have been good at attracting people from different places around the world, America, Australia, the Middle East, everywhere. I’m always an optimistic guy, so I’m not particularly worried about the market.

“We’ve very fortunate to have the sales in Deauville. It’s an outstanding place, whether that’s the quality of life, the scenery, the restaurants, the races. The staff at Arqana do a great job at welcoming people and accommodating visitors and not forgetting that people invest in racehorses for pleasure and fun.”

There is, of course, more to the August Sale than merely the Monceaux draft. Other pedigree standouts include the Acclamation half-brother to recent Coventry Stakes winner Rashabar from Haras de Beaufay (52); Haras d’Etreham offer a Palace Pier half-brother to Aclaim (58) and a Dubawi colt whose siblings include Bucanero Fuerte, Wooded and last year’s €2.4m top lot (134); Preis von Europa winner Donjah’s first foal is the Zarak colt being offered by Haras de Montaigu (109); Gestut Ammerland’s final yearling crop includes a Siyouni colt out of Lady Frankel (190); while Coulonces Sales present the first foal, a Frankel colt, out of German Oaks heroine Palmas (250).

 

More ‘Donny rockets’ primed for liftoff

Buyers will be spoilt for choice at the Doncaster Premier Yearling Sale, with Goffs UK presenting an expanded catalogue of 480 lots.

Last year’s sale has already produced the usual slew of stakes performers, including Windsor Castle Stakes winner Ain’t Nobody, Marble Hill Stakes victor Arizona Blaze and Premio Primi Passi scorer Korisa. They join a roll of honour that has received other recent additions such as Brave Emperor, Fev Rover, Isaac Shelby, Jasour, Seven Questions, Sacred Angel, Shouldvebeenaring and Washington Heights.

“We believe there’s an increase in terms of quality and quantity,” says Goffs UK managing director Tim Kent. “We’re well aware that vendors have got behind us and entrusted us with some smart horses. And not just one or two but significant numbers of smart yearlings. It helped that we had 28 horses make £100,000 or more last year, and those 28 were bought by 23 different buyers.

It helped that we had 28 horses make £100,000 or more last year, and those 28 were bought by 23 different buyers

“There was a wide buying bench at that top level – vendors noticed that trend and are sending us better horses because of it. On top of that, we’ve had plenty of winners who haven’t cost six-figure sums, there’ve been plenty of smart winners bought for reasonable money, and that just goes to show that there’s something there for buyers at all levels. We’re very excited by the catalogue and we’re looking forward to promoting it to buyers from far and wide in the coming weeks.”

Newsells Park Stud returns to Doncaster with an eye-catching four-strong draft, including a filly by the farm’s first-crop sire A’Ali. Ballyphilip Stud is also back in business in Doncaster, and Paul McCartan’s quartet includes a colt by his own stallion, Nando Parrado. Barton Stud is bringing a particularly strong draft to Goffs, including a Too Darn Hot half-sister to the Listed-placed Admiral Nelson, who set a Premier Sale record when knocked down to MV Magnier at £440,000 in 2019.

“We’re taking the strongest draft of horses we’ve ever taken to Doncaster,” says Barton’s managing director Tom Blain. “I thought last year’s sale was strong and we had some good results. The yearlings we’re taking this year are classic Doncaster types and are proper horses who look like they’ll make early two-year-olds.”

Outlining some of the notable youngsters in the Barton draft, Blain says: “We have a very nice Too Darn Hot filly, she’s a classic Doncaster type; big, strong and with good movement. The Havana Grey [colt out of Two In The Pink] looks very early and is a standout individual, while the Starspangledbanner filly [out of Wish You Well] is very nice and comes from a good German family and her dam is a dual stakes winner.

“We’re also consigning the Night Of Thunder colt out of Incharge for Jeff and Phoebe Hobby’s Brightwalton Stud. He’s probably got the best pedigree in the catalogue and the half-sister, Meribella, was a very good two-year-old for Ralph Beckett last year.”

The make and mark of the Doncaster yearling, with physical prowess prioritised over pedigree claims, has meant plenty of miles on the road for the Goffs inspection team.

“Some years ago we slightly moved away from the typical ‘Donny rocket’, but we’ve made a big play to go back to that traditional Donny yearling so purchasers know exactly what they’re going to find when they get to the stable door,” says Kent. “We’ve been more proactive in the sourcing of horses than we have been in previous years, getting around the farms, chatting to vendors and seeing what they want and what we can do to assist them.

