26.10.2018

Spotlight on the Arqana - Afac Purebred Arabian Sale - BUYERS AND VENDORS PROVE TO BE DEMANDING AS THE MARKET REMAINS A SOLID ONE

The 2018 edition of the Purebred Arabian Sales were organised by Arqana in conjunction with AFAC, and the market proved to be a very discerning one. Regarding those lots bought privately, demand was solid whereas many vendors decided to take the buy back route. Seven lots which bypassed the 100,000 euros mark were buy backs – whereas eight which attracted bids of 50,000 euros or more also entered this category. It should be noted that the majority of these were by sires whose covering fees are, for the main, below 10,000 euros. The sale lacked one or two big hitters capable of driving up prices at the higher end of the market. However, the big international stables tend to be well endowed when it comes to their broodmare bands.

Embryo transfers, which are sometimes acquired from French breeders, have become commonplace and this, by the same token, tends to drive down the demand for breeding stock. However, despite the lack of the boom factor, the Saint-Cloud sales continue to fulfil a useful function as 80 lots were sold. The average price fell to 26,656 euros (- 2.26 %) and this was also reflected in the sales volume figure which reached 2,132,500 euros  (- 3.46 %). The impact of international buyers specialised in the endurance sector cannot be understated. As Stéphane Chazel (five lots for 110,000 euros) and Lucie Loevenbruck (fourteen lots for 249,000 euros) between them accounted for a sixth of the total sales volume.

Gérard Larrieu acquires the two top lots

After acquiring nine lots for 534,000 euros, the Chantilly Bloodstock supremo not unsurprisingly was the top buyer at the sale. He acquired the two highest priced lots in the form of a couple of horses in training which, in the long term, are destined to be trained by Jassim Mohammed Ghazali Jahromi on behalf of Khalifa bin Sheail Al Kuwari: a leading Qatari owner. They will be entrusted with the task of following in the hoofprints of the stable’s PA leading lights such as Easter de Faust (Mahabb), Caïd de l'Ardus (Mahabb) and Spaghetti (Snoopi). The latter trio have enabled the Al Kuwari silks to be competitive vis-à-vis the powerhouses of the ‘Sheikhs’ which habitually tend to dominate the Qatari racing scene.  At 155,000 euros, Fortuna Al Maury (No Risk Al Maury) comes ‘packaged’ with a placed effort in the Prix Nevada II (Gr. III PA) as well as hailing from the line of the high class Akbar (Djelfor). At 150,000 euros, Sea Bird Al Maury (Mijdadd) was sold with his entry in the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Poulains (Gr. I PA) although he didn’t run in that race.

THE FLAIR OF RENÉE-LAURE KOCH

FORTUNA AL MAURY

No. 110 - F3 - No Risk Al Maury ex Friandise Al Maury (Rainbow Al Maury) € 155,000

Buyer: Chantilly Bloodstock

Vendor: Olivier Trigodet

Breeder: Renée-Laure Koch

Breeding combines flair and inspiration. After becoming one of the first owners to enlist the

services of former jockey Olivier Trigodet, Renée-Laure Koch was certainly inspired.

Fortuna Al Maury (No Risk Al Maury) was third in the Prix Nevada II (Gr. III PA) on her second start and thereby became her mentor’s first performer to gain black type. The sire

No Risk Al Maury (Kesberoy) stands for the modest fee of 1,500 euros. The 155,000 euros purchase has rewarded the combined efforts of her team.  She is the second black type performer generated by the dam in the wake of Fée Al Maury (Dormane). The latter was second in the Prix de l'Élevage (Gr. II PA) and third in The Arabian Trophy des Pouliches (Gr. I PA). This represents a high class French family and namely that of the departed and much lamented Akbar (Djelfor). He had a very distinguished career on the track and as a stallion, having been acquired in his younger days by Renée-Laure Koch.

SEA BIRD AL MAURY

No. 100 - M3 - Mijdadd ex Si Cruelle Al Maury (Djou Said) €105,000

Buyer: Chantilly Bloodstock

Vendor: Damien de Watrigant

Breeder: Renée-Laure Koch

Hands up who is familiar with the stallion Mijdadd (Dormane)? In reality, very few people are. He is a brother of the excellent Munjiz (Kesberoy) but his own racing career was a very modest one. Consequently, it’s hardly surprising that only two breeders have bred their mares to a stallion whose stud fee is around 1,000 euros and namely: his owner His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Renée-Laure Koch. The latter even made a special trip to the United Arab Emirates so as to be able to get a glimpse of the horse in person. The founder of "du Maury" label still has four sons of Mijdadd grazing in her paddocks at home. The very first product of this stallion to grace the track was Sea Bird Al Maury and he has gained black type. On his second start for trainer Damien de Watrigant, he filled third in the Prix Chéri Bibi (Gr. III PA): an excellent boost prior to the sales. Tracing back to the grandam, one detects the presence of a mare whom Renée-Laure Koch holds in great affection: Salia de Carrère (Baroud III). She is a responsible for a ‘line’ which has yielded the champion Sylvine Al Maury (Munjiz) – a triple Gr. I PA winner – in addition to another winner at the highest level in the form of Sivit Al Maury (Malazgirt Trophy, Gr. I PA),

