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| Staff Writer |
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Racing's elite battled it out in Deauville on Saturday as the Arqana Breeze Up Sale witnessed unprecedented levels of trade, with four juveniles commanding seven-figure sums and setting new records for aggregate, average and median prices.
Godolphin emerged as the dominant force, securing three of the day's highest-priced lots, including the sale-topping son of Night Of Thunder for €1.9 million (US$2,147,000).
"He's by Night Of Thunder who stands at Kildangan and we've had a One Thousand Guineas winner by him. He's doing very well as a stallion, he's on the ascendancy. This horse is very nice conformationally, and he did a very good breeze. He had all the credentials that we look for," said Anthony Stroud, standing alongside David Loder and Charlie Appleby when securing the colt.
The sales-topper, described by vendor Cormac Farrell as "surreal, just ridiculous," represents a remarkable pinhooking triumph, having been purchased for just 90,000 guineas at Book 1 of last year's Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
Not only is the colt by Darley's ascendant sire Night Of Thunder, responsible for Gr.1 One Thousand Guineas heroine Desert Flower, but he is out of Date With Destiny, the only offspring of Coolmore colour bearer George Washington. The dam, who died aged 16 last May, has produced four winners, including Gr.3 Royal Whip Stakes scorer Beautiful Morning.
Godolphin struck early in proceedings, securing a Maryland-bred son of Maxfield from Norman Williamson's Oak Tree Farm for €1 million (US$1,130,000), echoing their record-breaking purchase at this sale 12 months ago when acquiring subsequent Gr.1 Two Thousand Guineas Winner Ruling Court for €2.3 million.
"We got right in there," Stroud remarked. "He's a very attractive horse, and we all liked him. He's by a horse who stands at Godolphin's farm in America and obviously he comes from Norman, who we've had a lot of success with. He was a horse that we wanted. He'll go to Charlie Appleby."
This represents another pinhooking masterclass from Williamson, who purchased the colt for just US$70,000 at Keeneland September last year.
"That's our job, isn't it!" Williamson said. "I bought him with a view to being an early 2YO because he was strong but not big. Come Christmas time, he transformed and grew and looked like a totally different horse. That's how it happened, and you always need a bit of luck."
First-crop sire Maxfield, a dual Grade One-winning son of Street Sense, stands at Darley's Jonabell Farm in Kentucky at a fee of US$40,000 and is already off the mark with winning debutante Piedra Preciosa.
Agent Kerri Radcliffe secured a colt by Justify out of Oaks Lily for €725,000 (US$819,250). Offered by Eddie O'Leary's Lynn Lodge Stud, the colt is a sibling to three stakes horses, including Yarek, whose record includes a Group Three victory.
"He's by Justify, so it doesn't get much better, and he'll go to America for an undisclosed client," Radcliffe said. "I don't know who's going to train him yet but we'll figure that one out as we go along."
Coolmore may have missed out on the sales-topper, but the Irish operation secured a colt by Siyouni for €1 million (US$1,130,000), with M.V. Magnier signing the ticket. The youngster was consigned by Willie Browne, who commented on the selective nature of the market: "It's very much time-related. They tell me there's some soft patches here. Luckily enough I've sold everything bar one, but you need a fast horse."
Leading buyer honours went to Blandford Bloodstock, whose agent Richard Brown secured nine lots for €3,695,000 (US$4,175,350), including a filly by Mitole for €800,000 (US$904,000). The filly is a half-sister to 2023 Gr.2 Norfolk Stakes winner Valiant Force and was offered by Tally-Ho Stud.
"That's the one I wanted all day," Brown said. "I think she's an outstanding physical; she stands over a load of ground, she's a sister to a Norfolk Stakes winner and from a vendor I've had a long and happy relationship with. It's been a very frustrating day but that's made it, I'm happy now."
The strength at the top of the market helped drive record-breaking statistics, with turnover reaching €27,444,500 (US$31,012,285), an average of €201,798 (US$228,032) and a median of €120,000 (US$135,600) – all records for the Arqana sale, with the average touted as a new European high-water mark.
From 157 lots catalogued, 136 sold for a clearance rate of 87 per cent, a significant improvement on last year's 74 per cent. The 2024 sale had a posted turnover of €21,514,000, an average of €166,775 and a median of €100,000.
Brown reflected on trade in Deauville and the broader European breeze-up season: "There's been some very smart horses sold today, I think it was a very high-quality sale. All credit to Arqana, it's been extraordinary. I think there's more depth to the market than normal this year."
Other notable American interest came from agent Justin Casse, who secured a colt by Gun Runner for €425,000 (US$480,250); Marquee Bloodstock, which purchased fillies by Practical Joke and Wootton Bassett; and Repole Stables, which acquired fillies by Sioux Nation and Siyouni.
Stroud was also successful when emerging victorious from a lengthy bidding battle to secure a filly by Sioux Nation out of Brioniya, presented by Glending Stables. The filly, a sibling to three winners including the listed-placed Bakhchisaray, was picked up for just €48,000 at last year's Arqana V2 Yearling Sale.
The vibrant trade at Arqana's sale caps a remarkable breeze-up season in Europe, with unprecedented prices being paid for the most desirable lots, though as Browne noted, there were "soft patches" in the market below the headline acts. Nevertheless, this sale will be remembered for its quartet of seven-figure horses and the establishment of new benchmarks for the European breeze-up market.