Arqana is ready to start the European yearling sales season

Competition was a recurring theme throughout the summer. There was the European Football Championship, Wimbledon and most recently the Olympic Games in Paris.

On August 16th we will find out whether the same competitive spirit will be felt at the European yearling market.

The launch took place at Arqana’s high-profile August Sale, and the consensus on site was that all suitable buyers were ready and able to fire off the starting blocks.

The established superpowers were in attendance and purchasing teams from Coolmore, Godolphin, Juddmonte and Shadwell were busy scouring the sun-scorched grounds on August 15.

While it wouldn’t be surprising to see these companies involved in the business end of the market, a subplot in this year’s sales could also come from some emerging forces in the industry.

Only time will tell whether Wathnan Racing, the banner under which the Emir of Qatar competes, will add to its fast-growing team at the yearling sales. However, it was perhaps a sign of intent that Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown and trainer Alban de Mieulle, cornerstones of the burgeoning empire, were at the centre of the action as they carried out inspections in the parade ring.

Another rising force was high-profile American John Stewart. The owner’s Resolute Racing brand has taken the Thoroughbred world by storm in the United States and has already signed 20 yearlings at a price of $10,685,000 for the 2024 North American sales.

Although Stewart himself was not in attendance, his agent Gavin O’Connor was among the crowd in Deauville.

Nowhere was more busy than the Yard P courtyard, home to the auction’s long-standing top supplier, Ecurie des Monceaux. The boutique sold, among other things, the following products: Old wisdom , Angel Blue , Feed the flame , Paddington And Sottsass Presented at previous Arqana yearling sales this year is a breeding line that has every chance of joining the farm’s illustrious list of honours.

The 39-part offer includes four lots of Dubai including a full brother to Ancient Wisdom (Lot 144), three of Frankel one by one Justify and 10 of Siyouni . There are also two particularly well-bred mares from St. Mark’s Basilica namely half-siblings of Feed The Flame (178) and Magic wand (270).

“I think people are searching with intent and the checks are starting,” said Henri Bozo, director of Monceaux. “Things went well and smoothly and we had a lot of people searching from the beginning.”

“We started the exhibition on Tuesday, earlier than usual, and it has been going well the whole time. There is nothing special to announce at the moment, but there are a lot of international buyers here, which is always positive. Based on what I see, I am quite confident.”

Another consignor who issued an optimistic bulletin from the site was Anna Sundstrom of Coulonces Sales.

“It’s been a hive of activity and incredibly busy,” she said. “It was the same last year and we’ve been going non-stop since Tuesday. There were some new faces too – we still love the old ones, of course! – and it’s nice to see so many people choosing to come to France.”

“We had an absolutely fantastic sell-out last year and are just as busy this time, while again having a very strong draft.”

Last year, Coulonces sold 14 lots for a total of 3,146,000 euros, led by a Wootton Bassett Colt by Magic America, sold to Japanese trainer Yoshito Yahagi for €1,000,000.

This year’s 20-lot draft includes a highly acclaimed Blue Dot Mare out of the half-sister of the winner of the Dante Stakes (G2) 2020 Thundering (108) and a Frankel colt from the winner of the German Oaks (G1) 2021 Palmas (250).

It is two years since Yahagi bid €2.1 million for a Siyouni brother of the 2020 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) hero Sottsass. Shin EmperorThe stallion won the 2023 Kyoto Nisai Stakes (G3) at 2 and finished third in this year’s Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby, G1).

Yahagi was again among the international participants this time and cited the strength of the market at the Japan Racing Horse Association Select Sale as one of the reasons for his return to Europe in search of new recruits.

“In general, Japanese owners feel that the standard prices at the Select Sale are very high. Hopefully this is the right place to get a bargain,” he said.

The trainer said he was looking for horses with natural speed and cited as examples the offspring of stallions such as Wootton Bassett, Camelot , Palace Pier and St. Mark’s Basilica are particularly interesting.

The trainer also gave an update on Shin Emperor, saying: “The ultimate goal is the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. I’m still working my way through the catalogue, but the main reason I came here is to find another Shin Emperor this week.”

The three-day sale begins at 2pm local time on Friday, with Saturday and Sunday sessions starting after the race at 5.30pm.