Anodin juveniles in demand as Saubouas sell top lot yet again

The Osarus Breeze-Up Sale was split over two days for the first time this year, with the pre-sale show taking place on the Wednesday, followed by the selling at La Teste racecourse on Thursday - allowing for a more relaxed round of inspections and a chance for visitors to enjoy the spectacular surroundings.

The breezes on Wednesday were not without their thrills, and occasional spills, and a quick round of selling on Thursday also provided some highlights with young sires proving ever-popular.

Haras du Quesnay’s Anodin, who has his first three-year-olds on the track this year, was the leading sire of the sale and responsible for two of the top three lots, both of whom were consigned by Paul Basquin's Haras du Saubouas and bought by Christophe Ferland.

Ferland had to go to €90,000 to secure lot 42, named Night Of Love, who cost just €17,000 as a yearling at the Arqana October Sale. She is a half-sister to the talented Hello My Love, second in the Prix Daniel Wildenstien, and from the Classic German family of Group 1 winner and sire Lord Of England and the Prix Jacques Le Marois winner Lirunga.

“I’ve bought her for Ecurie Vivaldi,” said Ferland. “I’m delighted to get her. I saw her a few months ago at Haras du Saubouas and really liked her – she’s a good mover as she showed in her breeze. I’m especially happy to have bought her for Ecurie Vivaldi manager Didier Krainc, who is a great guy and a real asset to racing.”

Ecurie Vivaldi, created two years ago by Krainc, hold shares in stallions, mares and racehorses.

In 2018, they had five horses in training, including stakes performers Pizzicato, Tresorerie and Golconda: the latter who made a record breaking €105,000 at this sale last year for same team of Vivaldi, Ferland and Basquin. Following her second place in the Listed Prix Saraca, she was then sold to the US for €200,000 at the Arqana Arc Sale.

Not long after, the hammer dropped again in Ferland’s favour at €60,000, this time for an colt by Anodin named Spirtofsaintlouis offered as lot 80, who was sold here in September as a yearling for €43,000. He is out of a full sister to the useful Mister Hughie, a tough and consistent sprinter for Tim Easterby by Elusive City.

“He’s good looking, a good mover and sound” explained Ferland. “I saw him at the farm previously and liked him. He's for an association of existing clients. He’s a May foal, so I expect he won’t run until the autumn.”

The Normandy-based Ecurie la Frenee, run by Jennifer Pardanaud, burst on to the breeze-up scene last year when selling the second highest price at the Arqana Breeze-Up, a Frankel colt, for €770,000.

Pardanaud brought eight lots to this sale, including an attractive filly by emerging young sire Camelot out of the winning Anabaa mare Drole De Dame, from the Lagadere family of Armarama, granddam of Montmartre.

View sales results and buyers

Following on from a very professional breeze on the Wednesday, this quality filly, offered as lot 52, caught the eye of Mandore Bloodstock’s Nicolas de Watrigant, who went to €57,000.

“She’s a beautiful filly,” enthused De Watrigant. “I thought she was the best physical of the sale and a real standout. She has a smooth action and did a lovely breeze. I love Camelot as a sire as well. I thought she was good value. She's for Alain Jathiere, but the trainer has yet to be decided.”

Breeder and owner Pierre Talvard of Haras du Cadran was sitting just behind De Watrigant during bidding and was delighted with the result. “Jennifer did a fantastic job,” said Talvard, “She’s a very talented horsewoman and the filly looked fantastic.”

De Watrigant had struck a few lots earlier alongside Pau trainer Simone Brogi, again on behalf of owner Alain Jathiere. He signed for a handsome son of Wootton Bassett, offered as lot 37, from the family of champion sprinter Librisa Breeze at €50,000, presented by Yann Creff, who has been leading consignor at this sale multiple times.

“He did a very good breeze,” explained the agent. “He's a good-looking colt who reminds me a lot of his sire. I've a lot of belief in the stallion. He'll be trained by Simone Brogi for Mr Jathiere.”

De Watrigant was back in action again for a colt by champion French sire Siyouni, who went through the ring as lot 85, at €75,000, making him leading buyer at this sale. This strong colt was presented by Philip Prevost-Baratte, who finished the sale as leading consignor.

“I was pleasantly surprised, as I thought I would have to pay more for him,” laughed De Watrigant.

“I know his background. He was bred by Al Shahania and Philip Prevost-Baratte strongly recommended him. He did an impressive breeze and he’s precocious. I’m happy to have bought him.

"He'll go to Richard Hannon for Middleham Park Racing, and I’m hoping we can keep our 100 per cenD strike rate after Tigre Du Terre and Boitron, who runs in the Greenham on Saturday.”

The colt is out of speedy Johannesburg mare Mythical Border, who placed third in the Group 2 Flying Childers Stakes. She is the dam of a winner and is a half-sister to Sweet Solera Stakes heroine, Long Lashes.

The only filly by Siyouni in the sale was the second lot into the ring, also presented by Philip Prevost-Baratte. She caught the eye of Marc-Antoine Berghgracht, sitting with Marseille-based trainer Frederic Rossi and owner Kamel Chehboub, who signed for her at €50,000.

“She’s a beautiful filly,” said Berghgracht. “The sire needs no introduction and she did a nice breeze. She will be heading into training with Frederic Rossi.”

Rossi has had a strong start to the year in France with 21 victories, including Listed winners Talk Or Listen and Phoceene.

Siyouni has proved a consistent source of quality and speed, and connections have every reason to hope that this filly will prove to have both. She is out of the speedy Sage Melody, who finished third in the Group 3 Prix du Bois over five furlongs, and who has produced two winners from two offspring of racing age. She is also bred on the same cross as Siyouni’s best daughter Laurens, her granddam being a daughter of Green Desert.

A number of withdrawals meant that the catalogue was reduced to 78 lots, slightly down on last year when 81 went through the ring. Figures remained on a par with last year, with a 56 per cent clearance rate, a median of €15,000 and an average which finished at €22,540, down from €24,780 in 2018.

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