“We can’t choose the horses for this sale by looking at a bit of paper. That comes secondary to us. That means we’ve got to get out and see the horses. There might be yearlings in there that some people would question on pedigree, but I guarantee if you go and see the horse in the flesh, there’s your answer. We’re confident we’ve picked the best ‘Donny’ types. That type of yearling is where this sale started and we need to continue that with that model.”

Purchasers will also have the draw of running in Harry’s Half Million at York during the Ebor Festival. The Doncaster sales race has been won by notable names such as Acclamation, Dark Angel, Tasleet and Wootton Bassett, and this year will be worth an increased £500,000.

“There’s £250,000 to the winner and prize-money down to tenth place,” says Kent. “Last year there were just over 200 horses that made the initial entry, so in essence you have a one in 200 chance of winning the first prize of £250,000. We’re also working with York racecourse to do a large amount of entertaining and make a real big thing of the occasion. We’d like to focus it towards new owners and syndicates to try and promote ownership and help showcase the wonderful sport that we all enjoy.”

 

Somerville continues on steep trajectory

There is arguably no more progressive a yearling auction on the European circuit than the Tattersalls Somerville Sale. The event was established when Tattersalls relocated its Ascot Yearling Sale to Park Paddocks in 2021.

Each subsequent renewal of the Somerville has registered significant gains, and that upward trajectory continues this year with the sale expanding to two days for the first time. The catalogue is expected to contain over 450 lots.

“It’s a sale that has taken off quickly and very much captured everyones’ imagination in its short life,” says Tattersalls’ marketing director Jimmy George. “Moving up to two days was the logical next step, and reflects the demand we’ve had for places over the last few years, when we’ve sometimes had to redirect people elsewhere.

“We always felt it was the right move to develop this sale in Newmarket, which is obviously the hub for Tattersalls. But even having said that, we’ve been pleasantly surprised by how quickly the Somerville Yearling Sale has impinged on the buying public and become pretty well an unmissable yearling sale for so many people.”

The Somerville Sale has already amassed an enviable roll of honour, particularly for a new sale serving the commercial end of the market. Two top-flight winners have graduated from this event in triple US Grade 1 heroine Anisette and King’s Stand Stakes scorer Bradsell. Arabian Dusk, winner of the Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes during the July meeting, was sourced at last year’s sale by Mags O’Toole for 80,000gns.

“At this stage the Somerville Yearling Sale has a higher percentage of two-year-old black type performers in 2024 than any other yearling sale in Europe,” says George. “So it really is punching above its weight. The vendor side is only half the battle because if purchasers are coming to a sale and further down the line they’re scratching their heads and a little bit disappointed, then only one part of the equation has been satisfied.

“The great thing is the buyers are coming to the sale driven by the success in its short history. Obviously a lot of purchasers will also have in the back of their mind the £100,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes, which is a great target for a lot of the yearlings that are purchased there.”

Arabian Dusk was sold by Whitsbury Manor Stud, and the Harper family’s operation is set to send another strong draft of yearlings this time around. There is an added international element to this year’s proceedings with Anna Sundstrom’s Coulonces Sales bringing its debut draft over from France, while leading German horseman Philipp Stauffenberg is also consigning at the Somerville for the first time.

“The sale is going places,” says Stauffenberg. “When it started at Ascot it was a fairly moderate sale but the quality has improved and the prices have improved, and if you have a yearling who looks like being a good two-year-old this is the place to go.

“If you look into the results, there are some good horses coming out of this sale, including Group 1 winners, so buyers’ faith in the sale has gone up. There are now plenty of positive arguments in favour of taking yearlings to this sale.”

Stauffenberg Bloodstock brings two fillies, namely a daughter of A’Ali and Hoopmalassie, a granddaughter of Casual Look, and a Hello Youmzain half-sister to the Group 3-place juvenile La Estrellita.

“A’Ali was a very good two-year-old and there’s plenty of good two-year-olds in the pedigree,” says Stauffenberg. “She looks like a two-year-old and her third dam is Casual Look, so it’s a good family.

“I really loved the Hello Youmzain filly when I bought her in France; I think she’s a stunning filly. She looks like a two-year-old, she’s out of a two-year-old winner and the sister is a two-year-old winner and Group-placed. I could have put her in Book 2 but I thought it was worth giving this sale a try, so hopefully these two fillies fit the profile.”

Tattersalls are also hoping the expanded Somerville offering will alleviate some of the pressure during the second week of the October Yearling Sale, which hosts Books 2, 3 and 4.

“At this stage we were aiming to have the first Lot in Book 3 beginning with a 5 rather than a 6, which it has done for the last few years,” says George. “That looks like something we’ll attain, which will hopefully be a positive for all concerned.”