The 2018 Arqana Arc Sale saw a final total of 27 horses walk through the ring, of which 24 (65%) changed hands for a cumulated €4,318,000 and an average price of €179,917.
Trade was topped by two-year-old colt INSANDI (lot 6), who was snapped up for €470,000 by Nicolas de Watrigant on behalf of Ling & Christopher Tsui’s Sunderland Holding – who will bid for a third Arc victory Sunday with the supplemented SEA OF CLASS. INSANDI was last seen running an eye-catching 2nd in the Gr.3 Prix des Chênes.
The son of first season sire Anodin is a half-brother to Stakes winner COURCY.
The Arc Sale topseller Insandi in the ring
Night Of England and Lily’s Candle to carry Schwartz colours
Preis der Diana runner-up NIGHT OF ENGLAND (lot 18) will not take her chance in the Gr.1 Prix de l’Opera Longines after being snapped up for €400,000 by Michel Zerolo’s Oceanic Bloodstock on behalf of Martin Schwartz.
The Henk Grewe trainee is among the highest-rated three-year-old fillies in Germany, having also filled the runner-up spot in the Gr.3 Mehl-Mühlens Trophy this campaign. She also boasts considerable residual value, being a granddaughter of Gr.1 Preis der Diana heroine NEXT GINA, from the family of Gr.1 winners PAKISTAN STAR, NEXT DESERT, INTELLOGENT, NUTAN, NYMPHEA etc.
The same connections acquired LILY’S CANDLE (lot 4), a Listed winner and 4th in the Gr.3 Prix de la Rochette for trainer Fabrice Vermeulen, who will bid to go one better than ELUSIVE WAVE when she jumps off for the Gr.1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac tomorrow. Elusive Wave was runner-up in the Boussac before winning the Gr.1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches the following season.
Nicolas de Watrigant signs the chit
€310,000 Prix Dollar winner ALIGNEMENT Qatar bound
Wertheimer et Frère’s ALIGNEMENT (lot 26) added a major update to his catalogue page only a couple of hours before the sale kicked off when storming home to snatch the Gr.2 Qatar Prix Dollar under a determined Maxime Guyon.
The charge of Carlos Laffon-Parias will soon be headed to Qatar after Gerard Larrieu of Chantilly Bloodstock Agency signed at €310,000 for the five-year-old son of Pivotal.
Trainer Jassim Al Ghazali, who was seated alongside Larrieu, will take delivery of the gelding who will carry the colours of Sheail Al Kuwari and the trio will be hoping for a repeat scenario of THE BLUE EYE, who was also bought at the Arc Sale and went on to win Qatar’s highest prize, H.H. The Emir’s Sword.
2yo Listed winner HAPPY ODYSSEY goes to Yulong for €300K
Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland had been busy looking at horses with regular client Zhang Yuesheng of Yulong Investments and they struck of Amy Murphy’s HAPPY ODYSSEY (lot 35), a daughter of Camacho who turned many heads when winning the L. Prix Saraca at Maisons-Laffitte, a performance that earned her a Wild Card entry in the sale.
“She is a gorgeous filly to start with and very progressive, commented Donohoe. The plan is not firmed up yet but we might leave her with Amy to run in a Gr.3 in a couple of weeks before deciding on her later future.”
Vivaldi buy out partners in Intello filly Tresorerie
TRESORERIE (lot 29) has taken her connections on an amazing ride since being purchased for €52,000 by trainer Christophe Ferland at last year’s Autumn Sale as an unraced two-year-old filly from the yard of retirement-bound Criquette Head.
The Arc Sale ARQANA
After being just touched off on debut at Cagnes-sur-Mer this winter, the daughter of Intello has gradually stepped up to Listed level, filling the runner-up spot in the L. Prix Madame Jean Couturier at Vichy and added a nose defeat in another Stakes event at Toulouse last Wednesday.
She was then carrying the colours of French businessman Philippe Lazare, who shared the ownership with Ecurie Vivaldi and went through the ring to dissolve this partnership.
Ecurie Vivaldi, acting via Didier Krainc’s Nexus Consulting, ended up buying out their partner for €300,000 and Krainc commented: “She really got our racing club started and we are over the moon to be taking her home. We believe in her and she will stay in training in our colours”.
