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Figures at Arqana Breeze Up Sale down slightly from 2021 levels
A colt by Zoffany (Dansili) was the most expensive lots sold at Friday's Arqana Breeze Up Sale when bought for €550,000 by bloodstock agent Oliver St Lawrence. Offered late in the sale by Mocklershill as Lot 148, the colt is a half-brother to Group 2 winner Lemista (Raven's Pass) being out of placed mare Shortmile Lady (Arcano).
"Roger Varian saw him this afternoon and really liked him," said St Lawrence.
"He will be trained by him. He's a strong horse that breezed really well yesterday. It's very promising for the future. I've bought him for a friend of Fawzi Nass."
New top price at the #BreezeUp as @OStLawrence goes to €550,000 to secure lot 1⃣4⃣8⃣, a half-brother by #Zoffany (@coolmorestud) to Gr.2 winner & Gr.1-placed LEMISTA, from the family of multiple Gr.1 winner WINNING COLORS. Offered by @Mocklershill1 pic.twitter.com/S6ZlMoaCc2
— ARQANA (@InfoArqana) May 13, 2022
St Lawrence also bought the only other lot to make over €500,000 – a colt by Siyouni (Pivotal) – who cost €520,000. Catalogued as Lot 124 in the draft of Longways Stables,the colt is out of placed mare Faay (Dark Angel) who is herself a half-sister to dual Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes (5f) winner Mecca's Angel.
Former Vinery Stud shuttler More Than Ready (Southern Halo) had a number of lots catalogued in this year's Arqana Breeze Up Sale and the most expensive lot by the sire to sell was Lot 70 who was bought by BBA Ireland for €450,000.The colt is the first foal out of Sweet Lollipop (Candy Ride), an unplaced half-sister to Listed winner Meal Penalty (Tale Of The Cat).
"There's everything to like about this horse," said purchaser Michael O'Donohoe. "He's an expressive colt, that is very intelligent and that did a fantastic breeze yesterday. He could run on the turf or the dirt, and it's possible that he could go to the Middle East. That's still to be decided."
Australasian buyers were active at this year's sale with Mick Price Racing buying two lots with Arthur Hoyeau. The most expensive of these was a colt by Sea The Moon (Sea The Stars) who cost €170,000 and they also bought a Oasis Dream (Green Desert) colt for €140,000.
Go Racing and Blandford Bloodstock signed for one lot, a colt by Lope De Vega (Shamardal) for €130,000.
During Friday's ale 103 of the 123 lots offered were sold for €13,573,000, down ten per cent from €15,171,000 a year ago when 108 lots sold. The average finished at €131,777, down six per cent from €140,473 and the median was €100,000, down slightly from €101,500 in 2021.
Last year's Arqana Breeze Up Sale was held in Doncaster due to Covid restrictions and Arqana's Eric Hoyeau said he was pleased that the sale returned to Deauville again this year.
"We're delighted to be back at Deauville. The sale took place in very good conditions, notably thanks to the work and professionalism of our vendors to bring their horses in the best shape.
"We must also salute the quality of the track at Deauville and the sun that was with us. The market was solid, without extravagance, with a very international dimension. Our buyers came from the United States, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Scandinavia, some of whom made the trip to Deauville for the first time."