SALIM SAAD SUHAIL AL MUKHAINI BAHWAN BUYS TWO SONS OF AMER

NALINK

No. 1- M3 - Amer ex Nalika (Dormane) €100,000 €

Buyer: Salim Saad Suhail Al Mukhaini Bahwan

Vendor: Haras de Saint-Faust

Breeder: Marie-Claude Biaudis

After making the trip from Oman, Salim Saad Suhail Al Mukhaini Bahwan was accompanied at the sale by Jean-Pierre Deroubaix (FBA Agency). After signing the docket for 100,000 euros, the young owner told us: "The colt comes from a family which I know and like very much. He is going to remain in France for the time being and will go into training. However, he will eventually transfer to Oman." The grandam is none other than the renowned Naiada Al Maury (Baroud III). The latter is the common denominator linking a whole host of PA Group 1 performers such as Nez d'Or (Al Maktoum Challenge Round I & Round II, Dubai Kahayla Classic); Noreen (The Hatta International Stakes); Mkeefa (Arabian World Cup, The Hatta International Stakes, UK Arabian Derby); Chaddad (Arabian Trophy des Poulains); Naphir (The Abu Dhabi International Championship); and Rajeh (Prix Manganate & Arabian Trophy des Poulains)…

ACAMAR

No. 102 - M3 - Amer ex Vodka'L Fauquey (Munjiz) € 65,000

Buyer: Salim Saad Suhail Al Mukhaini Bahwan

Vendor: Didier Guillemin

Breeder: H.H. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani

Bred by H.H. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Acamar (Amer) ran twice this season as a three-year-old. Trained by Didier Guillemin, he was third in the Prix Massoud behind two performers who went on to gain black type: Farida du Croate (Munjiz) and Fettah du Loup (Kerbella). The dam is a sister of Premium de Fauquey (Kairouan de Jos), The President of the UAE International Challenge Derby (Gr. II PA) winner.

THE OWNER OF RODESS DU LOUP CONTINUES TO INVEST IN FRANCE

GALLOS DE FAUST

No. 14 - M3 - Mared Al Sahra ex Tsarine du Paon, (Al Sakbe) € 55,000

Buyer: Haras de Thouars on behalf of Khalifa bin Hamad

Vendor: Haras de Saint-Faust

Breeders: Haras de Saint-Faust & Chantilly Bloodstock

Rodess du Loup (Dahess) has enjoyed a superb 2018 campaign which has yielded two

Group I PA wins. His owner, Khalifa Bin Hamad Al Attiyah, was represented by

Emmanuel Cessac. He acquired nine lots, four of which fetched in excess of 40,000 euros, for a total shopping bill of 267,000 euros. His most expensive buy (55,000 euros) was lot 14, a two-year-old from the Haras de Saint-Faust draught. It represents a good result for his breeders as the covering fee of the colt’s sire is 3,000 euros. The maternal line is high quality as the grandam is none other than Giulia du Paon (Veinard Al Maury). Six of her descendants are proven at black type level including Nemrod du Paon (Tidjani), Rhoda du Paon (Tidjani) and Magik du Paon (Mahabb),

Overview

A sale geared towards long term success

For the duration of a week which was a long one in racing terms, the Saint-Cloud sales underscored its ability to act as a magnet both in sporting and genetic terms. Al Haffanah (Amer) stole the show on Friday after proving a brilliant winner of the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Pouliches (Gr1 PA). She should develop into a remarkable four-year-old. The dam, Al Nachmiya (Azadi), was acquired for 350,000 euros by Nicolas de Watrigant of Mandore International Agency fame. He was acting on behalf of His Excellency Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani.

A Group PA I winner 24 hours after going through the ring, she has proven to be a broodmare of the highest calibre.  ParisLongchamp played host to the Qatar Arabian Trophy des Juments (Gr. I PA) the next day which enabled Al Shamoos (No Risk Al Maury) to showcase her considerable talents. The Dr. Al Nujaifi runner was a buy back for the comparatively modest sum of 35,000 euros at the Saint-Cloud sales. Furthermore, Fazza Al Khalediah (Jalnar Al Khalidiah), the Qatar Arabian World Cup hero, is a grandson of Dalina des Fabries (Dormane) who was also purchased at this sale.